Renters fume over $255pw apartment without a stove, bed in the kitchen

A studio apartment in Melbourne’s CBD has sparked backlash from renters as the city enters a turbulent period for the real estate market.

A “studio apartment” without a stove has been listed for rent in Melbourne, attracting heavy backlash as the city’s rental market continues to surge.

The single room, located “in the heart of the CBD”, has an asking price of $255 per week.

Images of the listing showed a bed smack bang in the middle of the kitchen, which comes with a microwave and a small fridge.

Photos of the rental were shared to a tenant Facebook group, with the poster claiming the property “doesn’t meet the minimum standards” for a rental in Melbourne.

“Imagine living in a ‘house’ (room) where the only form of cooking is a microwave and you’ve got a mini fridge with nowhere for extra food space,” they wrote.

The poster claimed the whole apartment was smaller than their bedroom, adding they weren’t even sure if the microwave was included in the property.

There are several minimum standards a rental property must meet before a tenant can move in, Consumer Affairs Victoria states on its website.

These standards apply to rental agreements made from March 29, 2021 and are divided into 14 categories which all rental properties must meet.

A worrying upwards trend in rental prices has generated worry throughout Melbourne, with residents claiming they are struggling to find suitable properties within their price range.

A “studio apartment” without a stove has been listed for rent in Melbourne, attracting heavy backlash as the city’s rental market continues to surge. Picture: Facebook

Outraged commenters on the post shared images of the minimum requirements for rental properties, with many saying the entire apartment was smaller than their bedrooms.

Just last week a property in North Melbourne raised eyebrows after it was listed on the rental market for a staggering $1500 per week, despite being a little worse for wear.

Since being listed online, the property has become a hot topic among Australians on Twitter thanks to one observant Melburnian.

The man who appears to be an advocate for tenants, posted a photo of one of the property’s bedrooms, and captioned it by urging Twitter users to “zoom in anywhere, I dare you”.

This property at 519 Dryburgh St, North Melbourne is listed for $1,500 a week. Zoom in anywhere, I dare you. pic.twitter.com/ndxGRPvMfT

— Purplepingers (@purplepingers) July 2, 2023

Advertised rents in capital cities rose by 2 per cent in the June quarter to sit at a median of $520 per week, according to the latest report from PropTrack.

That’s a rise of 11.8 per cent in the past year, with the median price of $465 per week in June last year.

In the past year, however, what renters are paying in capital cities has risen by a “staggering” 17 per cent in a year, led by Sydney and Melbourne.

“Rental markets continue to be extremely challenging for renters, with rents surging across much of the country amid strong demand and very limited availability,” report author Angus Moore said.

“This is especially true in Sydney and Melbourne, where weekly rents have increased significantly after falling in these cities during 2020 and 2021.”

Those hoping to find a cheaper price by moving into a unit will be sorely mistaken, with large increases in the cost of renting an apartment.

Sydney unit rents have risen by 19.0 per cent in the past year, followed by Melbourne at 17.5 per cent and Brisbane at 15.3 per cent.

Housing experts are predicting more pain in the years ahead as the market gets worse.

The indicator is in little-discussed data on new apartment approvals which have plunged to their lowest levels in decades.

Apartments represent a large part of the rental housing pool.

In Victoria alone, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released in June reveal just 137 apartments were approved for construction statewide in February.

The last time figures dropped below that level was January 2007, when just 37 apartments were given the green light.

Similar challenges are being faced around the country.