Landlord slammed for listing $300-a-week "coffin"
A Sydney landlord has sparked outrage online after advertising a “coffin” for rent at an astonishing price.
A Reddit user shared the Facebook Marketplace advertisement for the “pantry room”, located in an apartment at the heart of Sydney’s CBD.
The room contains just one single mattress that fills the entire width of the room, with no window and just a small patch of space between the bed and the room’s door.
The questionable listing is advertised for $300 a week.
Initially advertised as a “Penthouse small room” for $300 a month - or $75 a week - the Reddit user who found the ad confirmed this was false.
“I have clarified with the person who posted this ad, it is $300/week to sleep in a CBD apartment pantry room,” they said.
Fellow Reddit users were dumbstruck by the listing, saying that it goes to show how “out of hand” Australia’s rental crisis has become.
“This is how far Sydney has fallen. F*** this shit,” one wrote.
Another added, “At this point in the rental crisis I shouldn’t be surprised, but wow ... what a scam!”
“Worst part is I guarantee people would consider it.” a third wrote.
“Lol this is what I pay for a one bedroom apartment near the beach in Newcastle.” Another response read.
Another noted, “It’s a cupboard - not a bedroom.”
Others questioned if it was legal to rent the room as it has no window.
According to the National Construction Code, in order for a bedroom to be “habitable” it has to have access to daylight and natural ventilation. Experts said this usually calls for a window.
“That’s illegal anyways, every habitable room must have a window. You could report it,” wrote one Reddit user.
“But my lord ... is that legal?” another questioned.
Many users commented that they “weren’t surprised” given the lows that some landlords are going to in the current climate.
“Amazed they didn’t put a bunk bed in there,” one wrote.
Another added, “Yeah, I think the eternity I spend in a coffin will be time enough to enjoy these sorts of conditions.”
While a third joked, “Would the person that rents this out please sub-let the top 30cm of this penthouse to me? I’d sleep in a submarine hammock bed up there. Say, $200 a week?”
Image credit: Reddit