Would you rent a 2 bed flat with only a shower, no bath?

[HeadFairy]

I’m doing up a flat my mum has, it’s been derelict for years so it’s a full refit. I’ve been mulling over the bathroom, it’s long and skinny, with the loo at one end and the bath and sink at the other. It all needs to come out and I was thinking it might just put a walk in shower, no bath. The flat has a double room and a single room. I don’t want to limit who might want to rent it, but so few people have baths these days I did wonder if it was a waste of space. I could have an over bath shower of course, but I thought what’s the point? Opinions please?

I prefer a nice walk-in shower to a bath. Really regret having put our new bath in last time we refitted our bathroom, this was around 4 years back and I’ve never used it. Much prefer to walk straight in to shower than have to climb over the bath side. But I guess it’s not so good for young children .

I think I would put the shower across the end where the basin is and move the basin.

I'm not a bath person BUT anyone with young children/babies will need a bath. So depends who you think may like to rent it and also who will be attracted to it when you eventually sell because that will restrict your options.

A friend of mine had no room for bath & shower so they bought one of these https://amzn.eu/d/04tBySk

We recently refitted our small bathroom and did away with the bath. My husband is a shower person whereas I occasionally like a bath. I don't really miss it and the convenience of the shower far outweighs having a bath in the house. I think that if you are renting, people will look at the property in terms of rent, running costs and cleanliness. The shower will probably not be a deabreaker for most people, especially if they only intend to rent for a year or two.

I got rid of my bath when I renovated my bathroom, so yes, I would

My 2 bed house only had a (large) shower when I moved in. It didn’t stop me buying it. But I was so pleased when I could finally change to a bath/shower. I love my baths and wish I could have had it years ago when kids were younger. But I think I may be in the minority.

Totally depends on the market demographics in your area. In my town, flats are usually rented out by young professional couples, or single divorcees so I would definitely put in a walk in shower. If however young families with small children are a substantial market for flats in your area, I'd do a shower over bath as I wouldn't buy or rent a place without a bath with my young child. Xx

I would as I’m not bothered about a bath.

I think though lot of people don’t have the luxury of being picky with rental properties as the demand is so high. I have a BTL 2 bedroom house with no bath and the letting agent didn’t even need to advertise it, there are so few rental properties on the market where I am.

Never used my bath. I use shower in en-suite. DP wanted the bath, but he used it last a year ago.

I hated my old house with the shower over the bath. It’s much nicer to walk into something to get washed.

I last had a bath 6 years ago and I couldn’t relax.

It’s roughly a 50/50 split nationwide but apparently much more than 50% of city dwellers prefer showers:
https://www.directlinegroup.co.uk/en/news/brand-news/2025/death-of-the-bath--21-million-adults-never-take-a-bath.html#:~:text=Changing%20trends%20in%20bathing%20mean,that%20they%20prefer%20to%20shower.

I prefer a bath with shower overhead even in holiday rentals. As a renter though, depends on need/availability of rental properties — in my youth, I settled for whatever I could afford.

I'm currently looking at houses and I'm amazed at how many have ripped out their bath and shoved in a big beige walk in shower instead. It's a hard no from me.

i love a bath so would not rent somewhere that didn’t have one.

A nice walk in shower feels luxurious. A shower over a bath is really old- fashioned. We have a roll-top bath that came with the house, hasn’t been used since my son was about 5. (He’s 9 now). We always choose hotel rooms with shower only too. But it has to be spacious, no crappy little square shower tray.

Shower every time.

Son to school, me to work.

Get up at 7 for 9 o'clock school and work.

This. A good shower is far superior.

Lived without a bath 2009 - 2015.
had a pissy shower

the bathroom was the biggest room out of all

You need to know the demographic you are selling or renting to.

I needed to replace the old bathroom when i bought this place, it was similar to the one pictured.. My plan was to have a large walk in shower, unfortunately the concrete floor meant I couldn't, so I put in a wide bath with a shower over it.

when I had an accident (road not bathroom related!) & had to have rehab carer help me to shower I was grateful for having it this way as they'd have been unable to have helped me in the shower & it would have been bed baths for many months more.

also if your demographic means it's likely to be rented/bought by a family a bath is better for babies & children.

id put a bath in,

Me too. I love ro soak.

I rent a 2 bed flat currently (and have lived in similar places most of my adult life, albeit they were flat shares when I was younger). A bath is a must for me, and I've ruled out places without them when looking to buy.

(Fwiw I'm in my late 30s, live alone and my second bedroom is my office.)

It's not just a kids thing. Baths are absolutely invaluable for pain management, particularly period pain - I wonder why more women don't say that-? As well as a general relax. Yes you can have a hot shower but you don't get that proper pain relief from wallowing in the warm water. I'm also a hiker, so they're great after a long, cold day on the hill.

In recent years I've become disabled and baths are useful for all kinds of other aches and pains - including migraines - and I wouldn't be without them now. Plus I have slightly reduced mobility (can't stand still for very long, although I can walk up steps) - so baths are actually much MORE accessible for me because I can lie down rather than getting all light-headed.

I think you could quite easily make that bathroom look less murdery once you've done it up and maybe put a mirror over the sink. The only reason to take the bath out, for me, would be a) if you're expecting people with more limited mobility (in which case, you might want to think about how easily you can actually manoeuvre into the room full stop) and b) dependent on the location of the toilet - personally I hate having to trek to another room to go to the loo before my bath/shower.

And yes, definitely a shower over the top. Very useful for rinsing your hair, having a quick shower in hot weather, and tbh I clean my bin by putting it in the tub and giving it a quick shower :D

I appreciate not everyone will agree though. None of my male friends seemed to ever use baths (though after I banged on about how great they were, some occasionally asked to come round and use mine!). I guess men don't get so much pain...

i would absolutely not miss a Bath, I would however ensure the shower had plenty of inbuilt shelving and even a ledge that could be sat on

Personally, I’d be put off if it didn’t have a bath. I use the shower more but I do like a bath every week.

I like a bath but still bought a 3 bed house without one as other factors were much more important

Lots of people answering based on their preferences for one or the other, and not based on what people renting a 2 bedroom flat might want.

When we were looking at similar flats it was because we had a toddler, so a bath was in the top 5 requirements it needed to have.

What market are you appealing to? Professionals with no children or young families?

Young families will want a bath, professionals will not care unless they love to relax in a bath (some do, some don't).