Flats are being rented off-plan – creating a possible first, the developers believe.

While homes are often sold off-plan, we have not been able to find a precedent for homes being let off-plan.

The apartments, in Poplar, east London, will not be finished until October and cannot be viewed.

Instead, prospective tenants are looking at the 158 flats via a technology called Virtual Walkthrough, which lets them see size, dimensions and layout via their PC, tablet or phone.

Simon Chatfield, director at developers be:here, part of Willmott Dixon, said the technology means tenants can view the properties ahead of completion and this had led directly to successful applications.

So far 60% of the properties have been let.