The initial communication with the host was good. We messaged a couple of days before to say we would like to leave our bags prior to the check-in time (as suggested by the host), but didn't hear and had to remessage until we finally heard when we were almost at the flat, which was a little worrying but worked out OK in the end.
The location of the flat is second to none - a few steps away from Camden Market - so convenient. Once we had received the check-in details, finding the flat and checking in were a breeze, although the front steps were covered in rubbish and obviously hadn't been tidied for some time.
On entering, there was a lovely sweet-smelling candle burning and post-it notes/messages welcoming us, and we were pleased with our first impressions.
The bedroom itself had a lovely, clean, comfortable bed, a coffee machine as promised and a pack of yummy chocolate digestives. Sadly, the rest of the bedroom did not live up to expectations. The floors were filthy, there was a large hole in the laminate flooring covered by a rug, a large mirror was broken with a note saying not to touch it or the wardrobe as this would be dangerous, the light switch did not work and the light could only be switched on and off by turning the light bulb, the net curtain was filthy and there was a hole in the door where the handle should have been and the door could not be closed without getting stuck inside.
The bathroom was functional, if dated, and the shower was more of a trickle than a waterfall, but on the surface, the fittings were clean. However, the floor, doors, walls and light fitting were pretty disgusting and obviously had not been cleaned for months.
The final straw was the radiator in the bedroom, which was permanently on hot, with no apparent way to turn it off as the valve was broken. This made the heat in the room unbearable and we were lucky that it was not particularly hot outside that weekend. We messaged the host to ask how to turn it off and she told us that she would have someone come and sort it as soon as possible whilst also telling us where we could switch off the heating tap. On opening the cupboard indicated, two toolboxes emptied onto us. We turned the only switch we could find, refilled the toolboxes and balanced them back in the cupboard. However, the radiator still remained hot and no one arrived to sort it.
Overall, we were happy that the bed was clean and comfy and that the flat was so well-located. The price was very reasonable for the location, but had we been staying longer than a couple of nights, we could not have continued due to the heat, dirt, dangerous electrics and poor shower.
If cheap and convenient is what you are after and you don't mind dirt, then this is OK for the odd night.