The rise of the 'corona mansion': wealthy Londoners rushing to let sprawling homes with grounds for up to £10k a week amid Covid-19 lockdown

Dozens of wealthy London residents are rushing to take out short-term lets of sprawling “corona mansions” in the leafy suburbs to sit out the epidemic.

Agents say they have seen a dramatic spike in inquiries from applicants who live in apartments in central London but are prepared to pay up to £10,000 a week or more to secure more spacious accommodation with outside space.

Agents Aston Chase said areas such as Hampstead are proving particularly popular with “must let immediately” tenants many of whom are foreign residents who are stranded in London.

Ben Sloane, of Aston Chase, said: “These are people who say to us ‘I’m going to be working from home, my wife is going to be working from home, it must be somewhere with a lot of space, large gardens and with facilities such as tennis courts where we can relax.’

"Sometimes we get approached with these requests at 11am and they are moving in with the keys that evening at 6pm.”

He said one Italian couple who were due to take up jobs in the City in the autumn flew direct to London from their skiiing holiday in the Swiss Alps rather than return home to Milan.

They have taken out a two-year tenancy on a large gated house with a garden in north-west London at £3,000 a week.

Aston Chase are marketing a seven-bedroom property in Hampstead with a sweeping gated drive and a large rear garden at £8,950 per week.

Trevor Abrahmsohn, of north London agents Glentree International, said: “Sometimes you have three generations of a family who need to isolate together.

"They want all the leisure activities, the gym, the wellness centre, the swimming pool, under one roof.”