Room and parlour (R&P)

"Parlour" is the everyday Nigerian word for a sitting room or living room. A room and parlour is therefore a two-room home: one room to sleep in and one to sit in.

There are two kinds, and listings do not always say which:

• Room and parlour self contain. The kitchen, toilet and bathroom are private to the unit. This is what Property Centre and most agents call a mini flat.
• Room and parlour (shared). Found in older tenement buildings and some face-me-I-face-you houses. The two rooms are yours, but the toilet, bathroom or kitchen are shared with other tenants.

A room and parlour is a common step up from a single self contain, especially for couples and small families on a budget. Many "room and parlour self contain plan" searches come from people building them: a compact layout of bedroom, parlour, kitchen and bathroom suits narrow plots and boys' quarters.

On Property Centre, self-contained room and parlour units are listed as mini flats.

Reading a listing. Look for the words "self contain", "self con" or "all facilities inside" to know whether the kitchen, toilet and bathroom are private. Photos of the bathroom and kitchen settle it. If facilities are shared, ask how many households use them and who cleans and repairs them.

Building one. A compact room-and-parlour layout is also a popular design for boys' quarters and for small rental blocks, because it lets an owner fit several private units on a narrow plot.

Who rents them. Room and parlour units suit couples and small families who need a separate space for visitors on a tight budget.

• Lagos: both kinds exist; shared room-and-parlour units are mostly in older mainland buildings.
• South-West (Ibadan, Abeokuta, Osogbo): room and parlour is a very common rental unit, often in bungalows divided into several units.
• Abuja: more often advertised as a mini flat or one-bedroom.
• Ghana: the nearest term is "chamber and hall".