Tenants have been left horrified after a landlord transformed a windowless garage into a “studio space” and demanded nearly $300 a week from prospective tenants.
The space was described as a “self-contained room” in a property in Kelvin Grove, in Brisbane’s inner north, and was priced at a hefty $280 a week.
The rental was listed on Facebook Marketplace and stood out for all the wrong reasons, including not having windows.
The “room” was listed as a “quiet and safe place” and was centrally located, with an Aldi store just 350 metres away.
The dubious rental, which had exposed plumbing pipes along the ceiling, also said it was located near a bus stop and was “available now.”
In one photograph, a makeshift kitchen consisted of a few shelves and a microwave, while a sink and refrigerator appeared to be missing.
There was a desk with a chair, a nightstand, a fan and a screen.
Prospective tenants shared their surprise that the garage could even be considered a legal rental, calling it “shoddy.”
The since-deleted Facebook Marketplace post promoting a “self-contained” garage that appeared to have no windows, despite having a small curtain (pictured)
Australian renters are struggling not only to find rental accommodation, but also to afford it (pictured, prospective tenants queue to inspect a unit)
“Is this what I think it is?” one asked.
“I wish people would stop thinking this is okay,” wrote another.
Another added: “I’m not sure, but isn’t it required by law for bedrooms and living spaces to have windows?”
The garage offering comes at a time when tenants are facing historically high weekly rents and low supply.
The median rent in Kelvin Grove is $525 for a one-bedroom unit, according to Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority.
Although requirements may vary between states and territories, a habitable room in Australia must have access to natural light and ventilation and must have a ceiling height of 2.4 m.
The window can open into another room, but since the garage is only one room, it’s hard to know if it qualifies because there was no picture of a bathroom window.
The Queensland Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 sets out minimum standards and requirements for rental properties.
Would you live in a garage? Desperate Australians are renting out ‘converted’ spaces, such as garages, but even these are expensive (Archive photo of a suburban garage)
“While the Act does not include a definition of what constitutes a room, minimum standards require rental properties to include curtains or other window coverings,” a spokesperson said.
‘(These) provide privacy in rooms where the tenant might reasonably expect it, such as bedrooms or a bathroom.’
In Australia, it is mandatory to have windows in every room, according to the Master Builders website.
“The Australian Building Code sets a minimum daylight requirement for a habitable room. It is calculated based on the floor area of a habitable room,” he said.
‘A window opening having an area equivalent to 10% of the floor area of the room is required.’