Double room offered for rent - complete with slave

It's unusual, but by no means unheard-of, to see a room offered in return for housework or other chores.

But one man looking for a flat-share was surprised to see a decidedly different deal on offer - a room for just £1 a month, with a personal slave thrown in.

Richie Walker, 34, says the Flatshare.com ad popped up as an alert.

"I have a lovely house in Fulham with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and garden. I am willing to offer the master bedroom suite free to a lady or young couple who will make and treat me like a slave," it read.

"The master bedroom has a large ensuite bathroom and a small attached room which can be used a study/dressing room."

The ad explained that the renter was a 63-year-old professional man.

"I have been a slave before and those were the happiest days of my life," he explained. "I do not seek an intimate or sexual relationship and see myself as a domestic and financial slave."

Perhaps unfortunately, the ad has now been removed. A Flatshare spokesman tells the Mirror: "We've no reason to suspect the ad isn't genuine but didn't think it was entirely suitable for the site so removed it."

The ad must surely be one of the weirdest flat-shares ever - but there are other contenders. Last September, for example, one Dublin landlord tried his chances by offering half a double bed to rent.

But not only did he expect €290 per month in return, he had conditions attached, with the female renter expected to be 'non-smoking, broad-minded, smart, sexy, confident, unconventional and adventurous.

Another weird ad appeared earlier this year, offering a double room near Peckham for the bargain price of £700 a month. Unfortunately, though, there was a reason for this: the water dripping from the ceiling.

London bargain-hunters would do better heading to Waltham Forest, where recent research has indicated the cheapest flat-shares are to be found. Here, a room averages an average of £435.89, compared with £748.04 for London as a whole - and a whacking £1,095.73 in Kensington and Chelsea.

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