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Outrage over 'female-only' detail in $600pw Aussie rental: 'Big red flag'

Many Australians might be battling a competitive rental market, but one place up for grabs in Melbourne's Cranbourne East has seemingly scared off even the most desperate of potential tenants.

A Facebook post in a local group advertising a "fully furnished" room for rent has garnered mass attention online, not least because of the unapologetically "creepy vibes" it offered.

Posted by a male, the advertised room is "only for females", and despite the listing claiming the room is a "fully furnished" space, it contains nothing more than a basic mattress on the floor. The room itself contains very little light and appears dark and grungy — arguably not very appealing for the $600-a-week asking price.

Melbourne rental room with mattress on floor.
The poster was asking for 'females only' and the rental room was compared to a dungeon. Source: Facebook

"Hi. Room available for rent in Cranbourne East, only for females. Fully furnished, attached bathroom, aircon, dishwasher, washing machine etc. rent includes all commodity bills," the male poster wrote.

Women who saw the room were quick to comment on how it made them feel, saying it was "bad vibes" all around. They argued the "females only' request is the "biggest red flag".

Social media responds to 'sketchy' room listing

"Only for females?? Well from a female that's a hard pass and f**k no, I like my skin on my body thanks," one Facebook user wrote in the local group. "Run far from any dude who refers to women as females," said another.

"Any dude putting up an ad for a room saying 'females only' gives off extremely sketchy vibes for sure," a third agreed, while a fourth pointed out it's a "fair indication of where the market is at" with a rental shortage playing out in cities and towns across Australia.

Available room for rent on Facebook.
The room was advertised on Facebook where it garnered widespread attention. Source: Facebook

The room was even compared to a dungeon by one person who joked it was fit for a "hostage" rather than a roommate, while another suggested prospective tenants should inspect the room with a blue light before committing to the landlord.

While most took aim at the "females only" request, one suggested it might not be as it seems.

"Maybe he owns the house but doesn't live there and the other tenants are female," one commenter suggested.

"That's a good point I hadn't considered, but given the photo is of a mattress on the floor, it doesn't feel great," one responded.

After overwhelming backlash, the post now appears to have been deleted.

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