'Narrowest detached house' sells at auction in Leicester

  • Published
The font of 15 Goldhill Road
Image caption,

The "unusual" house is believed to have been built on land left over from a development

A 13ft (4m) wide house - thought to be among the narrowest detached properties in the UK - has sold at auction.

The "unusual" and "quirky" house on Goldhill Road in Leicester was bought for just above the guide price of £155,000 earlier.

The two-bedroom property in the Knighton area of the city was built at the turn of the 20th Century and is about half the width of a tennis court.

The successful bidder is believed to be a property developer.

Carl Finch, a senior valuer for SDL Auctions, said the house's compact dimensions are probably due to a developer hoping to make money from left-over land.

He said the house was not like anything he had come across before and added: "You couldn't get a detached house much more narrow".

Mr Finch said there was a "flurry" of bids when the auction started but interest died down as the price increased.

Image caption,

The house has a dining room, lounge, kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms

The last person to live in the house was an elderly woman.

After her death it was bought by a property developer who carried out work on it - including installing a new roof.

Knighton is one of the more expensive areas of Leicester, with an average property price of more than £300,000.

Small houses

Image source, McHugh & Co
Image caption,

This property in Haringey, London, is believed to have been built on a driveway

  • The property believed to be "Britain's smallest house" is a terrace building in Conwy, Wales. The house stands 72in (1.8m) wide and 122in (3m) high.

  • In 2014 a terrace house measuring just 6 ft 11 inches (2.1m) was advertised for sale in London - it was believed to have been built on a driveway between two homes.

  • Another tiny terrace house on Harwich Road in Colchester sold for £52,000 in 2015. The two-storey property had just three rooms and no indoor bathroom.

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