It has now been put on the market as a 'studio' instead - leaving him fearing for his home

Mr Rogers has discovered owner never got planning permission for shed

A tenant who lives in one of Britain's smallest flats faces eviction - after discovering the property is actually a shed with no planning permission.

Simon Rogers, 39, began renting the 198 sq ft property in March but soon discovered a host of problems including a lacke of windows and a shower too small for him to wash himself in.

Despite paying £400 a month, it now turns out that the outhouse, in the Hotwells district of Bristol, has no legal status - despite Bristol Council being happy to accept council tax for it.

One man and his shed: Simon Rogers, 39, fears he may have to leave this diminutive dwelling in Bristol after it emerged it is has no planning permission and is essentially a shed

Small: Mr Rogers has signed a 12-month lease on the tiny £400-per-month home, which is so small the washing machine is kept in a box outside

The bus driver now fears he will now be ejected from the property after the landlord put it on the market for £30,000.

His pint-sized home has a small kitchen, a shower and a living space, which includes a tiny desk and a sofa.

Mr Rogers sleeps on a bed suspended above the living area on a shelf, connected to the ground floor by a wooden ladder.

The property includes a washing machine - but there is no space for it inside so it is stored in a box in front of the shed.

Mr Rogers said: 'I had my suspicions the flat didn't have planning permission, but it wasn't until I saw it in black and white in the news that I realised.

'I have never met my landlord as he spends time abroad, but apparently he has been telling the neighbours I was a sculptor and this was my studio.

Snug: Mr Rogers is pictured at his desk in the tiny living space. His bed is on a shelf overhead

'He said I only occasionally stayed over, which isn't true.'

The landlord has now decided to sell the shed, which marketers are describing as a 'well-designed and smartly-presented' studio by auctioneer Hollis Morgan.

Mr Rogers has even been paying council tax, but no council officials flagged that his home wasn't registered as a residence.

He said problems started with his home as soon as he moved in.

'When I moved in, there was a shower base but no shower screen,' he said. 'It took two months for it to be installed. I was having to shower at the gym every day.

Cramming it in: Mr Rogers is pictured here standing in the living area from another point of view, where he has a small corner for drying and ironing clothes

Petite: There is also a small kitchen in the home, which is now being marketed as a studio for £30,000

'I also had no connectivity for TV and internet and ended up sorting those out myself. When an electrician came to install it, he said the electrics were wired up dangerously.'

The outhouse also had no fire alarms when Simon moved in.

He said: 'I don't know what my next step will be. I know the planning officers are looking at the building.

'I have approached people for advice. I have signed a 12-month lease but I don't know what that means if planning permission isn't in place.'

A spokesman for Clifton's estate agents, which manages the property, said it was also not aware that the property did not have the correct planning permission.

Tucked away: The image above shows the location of Mr Rogers's shed

Philip Stolworthy, the agency's sales and lettings director, admitted that there had been 'some teething problems' with building work.

He said: 'We have worked to get them resolved, but I feel the main problem has been that Mr Rodgers didn't really take into consideration how small it was when he agreed to rent it in March.

'The new shower fitted in it originally was not a full size shower and it was Mr Rodgers who asked the landlord if it could be changed as he didn't fit properly in it, which the landlord agreed to do at his expense again.