The multi-millionairess has bought a house worth an estimated £5m ($8m) in the plush South Kensington area of the capital without the use of estate agents, reports The Times.

Madonna's surprise purchase follows 18 months of difficult searching for a home in London through conventional methods.

But after reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated with estate agents, the 41-year-old singer has gone it alone.

The move has deprived agents of their usual 2% commission which, in this case, would have amounted to £100,000 ($160,000).

The man who sold the house to Madonna has not been identified, although he is said to have known the star for more than a year, and signed a confidentiality clause.

His four-storey house boasts many attractive features, including having pop legend David Bowie as a nearby neighbour.

Kidman and Cruise also have a London base

It is set in an elegant road bordering London's trendy Chelsea area and has five bedrooms - three of which have ensuite bathrooms.

The property also has its own private parking and a garden - rare features in the city centre.

One agent who has seen the house is reported as saying it was a "very ordinary", adding that the star's designer and decorator had already been called in.

According to reports, there is barely an agent in London who does not claim to have shown Madonna around a luxury mansion over the last year.

The star's wish to spend more time in the UK has frequently been reported. She is said to enjoy the British way of life, culture and sense of humour.

Her daughter Lourdes is also reported to have her name down for the exclusive girls' private school Cheltenham Ladies' College in Gloucestershire.

Madonna's UK house buy follows in the footsteps of other US stars, including Hollywood couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. They are said to have bought a home in Dulwich Village, south of the Thames earlier this year.