Bedsit

A bedsit is a form of rented accommodation consisting of a single room with a shared bathroom and lavatory. In some cases the room has a small formal kitchen area but it is common for the tenants to have no more than an electric kettle and single electric ring.

Bedsits arose from the subdivision of larger dwellings into small low-cost accommodations at low conversion cost. This became necessary to house urban populations that were expanding faster than housing stock could be constructed. In the UK a growing desire for personal independence after World War 2 led to a reduced demand for traditional boarding houses with communal dining.

Bedsits provided the settings for television sitcoms such as Rising Damp because they offered restricted sets that reduced production costs.

In Austria a bedsit is called a Bassena; although it lacks the overtones of poverty associated with the English word. An Austrian bassena is a single room apartment, equipped with a bed and a small kitchen. The shared lavatory and bathroom are situated on the corridor.