Outrage over extreme rules for $950pw Sydney rental

“$950 a week for that place PLUS all the conditions that go with it??? I know it’s in Bondi Junction, but it’s not even that nice of a place."

We all know the rental crisis is getting out of hand, but this might just take the cake for the most bizarre ad we’ve seen in a long while.

A listing went viral earlier this week thanks to a combination of a relatively low price (for the area), and a long list of caveats attached to the price.

The three-bedroom apartment in Bondi Junction was listed for just $950 a week, a good $300-500 cheaper than most other three-bedroom properties in the same suburb.

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However, it was the list of requirements on the ad that caught most people’s eyes.

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"No guests are permitted during kindergarten hours"

The ad started off reasonably enough, spruiking all the benefits of finding such an affordable apartment in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.

However, the ad soon specifies that the apartment is directly above a childcare centre, and the only way in and out was to go through said childcare centre.

“Occupants are required not to come and go during kindergarten hours, and no guests are permitted during kindergarten hours,” the ad read.

If that wasn’t enough, any successful tenant would also be forced to become an interim caretaker for the childcare centre.

“The property is being offered at a lower rent figure as it takes into account the following,” the ad read.

“Remove leaves, sticks and gum nuts from (the) playground in the children's area before 8.30am on each Monday and Thursday - blower/vacuum provided.

“Clear side passage, front verandahs and garden of debris and leaves. Water front and back gardens, put out garbage bins weekly for council collection, and tidy front area monthly.”

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"The red flags are flying high"

News.com.au reports the property did have a separate entrance with a code for tenants, but the code wouldn’t work during kindergarten hours.

A prominent renter advocate said this fact - which could make emergency situations very dicey - could get the landlord in hot water.

Leo Patterson Ross, CEO of the Tenants’ Union of NSW, said there were potentially “two breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act” in the unusual listing.

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“The red flags are flying high in this ad,” he told Yahoo News.

Restricting access to the property for 10 hours a day and slapping tenants with caretaker responsibilities were among his biggest concerns.

“There are all sorts of safety concerns with these — for the tenant who can’t access or leave their home,” Mr Patterson Ross continued.

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"You're effectively locked in during business hours"

He also alleged landlords can’t meddle with tenants’ “reasonable peace, comfort, and privacy” by locking you in or out of your home.

While it’s legal to offer rental deals as part of caretaking arrangements, Mr Patterson Ross stressed that the rent should “reflect the value you are providing”.

As you’d expect, social media users tore into the listing when it was posted online.

“$950 a week for that place PLUS all the conditions that go with it??? I know it’s in Bondi Junction, but it’s not even that nice of a place,” one person wrote.

“In what world would anybody want a three-bedroom home where you are effectively locked in, or out, during business days five days a week?” another chimed in.

“Literally asking for $950 a week for a unit you … can only access sometimes?” another added.

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A Bondi apartment with an unusual catch has made waves online after being listed for rent … right above a local kindergarten. Picture: Property.com

"It speaks to the compromises renters are forced to make"

It appears the listing was pulled down shortly after it went viral, as it is now not listed for rent on any of the major real estate websites.

According to property.com.au, the apartment has been listed for rent four times since 2016, but has only successfully been leased once.

The three other times the property was “withdrawn” from rent.

Mr Patterson Ross told Yahoo News the now withdrawn ad was indicative of deeper issues with the current rental market.

“[It] really speaks to some of the compromises renters are being forced to make and the disregard some people have for renters' wellbeing,” he said.

“We need to make sure people have a range of options to make homes that are affordable, safe and secure.

“We need to do this through a range of strategies - more public and community housing, better standards and compliance in renting and adjusting the financial incentives towards long-term housing.”

Originally published as Outrage over extreme rules for $950pw Sydney rental