A tiny flat in central London was let within 40 minutes of going on the market and occupied within two hours.

The lightning-fast deal is thought to have set a new record in the London rental market – and possibly for the UK.

The tenant paid £10,000 upfront in fees, rent and deposit for the 301 sq ft apartment in Pollen Street.

Placed on the market first thing in the morning, the flat was available through E J Harris for £1,560 per month. The tenant, who needed a home close to work, moved in that afternoon.

The flat, little bigger than an average bathroom and not a luxury apartment, was advertised on the agent’s own website and details emailed out to applicants.

Within just 15 minutes the firm had over 200 email and telephone enquiries about the property, and within 30 minutes five serious offers.

In just under 40 minutes the flat was let – with the winning tenant, an executive working in the hospitality industry in the West End, handing over the deposit and six months’ rent upfront in order to close the deal.

Elizabeth Harris, managing director of E J Harris, said: “The speed of this deal and the battle to secure the tenancy is the clearest indicator yet to me how buoyant and hot London’s letting market is at present.

“If this had been a swanky flat in Mayfair’s posh western district I would have expected it to fly out of the door, but this is an ordinary apartment and that makes it so extraordinary.”

She said that usually E J Harris has 75 live instructions at any one time. Currently this has risen to 100, but because of the speed with which they are being snapped up, the number of available lettings properties is lower at the end of each day.