Lovely, private, spacious and clean garden studio

Would you like a short-term base in London or a peaceful retreat from your usual accommodation? This private studio space in Catford - with a sprawling garden, great kitchen, 11' ceilings and 9’ windows - offers an airy-yet-cosy haven. It is furnished with a range of amenities, free parking is nearby and it is a short stroll to the town's two train stations - plus banks, supermarkets, restaurants, pubs, bars, a post office, gym and more - that offer a swift gateway to the heart of London. The space I am delighted that you are interested to know more about the studio space! I am keen for Airbnb users to act as my home-guardian/lodger for periods between two weeks and three months at a time, although other durations will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The studio space is well-suited for a long-stay tourist, temporary worker, London-job-hunter, event/course attendee or recent transplant who requires a temporary base in London while they enjoy their time in the capital or seek longer-term accommodation. It is also useful for anyone in the midst of moving from one home to another or while repairs/renovations occur in their permanent abode. Prospective lodgers must complete their Airbnb profile with a (clear) personal photograph and several verifications including phone number, email address and government identity before submitting an enquiry or reservation request. The listing does not accept children (from newborns to teenagers) - only adults. My home is on the ground floor of a Victorian building in a highly-regarded conservation area. It boasts an 11-foot ceiling and big sash windows. The largest windows have secondary glazing for added security and insulation. The entire space has steadily been lovingly redecorated and remains in beautiful condition. Each room has a textured feature wall with complementing woodwork and wall colour schemes. The building's Victorian charm is enhanced by coving and ceiling roses. Many appliances, amenities and accessories were thoughtfully chosen to match each room's style and colours. All of the power points include USB-A charging ports. *THE HALLWAY* The space's private alleyway side-door opens into a small hallway that connects the bathroom and living-room/sleeping-room. The hallway contains multiple coat hooks, a black iron clothing rail with shelves, black velvet hangers and a hanging heart-shaped mirror. *THE LIVING-ROOM/SLEEPING-ROOM (140-square feet)* What is typically the flat's living-room is also the lodger's sleeping-room, which creates a studio space. Its enormous windows gaze into the beautiful garden. There is a 47" LG LED HD SMART TV, powered by a NOW TV fire-stick, which can be used to watch catch-up/on-demand services such as Netflix, NOW TV, Amazon Prime, Sky, YouTube (user-generated content) and more entertainment services *provided lodgers sign into their personal account*. The room also includes a dining table, which can be used as a work desk, with accompanying chairs and there’s a grand sofa that electronically reclines. Lodgers can sleep on the single Jay-Be folding bed with a 5cm thick mattress. the comfy sofa or their own air bed. *THE KITCHEN (90-square feet)* The kitchen is an excellent size for a studio space. One of its two windows offers a view that spans the enormous garden. It has a plethora of appliances including a washing machine/tumble dryer, fridge/freezer, Nespresso coffee capsule machine, kettle, toaster, microwave, electric oven and four-pod gas stove. White floating shelves display glasses, some basic condiments and spare ingredients. The room also has many white cabinets; several are locked to prevent damage to sentimental and expensive crockery, but others are accessible for lodgers to use to store food and access general kitchen supplies and cleaning products. *THE BATHROOM (30-square feet)* The bathroom combines simplicity with sophistication. It includes standard toilet and basin amenities and lodgers can enjoy the full bathtub or use its shower function. The room has several mirrors plus lots of storage and cabinet space. The towel rail is heated during cold months and the condensation extractor fan is strong-yet-quiet. *THE BUILDING & GARDEN (180 feet by 50 feet)* The 124-year-old mansion consists of five flats, but most only have one resident and some are occasionally without tenants so it is unlikely that lodgers will see neighbours from any of the other households that often - especially as the space has its own private alleyway side-entrance/exit. The space has direct access to the massive and well-tended communal garden, which sometimes provides beautiful multi-coloured sunset views. Guest access Lodgers will use the building's alleyway security door to enter and exit the space via its private side-entrance. Every room within the space is accessible except for my locked bedroom. Lodgers are encouraged to use the communal garden; it is such a bonus to have in London! There is a door within the living/sleeping-room that is locked. It leads to the foyer of the building where my post is delivered and the other four flats' occupants access their homes. No one else in the building has the keys for this door; it is entirely secure and remains locked during reservations. Other things to note USE OF THE SPACE: illegal activity is, obviously, prohibited. The space is for general living; no type of business activity is permitted. Working remotely from the space must be immediately disclosed and requested for me to consider authorising it on a case-by-case basis. Lodgers are expected to bring with them only a reasonable amount of everyday-living belongings: eg: up to three large suitcases at the most per reservation. Furniture, storage boxes, large plastic bags full of items etc are NOT ALLOWED in the space. The space is not for storage or mixed-living-and-storage use. The address CANNOT be used to receive post or parcels. DIGEST EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN THE ENTIRE LISTING INCLUDING GUEST RULES, MY INTERACTION WITH LODGERS AND PROPERTY MANUAL: please read and refer to all of the texts in the listing before making an official reservation, in the 48-hour free cancellation period (if applicable) and during the reservation. My aim is that the content will help lodgers enormously 1) to decide if my home is the right space and my hands-off approach is the right dynamic for them and 2) while they are inside the space for each day of their reservation. ANIMALS: due to severe allergy issues, incredibly sadly(!), animals cannot enter or stay in the space. CHILDREN: no one under the age of 18 years old, including newborns, infants and toddlers, is allowed in the space. SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS: some lodgers like the folding bed, some like the sofa, some do not like either option. If a lodger falls in the latter group then the sensible option is for them to personally purchase a mattress topper or an airbed rather than persevere with being uncomfortable for the entire duration of the reservation; as a remote host that is a quirk of reserving this space - lodgers are entirely and wholly responsible to find a way to make themselves the most comfortable as possible. WINDOWS AND DOORS: the space is on the ground floor so, please be mindful of closing and locking all of the windows and external doors. Two of the windows are as big as doors; as gorgeous as they are, lodgers should not leave them unattended or unlocked while asleep - protect us all from crime, please! Neither I nor Airbnb have insurance coverage that protects lodgers’ possessions and a claim will be made against guests for negligence/liability where applicable. NEIGHBOURS IN THE BUILDING: it is not abnormal in Victorian conversion buildings for there to be the potential to sometimes hear the other households. I have occasionally noticed this as they pass through their communal foyer when the space’s TV is not playing music or other content. INTERNAL CLEANING: a professional cleaner deep cleans the space *between* reservations plus a professional upholstery company refreshes the sofa and folding bed's mattress twice a year. Bookings of 28+ days where guests have no, limited or negative reviews include, at no further cost, an hour's light-cleaning by a professional cleaner once per two to three weeks. Lodgers are responsible for keeping the space clean and tidy on an everyday basis throughout their reservation; there are a plethora of cleaning products available in the bathroom and the cupboard under the kitchen sink. PROPERTY MAINTENANCE: - a window cleaning company visits the building around once a month to clean all of its reachable external windows and door frames, so lodgers may suddenly see a wet sponge being pushed up and down the space's living/sleeping-room and kitchen windows. It usually takes less than 10 minutes. - the building's gutters are cleaned once every six to 18 months, which usually takes only around an hour for the external maintenance tradesperson to complete. - a gardener tends to the garden to mow the lawn, rake leaves and tidy the bushes throughout the year, but it is usually a couple of times a month between late spring and early autumn, so lodgers may occasionally see him tackling his tasks. He also cleans leaves, weeds and debris from the alleyway and driveway. He usually stays for around an hour or two, depending on how much attention the areas need on that occasion. - the building’s black rubbish and green recycling bins are cleaned by an external maintenance cleaner every few months. - other handypeople, such as jet-washing tradespeople, carpenters and plumbers, may also be on the property to tackle maintenance tasks ad hoc. INTERNAL TEMPERATURE: - the central heating is switched off from 1 April to 31 October. - the boiler’s highest temperature output between 1 November and 31 March is 21C from 6 to 8am, 12 to 2pm and 6 to 10pm (the times can be slightly modified to accommodate less traditional schedules). The minimum temperature during the night is 15C and during the day is 17C. - lodgers are very much expected to live, just like locals, in warm clothes (including pajamas) and without leaving windows open during London's colder seasons. Reserving the space automatically indicates you fully accept and are entirely happy with this heating arrangement. - PLEASE DO NOT leave windows or the space’s entrance door open during 1 November to 31 March when the central heating is switched on. The cold air will affect the efficiency of the boiler, causing it to struggle to work (the smart thermostat will sense it) and it could leave lodgers without central heating or hot water. The cost to fix it will then be the lodger’s responsibility. - the kitchen window can be slightly opened for 10 minutes at a maximum after cooking to allow steam and scents to escape. Please do not forget to close the window after 10 minutes. APPLIANCES, ELECTRONICS, EQUIPMENT AND UTILITIES: using my home as a lodger is significantly different to traditional Airbnb reservations where guests stay for much shorter durations. Traditional reservations give the host frequent opportunities, between reservations, to maintain appliances, electronics and equipment. This luxury is much less possible when an accommodation has remarkably lengthy reservations and often with only a few hours between one lodger's check-out and another lodger's check-in. Thus if an appliance (eg: laundry machine, fridge, freezer), electronic (eg: TV, hair dryer, fan, vacuum cleaner) or piece of equipment (eg: folding bed, utensil) ceases to operate during a reservation then lodgers must be prepared to be patient, agile and considerate that it might take some days, or even weeks depending on the item, to be fixed or replaced. If a utility stops working, because of a fault the service provider has to fix or any other reason, then lodgers must be prepared to be patient, agile and considerate about the time it takes for the utility to re-commence working. Lodgers will not be issued financial compensation in any of these instances as these everyday life (unlucky) occurrences are not uncommon during traditional lodger agreements. Making an official reservation to use the space serves as acceptance of this policy. In more than a decade, thankfully, there have been hardly any issues with appliances, electronics, equipment or utilities in the space, however it is important for (potential) lodgers to be aware of this policy.