A Canadian expat living in Australia cannot understand one “strange” detail in most rentals in Australia.
The man was baffled when he realized he had to buy his own appliances, such as a refrigerator, washing machine and dryer, if he rented an unfurnished house.
‘Why do Australian renters have their own refrigerators?’ he asked on Reddit.
Having lived half his life in Canada and the other half in Australia, he was surprised that most rentals didn’t have all the appliances.
‘It seems crazy that rentals don’t provide a refrigerator that fits in the space so tenants don’t have to bring their own. Refrigerators are also not easy to move. Every year there are thousands of people transporting refrigerators throughout the city. Why is this?’
A Canadian renter in Australia was baffled when he realized he had to buy his own refrigerator.
An Australian revealed that any appliance supplied by a homeowner had to be tested and tagged by an electrician every two years in Victoria, and there are similar laws in place in other states.
‘When was the last time an electrician checked an appliance while it was running, ‘just in case’? Big disincentive to supply appliances,’ he said.
Some said it was common to have your own large appliances in Australia.
‘People often own furniture and appliances in Australia, either inherited from their parents or from previous residences.
‘It’s better to use your own stuff than the landlord’s, which can potentially be old, have inefficient energy use and probably also be included in the rent. Our rent is already quite high.
Many Australians also claimed it was because providing a refrigerator would be an extra “hassle” for the homeowner, and they preferred to use their own appliances.
“If the owners supplied them, they would have to pay to fix them,” one noted.
‘Know [how] Is it difficult to get a leaky roof fixed? Imagine that if it weren’t for a fridge!’ said another.
‘It’s also another thing to maintain the bond. “You left a speck of sweet chili sauce at the bottom of the refrigerator. It will cost you $400 to clean it up,” one woman wrote.
Some said they “can’t think of anything more disgusting than using a refrigerator that has been used by other people.”
Other expats shared their own views on the matter.
‘I have only rented furniture in the UK and no furniture in Australia. I found it really strange that you would be expected to bring your own furniture into a house that you don’t own,” one woman said.
‘I’m from the US. Before moving to Australia, I rented for 19 years in six states and every place had a refrigerator. There was often a common place with commercial washers and dryers and I brought my own microwave,” said one man.
‘In Germany and other European countries there is not even a kitchen. Nothing at all, just an empty room where you’re supposed to put your own kitchen. There is no sink, stove, cabinets or anything.
“However, they also have leases longer than a year and don’t have a real estate agent who comes in every six weeks to make sure you’re sweeping the floor.”