Aussie renters have been left horrified by an advertisement for a room in a Melbourne home for $270 week after realising it comes with a major catch.
At first glance, less than $300 a week for a room in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD may seem like a bargain.
The rental is close to train stations and trams, your housemates are “clean, tidy individuals” and, to top it off, internet and utilities are free.
The only catch is, you have to share a room with a stranger.
The ad for the two bedroom, one bathroom home was recently posted to a housemate Facebook group.
“Looking for 1 female to share 2nd room (2pp in room including you),” the post read,
“Totally 3 people in house, $270/week/person.”
A picture of the room in question shows two single beds side-by-side separated only by a one small bedside table.
The prospective tenant would be sleeping in the bed with the yellow doona cover.
There were also a couple of rules for anyone wanting to move in, including having no guests in your shared room and no smoking.
Members of the housemate group were extremely unimpressed by the ad, with many calling the poster “delusional” and accusing them of trying to rip off vulnerable renters.
“This person is advertising a freaking bed for near $300 a week ewww,” one person said.
“Tell me you’re deluded without telling me,” another wrote.
One commenter claimed the advertisement was “not only appalling but delusional” too.
“I’m gunna say this you are disgusting your (sic) trying to get someone to rent a damn bed,” they said.
The post was also shared to a tenant support Facebook group, with members left in disbelief.
One person suggested anyone who rented out the room would have to “BYO headphones” to block out their roommate.
“They can’t be serious,” another said.
One added: “This s**t needs to be stopped”.
This is far from the only listing that has made renters’ blood boil lately, with an offer to rent out a tent in a “private secret garden” in Queensland leaving many gobsmacked last month.
For $80 a night – or a reduced price of $380 a week for those who want to stay longer – renters can camp out in someone’s backyard in the coastal town of Agnes Water in the Gladstone region.
The ad was originally posted in a Gladstone buy, swap, sell group by a Queensland local, with the man claiming the “glamping” set up would be suitable for up to two people.
“Included full 24/7 free access to own Fridge, Bathroom, Laundry, NBN, and negotiated full access to Kitchen plus off-street parking, BBQ also,” the ad stated.
Photos show a white tent nestled into a small area covered by astro turf. There is a fridge at the top of a ramp next to the tent, with the ramp leading into a small laundry and bathroom.
The advertisement also boasts a “beach view from a hammock garden”, with photos showing two hammocks sitting on more astro turf.
The ad also refers to a number of exciting activities, including scuba diving, snorkelling and surfing, with a number of supermarkets and coffee shops just minutes away.
Unfortunately bedding is not included in the rental price, with anyone wanting to stay in the rent required to bring their own sleeping gear.
The peculiar ad attracted attention from a number of Gladstone locals, with many questioning whether the rental offer was a joke.
One person claimed the poster “can’t be serious”, while another questioned whether the set up was “council approved’.
“Why would I not just stay at the caravan park?” another person asked.
Bizarrely, the original poster appeared to have the same idea, offering up a number of other options to people who didn’t like the sound of his “glamping” set up.
“There is an excellent caravan park next door and right on the beach. They also have cabins and bigger and better Glamping tents. Check on Google,” he wrote in the comments of the post.
The advertisement gained so much attention it was shared to other social media pages, including Twitter and a Facebook group for renters.
“I hear it’s lovely (to live in a tent in a backyard) in Gladstone at this time of year (for $380 a week),” Twitter user Emily Mayo wrote alongside a screenshot of the listing.
“This is depressing,” one person wrote.
“Who could resist an offer of negotiated kitchen access!” another joked.
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