Half of UK properties are potentially listed incorrectly, according to Direct Line.

It’s research has revealed that nearly half (48%) of homes for sale across the UK contain at least one room that is listed incorrectly.

And it reckons that 36% of single bedrooms are technically too small to be classed as such for anyone aged over 10, with Bristol and Sheffield the UK’s shoebox hotspots.

According to the Housing Act 1985 a child under the age of 10 can occupy a room which is less than 50ft2 because they are classed as ‘half a person’, however a single bedroom should have a floor space of between 50ft2 – 70ft3.

For one in six (17%) properties the double bedrooms are exceptionally small and would barely house two people. The Housing Act 1985 references that, to avoid overcrowding, double bedrooms for two people should be at least 110 ft2, however one property in Liverpool advertised a 69 ft2 bedroom as a double.

Most accurate estate agents

Estate agents in Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh were the most accurate in listing single bedrooms in online property advertisements.

When looking at properties overall, estate agents in Bristol are the most inaccurate, as two thirds (66%) of properties for sale in the city had at least one incorrectly-listed bedroom (based on a large number of occupants). This is followed by Sheffield (60%), Liverpool (57%) and Birmingham (57%).

Nick Brabham, head of Direct Line’s SELECT Premier Insurance, said: “Anyone who has purchased a property knows the marketing literature can often be misleading, but it is concerning to see so many properties across the UK being marketed by estate agents as having single and double bedrooms which are barely fit for purpose.

“We urge buyers to check the measurements of bedrooms before putting in an offer on a house; otherwise they may find their ‘double’ bedroom barely has enough space for a bed.”