Rental listing sparks fury after ‘niche proposal’ asks tenants to work for free while paying rent

An ad calling on tenants to fill a four-bedroom “empowerment centre” has sparked heated controversy after people claimed it raised alarm bells for “slavery”.

The man behind a bizarre rental ad that asked tenants to dedicate themselves to generating income for the property while paying hundreds in rent has spoken out after receiving explosive backlash.

James Mchenery, the owner of a natural remedies business, sparked a massive reaction with his advertisement of a four-month trial lease for a three-bedroom home on 17.8 hectares in Myocum, near Byron Bay, on Sunday.

He pegged the property as an “opportunity of a lifetime” and called on people to help source it “extra finance” through “income generating events” so its lease could be extended beyond four months.

“The vision is to execute events/experiences built on adventure, personal growth, health, self expression that have a promising financial return,” part of the ad, shared to Facebook, read.

“These income generating events are a thrilling opportunity and the condition of the lease extension.”

Part of the ad said tenants would help ‘create beauty and magic from 0’. Picture: Facebook

The ad called on tenants who were “ready to give everything away they thought they knew and owned” to contribute to generating income for the “new land and empowerment centre”.

Along with paying either $290 or $360 per week for a room, successful applicants would need to align with a niche set of characteristics laid out by Mr Mchenery in the ad.

Tenants should be “activated, health focused, disciplined, determined, organised individuals that have experience with creating empowering and transformative experiences,” he wrote.

They should also have a “gift for creating beauty and magic from zero”.

People “thrilled about getting up at 3am for some high intensity training/movement, sitting in an ice-bath, sun gazing while doing breath-work and preparing your body/mind for optimum creation capacity” were encouraged to apply.

The unorthodox ad also marketed itself as a “one way ticket out of mediocrity” and a chance for people to “flush that potty tissue of a life less than what you know is possible down the toilet of yesterday”.

The four-bedroom home on a 17.8 hectare property is hoped to host wellness events. Picture: Airbnb

Mr Mchenery claimed the home would “lovingly wrap its arms around you while giving you a spank on the ar*e to do what you came here to do”.

People who felt an “undeniable stimulating current of electrical affirmative energy” up their “bum chakra” after reading the ad were encouraged to apply.

Within hours, the ad had generated quite the response, and not because people were keen to put their name down for a room.

Of the hundreds of respondents, many were concerned at what they believed was a listing that asked people to work for free while still paying reasonably expensive rent.

“Sounds exploitative,” one wrote in a comment.

“Asking potential tenants to work for them for nothing by generating business for them, that’s slavery as far as I’m concerned. The ad is really weird,” another said.

“This made me feel so anxious … an ice bath at 3am sounds like torture, I’d die,” a third wrote.

The ad spruiked 3am workouts, taking ice baths and sun gazing. Picture: Airbnb

Another said it was “above my price range and too much to take on”, while others took issue with the listing’s mention of getting up at 3am daily and taking ice baths.

“Humble abodes, they never disappoint with the guidelines, all sounds stressful,” someone else said.

Speaking with news.com.au, Mr Mchenery clarified that despite going into detail about what living at the property would entail, the only real expectation on tenants was that they pay the rent.

“There’s no expectation, there’s merely an opportunity here to have a lease extension if we can source the owner some more money,” he said.

“I’m just really looking for like-minded people who want to live a clean and healthy lifestyle, and they’re interested in facilitating experiences that support others to feel empowered.”

James Mchenery has defended his ad, clarifying all tenants needed to do was pay rent. Picture: Supplied

He said unlike what some had gathered from his post, tenants would not be expected to leave their regular jobs to work on projects that would generate income for the property.

“There is zero expectation of anything,” he said, “apart from to pay rent”.

“It’s just an idea, an opportunity. It’s just a normal short-term lease, that’s it.”

Despite some negative reactions to his “niche proposal”, Mr Mchenery said the ad had actually managed to connect him with the type of people he was searching for.

He said he had already met with three potential tenants, and suspected more would soon register their interest.

Anyone keen to be involved can email him at [e-mail].