Build-to-rent landlord Greystar offers to waive lease exit fees for tenants who decide to shack up together at Haiku Claremont
A Melbourne landlord is offering a $3000+ sweetener for their tenants who decide to shack up together in a move that’s raised eyebrows among relationship experts and tenancy groups.
A Melbourne landlord is offering a $3000 sweetener to tenants wanting to shack up with their neighbour, and it’s raised eyebrows from relationship and tenancy experts.
Global build-to-rent giant Greystar is offering to waive lease exit fees for couples who start relationships within their pricey South Yarra building and want to upgrade into a larger apartment in the same complex.
The offer is also open to people who strike up friendships and want to try living with a newly found BFF.
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But, if residents fall for someone from outside of the building and want to upsize their rental, or leave for other reasons – they will have to pay the exit fee, typically about four-weeks rent which in the Haiku Claremont development starts at $785 a week.
This means the base fee would be $3140, though it could be higher for more expensive apartments.
Exit fees are standard for rental agreements and applied in the vast majority of situations where a lease is broken before the agreed term.
Greystar Australia managing director Matt Woodland said the building was designed to help residents connect and share time with their neighbours – and “if it helps them find a new BFF or a life partner – well that’s a bonus”.
Mr Woodland said there would be book and pet clubs as well as wine tasting to help connect like-minded residents — and they had seen couples form in buildings in their US operations, particularly in Portland and Seattle.
He added that he believed many people were growing tired of online dating and some would now wanted a way to meet that was “something real”.
“To us, this is a positive benefit … I don’t think it would skew people to move in together for the wrong reasons,” Mr Woodland said.
“The offer marks our commitment to offering Australian renters more than just an apartment – it’s about finding a home and a community.
“And who knows, maybe they’ll also find a great friend or even something more amongst their new neighbours.”
The firm is also of the opinion that happy tenants are more likely to stay longer term, and take better care of the building and their staff working there.
Some of the $500m building’s more romantic features include private lounges, a rooftop bar and a residents-only cinema.
Prospective couples from its 235 apartments can also get a better idea of what they might be getting into with indoor and outdoor pools, or break a sweat together in the gym or yoga studio.
“In today’s housing climate, renters need more than just a roof over their heads, they need connection,” Mr Woodland said.
“This offer is about making it easier to enjoy shared spaces and foster a sense of community, whether it’s hosting a dinner party, watching the sunset on the rooftop, or having a movie night. It’s about connecting more with where you live and reconnecting with real-life moments.”
Apartment rents start from $785 a week for a studio residence and rise to $1290 for two-bedroom residences.
While more than $200 above the suburb’s $580 median unit rental price, according to latest PropTrack figures, the Claremont apartments come fully furnished and the cost includes utilities as well as Wi-Fi internet.
But there are terms and conditions, with a requirement each party have lived in a separate apartment for at least three months, have paid their rent, sign a new 12-month lease and they can’t downsize to a more affordable residence.
The offer is currently set to end in October, though they have indicated they will assess this before making a final decision.
Relationship expert and retired Melbourne psychologist Dr Janet Hall said having the landlord incentivise relationships was a “no” from her.
“If you are starting to talk about saving money from a relationship, that’s very objective — rather than just about falling in love,” Dr Hall said.
“There should be no need to incentivise it.”
She added that she would personally also have concerns with it as an invasion of privacy to notify her landlord about changes in her love life, noting “it’s a little bit Married at First Sight”.
“It’d be better if you were accidentally locked in the lift together,” Dr Hall said.
“But people should be looking online, or joining meet ups for something that is an interest for them.”
Tenants Victoria acting chief executive Cameron Bloye said the “fun advertising idea” might not sit well with many more affordability-sensitive tenants.
“While it may be a bit of a gimmick, if it works out for some renters, we wish them all the best,” Mr Bloye said.
“(But) renting is increasingly a long-term or permanent housing situation for many people, and many renters are forced to make decisions about who they live with based on what they can afford—not how they actually want to live.”
Greystar currently has 935 high-end units available in Melbourne across two buildings, the second in South Melbourne, and a further 1624 under construction or in planning — including a neighbouring tower to the South Yarra complex that will be opened in August.
The American firm currently operates $320bn in real estate and more than a million beds around the world, including the US, Europe and around Asia.
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Originally published as Build-to-rent landlord Greystar offers to waive lease exit fees for tenants who decide to shack up together at Haiku Claremont
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