HOUSE-HUNTERS have been left aghast by a £1,000 per month cottage – which is situated on a farm where would-be tenants are seemingly expected to work for free.
The one-bedroom property, located in Minstead, Hampshire, was added to Rightmove last month and boasts of being a secluded home in the New Forest area with plenty of character.
However, unlike other properties, this home comes with the expectation that tenants will not only pay rent, but also commit themselves to farm work while the owner is away for a quarter of the year.
The prospective tenant will be required to look after the property, which hosts campsite visitors on its land, as well as the owner’s horses, dogs and chickens.
The quirky cottage appears cosy with open-plan rooms and wooden poles inside that support the low-slung ceilings.
The entrance shows a white stable door, giving the prospective tenant the option to open the window at the top or the gate at the bottom.
Immediately upon entering the furnished property is the living room, complete with wooden flooring, a rose rug and blanketed furniture.
To the left of the front door is a log-burning stove, giving a warm glow to the room as a white wardrobe sits at the centre, fronted with a full-length mirror.
The corner of the room contains a television, bookcase and fluffy dog beds, before leading directly to an open plan kitchen with a white brick stove and counters.
The kitchen then leads round to the main hallway and ultimately, the bedroom which snugly fits a double bed and wooden dressers.
The bathroom consists of a porcelain tub squeezed into a small slab of space but sits below a VELUX roof window, giving a bright, airy feel.
To the back of the property is a garden which appears to run the length of the house, whilst a bench and table are perched onto a small patio alongside a white deck chair.
The property is being listed by Parkers Lettings, who ask for £1,025 rent per calendar month.
The letting agent described the property as: “A fabulous opportunity for animal-loving, single [people] to enjoy the peace and quiet of the New Forest.
“It’s an unusual offering and certainly not for everyone but our client is looking for the right person to join them at their farm in this pretty, one-bedroom self-contained furnished cottage.
“The successful applicant will enjoy walking the owners three small dogs daily, help with the chickens and be a trusted pair of eyes when our client is away, 3-4 months of the year, possibly more.
“A possible live-in groom position would also be considered. In return, this beautiful cottage offers self-contained fully furnished accommodation of enormous character, available for a long term let.
“The rent is inclusive of electric and water, and is not subject to Council Tax. The property has Calor gas central heating and a log-burning stove.”
One house-hunter took to social media yesterday to share the unique property, writing: “People have lost the plot.
“So, for over a grand a month, you get to live on a farm in a Lilliputian granny annexe and ‘The successful applicant will enjoy walking the owners three small dogs daily, help with the chickens and be a trusted pair of eyes when our client is away, three-four months of the year, possibly more’.
“‘A possible live-in groom position would also be considered.’
“It’s almost as if they want you to pay through the nose for the rent and as a bonus, work for them for free. How very generous of them.
“How very ‘They can go get to f**k.’”
The post has received over 200 likes and dozens of comments from users left in bewilderment by the demands that come with the cottage’s hefty rent.
One person joked: “Hey everyone, come and look at our new little hobbit man we have living at the bottom of our garden. Look, here he comes searching for scraps.”
Another said: “Live-in groom? So is she advertising for a husband or what?”
A third commented: “The gall of some folk. No doubt an older couple, very well off in retirement, detached from the real world.”
A fourth added: “Weirdly I quite like it. If I was single, didn’t have my own dog and not already a homeowner, I’d much prefer that to a boring flat.
“I don’t know what the going rate for something like that place is there. You would expect a discount but I bet it would suit someone out there.”
A fifth wrote: “Hm, I love the actual cottage but the landlord wants an employee, and the house should come with the job.”
A sixth said: “I work near here. I’m going to keep an eye out.”
A live-in groom is a resident who takes up a property and looks after the stables in the owner’s absence.
The average salary for this job is typically around £12,000 per annum.
Parkers Lettings have been contacted for comment.
