To think a one bed flat is too small for a couple?

Lots of single people/couples live in a one-bed flat.

If you don’t like it, move. If you can’t afford to move: don’t.

Are you trying to persuade your partner to move and he doesn’t want to?

Sounds very small to me and yes I personally would want a lot more room, you don't say what the location is like, maybe it's in a stunning location and that's the trade off?

If I lived somewhere that small and had the money to size up I would.

What’s the issue? If you, think it’s too small for you, then you should move.

What everyone else thinks is irrelevant; many others would think differently.

Around my way the local information web sites are full with pleas from couples with one or more children wanting to rent a double room . They must dream of a one bedroom flat for a couple.

It's not "too" small, if that's what you can afford, that's what you can afford and it would be fine, but I agree if you can afford more space I'd want it.

Unless this is a rented place and staying helps save to buy somewhere.

Iy would have been fine for us. DH and I rented a room in a shared house until we got married and bought our own place. It was fine. If we'd spent more on renting a bigger place, we'd never have been able to save a decent deposit to allow us to buy in a nice central location.

It's absolutely fine if that's all you can afford

Your front room sounds rubbish and would make me feel more claustrophobic. We have an inside hallway.

DH and I lived in a one bed flat for a couple of years, as did my sister and BIL.

It was fine (but might not have been if both of us had worked from home).

I don’t personally like front doors that open directly into the living room, but that has nothing to do with the number of bedrooms really. Room size can be an issue, but again, that’s not directly related to number of bedrooms.

If your flat feels too small and you want to move, I wouldn’t automatically rule out other 1 bed places. They can come in all shapes and sizes.

I’d have chosen one bedroom and big rooms every time when it was just DH and me at home, rather than pay a premium for a spare room.

Context is everything.

A city centre flat with all the delights and distractions just beyond the doorstep, and where space is very expensive, is an exciting prospect if you’re like my friend. It describes his retirement flat. He can walk a few metres from his front door and be in the heart of one of the best food markets in London. He’s pared back his possessions and is having a ball.

The same flat in a run down town by an industrial estate doesn’t have the same appeal.

I think it depends on the size. The one beds I’ve lived in have been large Victorian conversions which worked out ok. It sounds like it’s more an issue with your flat than the number of rooms. Only an en suite would annoy me, and I’d hate having a door that opened straight into the living room.

For the person asking why you’d need more than one bedroom without a child, err, well a lot of people work from home so ideally you’d have an office space. Just because you don’t have children doesn’t mean you’re not deserving of more space, a garden etc.

Depends on the size and how many other rooms you have.

DH had a one bedroom flat when I met him, which I then moved into. The kitchen was tiny, but the bathroom was its own room (as in, not an en suite), there was a large-ish hallway that the front door opened into, and the living room and bedroom were both big.

If it had had a bigger kitchen it would be been completely fine. A better dining area would have made it perfect for two people.

This is a bit like asking on a forum whether a particular food is nice. It's a preference. Some couples live happily in a camper van. Some live separately because they require more space.

Why do you ask?

We used to live in an open plan flat, and although it was actually quite large we eventually decided we needed more than one living area so we could get a bit of space from each other. Especially post-lockdown, which we coped with but it was limiting. So I’d definitely agree that a small flat with this layout isn’t ideal in the long term.

I think it depends on the flat and the layout - my (one bed) flat has a long hallway and I like that my sofa is far enough away from the front door that I can't hear people, but on the other hand that extra could have gone on the rooms?

Maybe look for a bigger one bed if you don't think there's enough space? Mine is about 54 sq m and would be fine for two people IMO.

You're adults, it's up to you.

If you live somewhere smaller because you both prioritise the money going on something else then fine. This is between you and your partner - it's not really about hallways and separate bathrooms, it's about listening to each other and reaching an agreement where you are both happy.

If you are unhappy, you can afford to move, and your partner doesn't care or listen, then it's a problem.

If you find it too small then you find it too small. It’s subjective, really. It sounds as though the problem is that the living space isn’t adequate and is awkwardly laid out, though, rather than specifically needing a second bedroom.

I lived in a bedsit first with my husband.

Is one bedroom, a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom too small a space for a couple?
No. Obviously it's not.

If you don't like it and want more space then fair enough but is it enough space? Yes.

Not at all Usually people make choices by what they can afford
I live in the tiniest flat, basically a studio with a tiny bedroom and wet room
There was a couple here before me and the reason they moved was because they split up

Not at all.

The front door off a corridor opens straight into the living room, so you hear people walking right past your sofa.
I know of (and have stayed in) a one and a half million pound flat in London where this is also the case!

It sounds like the place DH and I rented for a year when we first got together, we found it fine for the 2 of us.

Circumstances mean that DH and I currently live in a small one bedroom flat with a newborn, and likely will for the next 12-18 months. We manage.

I assume from your OP that you want to move and your DP doesn't?

We rent a one bed flat (with front door straight into living room) before we had our son. I absolutely loved it and we had plenty of space.

We would have stayed there with the baby for a bit but the landlord sold it.