Is a London “1 bedroom” flat a 1+1?
How to check a flat’s floor area.
In Türkiye a flat is described by its rooms plus the living room; London listings count bedrooms. This guide matches listing terms to the Turkish room count, explains the official space standard and shows which documents tell you a flat’s floor area in square metres.
“1 bedroom” means one bedroom;
plans and documents give the size.
The number in a London listing is the number of bedrooms; the living area and kitchen are not counted. A “1 bedroom” flat with a separate bedroom and a living area is what Turkish buyers call a 1+1; a “studio” is a 1+0 and a “2 bedroom” flat a 2+1. The kitchen and living area may be open-plan.
There are three sources for floor area: the developer’s plans and measurements, the total floor area on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and, for new homes, the space standard. A registered developer’s sales information includes room and total sizes in m² or sq ft.
For new homes in London, the London Plan requires the minimum areas in the national standard: for example at least 50 m² for a two-person one-bedroom flat and at least 70 m² for a four-person two-bedroom flat.
Listing terms and Turkish room counts
The official space standard describes homes by bedrooms (b) and persons (p). Persons means bed spaces: a single bedroom counts as one, a double bedroom as two. So the same “2 bedroom” listing can describe a three-person or a four-person flat.
| In the listing | In Türkiye | Standard code |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 1+0 | 1b1p |
| 1 bedroom | 1+1 | 1b2p |
| 2 bedroom | 2+1 | 2b3p or 2b4p |
| 3 bedroom | 3+1 | 3b4p, 3b5p or 3b6p |
The London Plan notes that where a studio or one-person home has a shower room instead of a bathroom, the minimum may fall from 39 m² to 37 m²; it shows the studio on the same line as 1b1p.
What the official space standard says
The Nationally Described Space Standard sets a minimum gross internal area by number of bedrooms and persons. Gross internal area is measured between the internal faces of the perimeter walls and includes partitions, cupboards and stairs. Any area with headroom under 1.5 m is not counted unless it is used only for storage.
The standard also sets room sizes: a single bedroom is at least 7.5 m² and at least 2.15 m wide, and a double bedroom at least 11.5 m². One double bedroom is at least 2.75 m wide and every other double at least 2.55 m. Built-in storage is included within the minimum area.
It is a planning standard, not a building regulation: it applies where the council has adopted it in its local plan. Since 6 April 2021, homes created under permitted development rights, without a full planning application, must also meet it; those rights do not cover homes that fall short.
In London: the London Plan
The plan in effect in London today is the London Plan adopted in March 2021. Under its Policy D6, homes must provide at least the gross internal area and built-in storage in Table 3.1; the figures match the national standard and cover conversions and changes of use as well as new build.
The London Plan sets a higher ceiling: 2.5 m for at least 75 per cent of the internal area.
A one- or two-person home should have at least 5 m² of private outdoor space, such as a balcony or terrace, plus 1 m² for each extra person, with a minimum depth and width of 1.5 m. Outdoor space does not count towards the minimum internal area.
Because the standard works through planning, flats in older buildings or in schemes approved under other rules may differ. Check the figure for your own flat in its documents.
The EPC floor area: what it shows and what it does not
You can find a home’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) on GOV.UK’s Find an energy certificate service and download it free. The certificate gives the total floor area in m² under “Total floor area”.
That area is used for the energy calculation. In the method for existing homes, flats are measured internally, between the finished internal surfaces of the walls bounding the dwelling.
In the method for new homes, dimensions also refer to the inner surfaces bounding the dwelling, and unheated spaces clearly divided from it are left out. Communal corridors and balconies therefore fall outside the area.
GOV.UK’s buyer guide reminds you that an EPC is not a home survey; it is only a visual assessment of the things that affect energy efficiency. Compare the EPC area with the developer’s figure and ask in writing if there is a clear gap. The energy costs on the certificate are covered in our guide to EPCs and bills.
Buying off-plan: what the developer must provide
For reservations made from 2 March 2026 with a developer registered with the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB), version 2 of the New Homes Quality Code applies.
Under the Code, sales information includes as a minimum the size of each room and of the whole home in m² or sq ft, calculated in line with the RICS Code of Measuring Practice for gross internal area.
Before the contract of sale, the developer provides a brochure or plan showing the size, specification, general layout, plot position and facing direction.
Our questions to ask before reserving also suggest getting the plot number, floor plan and floor area in writing before you reserve. How to check the developer company itself is covered in our guide to checking a developer.
A change that significantly affects the size, appearance or value of the home, including its internal layout, is a “major change” under the Code.
The developer must tell you in writing; if you do not accept it, you can cancel the reservation or contract and get back everything you paid, as long as you cancel within 14 days of receiving the details. The Code sets no percentage threshold.
Square feet and square metres
In England, floor areas may also be given in square feet. A foot is 0.3048 m, so 1 sq ft is about 0.0929 m²; to get square metres, divide square feet by 10.764. For example, 538 sq ft is about 50 m².
Do not treat different measures as interchangeable: the developer’s gross internal area, the EPC total floor area and a figure on a property portal may not be calculated the same way.
To see several flats side by side at a price per square metre, use our property comparison tool, and to set them against sales in the area, read our guide to sold prices.
Five steps to
check the floor area.
A reminder only; read the size clauses of the contract with your solicitor.
Short questions,
short answers.
Is the living room counted as a room in England?
No. The number in a listing is the number of bedrooms. A “2 bedroom” flat has two bedrooms and a living area, which in Türkiye would be called a 2+1.
What is the minimum size of a one-bedroom flat in London?
The national space standard and the London Plan require at least 50 m² of gross internal area for a single-storey, two-person one-bedroom home. Because this works through planning, flats in older buildings or schemes approved under other rules may differ.
Can I rely on the floor area on the EPC?
The EPC total floor area is measured internally for the energy calculation and is useful for comparison. But an EPC is not a survey or a measurement report; if it differs from the developer’s figure, ask in writing.
Is the balcony included in the floor area?
In the London Plan, private outdoor space does not count towards the minimum internal area. The EPC area is also measured inside the walls bounding the home. Ask the developer for the internal area and the balcony area separately.
What if the flat turns out smaller than the plan?
If you bought from a registered developer, a change that significantly affects the size of the home is a “major change” under the Code, and you can cancel within 14 days of written notice. Anything else depends on your contract; go through it with your solicitor.
We do not measure property;
this page is not advice.
This guide summarises, as general information, the rules published by GOV.UK, the London Plan and the New Homes Quality Code. Check the flat’s measurements and the size clauses in the contract with your solicitor and, where needed, a surveyor.
OGKinvest introduces buyers to new-home developers and is paid an introduction fee by the developer; when a developer pays us, we tell you.
The pages this
guide relies on.
- GOV.UK: Technical housing standards, nationally described space standard (March 2015, May 2016 note) and Housing: optional technical standards. Table 1, internal area definition, room sizes, ceiling height, local plan requirement.
- The London Plan 2021, Policy D6 and Table 3.1; London Plan page (plan in effect). Minimum areas, 2.5 m ceiling, outdoor space, studio note.
- Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, article 3. Space standard for homes under permitted development (6 April 2021).
- GOV.UK: Find an energy certificate, Selling a home: Energy Performance Certificates and Standard Assessment Procedure (BRE’s RdSAP 10 and SAP 10.3 specifications). Total floor area and how it is measured.
- New Homes Quality Code, version 2 (March 2026). 1.2(a) room and total size, RICS measurement; 2.6 brochure or plan; 2.9 major change and 14 days.
- GOV.UK: How to buy a home (2019). Living space, and an EPC is not a survey.
- Weights and Measures Act 1985, Schedule 1. Yard 0.9144 m, foot 1/3 yard.
Last checked: 16 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal or technical advice. Planning rules can change, and a new London Plan is being prepared. Check the current source and your solicitor before you act.
Let’s read the plans
and measurements together.
In a consultation we can go through the floor plan, floor area and size clauses of the flat you are considering.
Book a ConsultationBack to Insights
