‘Ideal for a handyman’: Bizarre condition behind NSW rental
A now-edited rental listing has raised eyebrows after the property’s description contained a weird request from the landlord.
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Prospective tenants in NSW were left scratching their heads after stumbling upon a rental listing that came with an odd renter requirement at a staggering price.
The three-bedroom, one-bathroom Campsie property in Sydney’s southwest – which sold for $2 million in July 2015 – is up for lease for $700 a week and is located a stone’s throw from the suburb’s railway station and shops.
According to Domain, it’s a “spacious family home” that boasts a light-filled kitchen area and lockup garage and is pet friendly.
“This is a great opportunity that you do not want to miss out on,” the ad states.
The property also comes with three parking spaces, with the lucky tenant expected to pay a $2800 bond before moving into the property.
But despite the house sounding like a typical southwest Sydney home, there appears to be very little to prove what the house’s interior actually looks like.
Both Domain and the real estate agent leasing the property only show one image of the property’s frontage in the ads – but according to one sharp-eyed renter, this wasn’t always the case.
Screenshots of the Domain listing from earlier this month appear to show the advertisement had seven images of the house for prospective tenants to view.
One of the photos includes the property’s kitchen, which is fitted with “electric cooking facilities” and the home’s “large dining room”, with its surroundings looking a little worse for wear.
For instance, paint appears to be peeling from the roof just above the kitchen, while there appears to be discolouration along the skirting near the oven.
Another screengrab revealed the initial wording of the advertisement, with the listing stating the property was ideal for someone who was good with their hands.
“This property will be leased in its current condition, making it ideal for a handyman or someone with a knack for renovations,” it read.
“This property offers a unique opportunity to unleash your creative potential and turn it into a home that suits your specific needs.”
The fact the property would be leased in its “current condition” and was “ideal for a handyman” instantly struck a red flag for prospective renters, with some questioning if the landlord wanted a tenant who would renovate the property for them.
“So they want someone to pay $700 for the privilege of fixing the f**king house?” one person asked.
“This would be a super cute reno project but only if I get to own it,” another comment on TikTok read.
“How is it now becoming quite normal to charge ridiculous rent and get tenants to reno your investments,” a third person questioned.
The listing comes almost three months after a similar rental was advertised for free on the condition the tenants renovate the property “at their own expense”.
In return, the landlord will offer a three-year lease, with the first year being rent-free to cover the cost of a renovation, while rent would be “negotiable” for the remaining two years.
The property was located in Greenacre in Sydney’s southwest and was “currently uninhabitable” at the time.
The listing was later removed after it was found to breach the Residential Tenancies Act, with Premier Chris Minns slamming the advertisement.
“There is no excuse for this. That‘s why we’re acting now to reform our rental laws. Introducing a rental commissioner. Portable bonds. Banning secret rent bidding. Ending evictions without reasonable grounds. And that’s just the start,” he said in a tweet in April.
On Monday the NSW government said it would instate former Homelessness Australia chief executive Trina Jones as the state’s first rental commissioner, who promises to be a voice for renters.
A NSW Fair Trading spokesman said the Residential Tenancies Act requires a landlord to provide the premises in a state that is fit for habitation by the tenant.
“It would be a breach of the tenancy agreement if the premises is not fit for habitation, and the tenant may be able to terminate the agreement and claim compensation,” he said in April.
“The Act does not specifically address the issue of a landlord advertising free rent in exchange for renovation work.
“However, the Act does state rent will consist of a defined amount that is payable by the tenant to the landlord at defined times, and that the premises would be safe and fit for habitation.
“It appears this proposed agreement did not comply with this requirement.”
According to NSW Fair Trading, there are at least seven minimum requirements a landlord must meet to ensure their property is “fit for habitation”.
These standards apply to all rental properties and include the home being structurally sound, having adequate lighting and ventilation and access to electricity and gas, proper plumbing and drainage, hot and cold water supplies, and bathroom facilities.
“Landlords need to ensure their rented properties meet the minimum standards to be fit for habitation. Rented properties are already required to be fit for habitation and should already meet these basic standards,” the website states.
“The property could have other issues that may make it unfit for a tenant to live in, even if it meets the above seven minimum standards. Before the property is rented out, the landlord or agent should take steps (such as make repairs) to make sure the property is fit to live in.”
News.com.au has contacted the Campsie property’s real estate agent for comment on its condition.
Originally published as ‘Ideal for a handyman’: Bizarre condition behind NSW rental
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