'Outrageous' detail in $235 Aussie rental studio uncovers hidden problem

A tiny detail in an Aussie rental listing has sparked outrage, with many questioning the legality of the student accommodation. Meanwhile, a housing expert says the ad highlights a major problem facing those preparing to start university early next year.

A series of images published on Domain show a number of apartments inside a single building. The listing advertises 10 studios with 10 bathrooms in the property, while a floor plan reveals 12 rooms, some with kitchenettes and bathrooms or toilets, with amenities also found in the hallway.

There is one photo in particular that has caught the attention of eagle-eyed renters, and that's of an extremely narrow room for $235 a week, with a kitchenette on one side and a bed just inches away from the sink and fridge.

Studio feature ridiculed

It's what is above the mattress that has horrified people the most. Located just a metre or two over the bed, and sitting on a shelf, is a microwave. "Imagine pulling a meal out of the microwave and spilling it on your bed," one Facebook user wrote.

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"Imagine your bedding soaking up all the smells of your cooking," commented another, while others cslled the set-up "outrageous" and questioned whether the fridge door would even open properly.

“$235/wk, and you get to sleep in your very own kitchenette!” the original poster wrote on Facebook. “I guess at least you don't have too far to go if you're peckish during the night.”

Is it legal?

Without knowing more about the Newcastle property, Dr Chris Martin, Senior Research Fellow in the University of NSW's City Future Research Centre, says it's a "little bit tricky” to work out the rules. "Because it looks like it's a room in a boarding house, there's a question whether it would be covered by the Residential Tenancies Act or whether it instead is covered by the Boarding Houses Act," he told Yahoo News Australia.

Both acts give tenants the right to reside in a property that's in reasonable condition, however Martin conceded that "there's no rule in the Residential Tenancies Act that says 'Thou shalt not keep the microwave above the bed'."

"The Residential Tenancies Act says that premises must be fit for habitation and reasonably clean, and that they're provided in a reasonable state of repair during the tenancy as well. So it might be unusual to have a microwave installed above your bed, but there's nothing in the act that says that you cannot have such unusual amenities in a bedroom."

Tough time for uni students

Are Australian university students being exploited when it comes to accommodation? Yes, according to Martin. He says too many tenants don't know where they stand. "There's still a blurred line between boarding houses and tenancy agreements, even though we've got this relatively new act, which is 10 years old now," he explained. "The Boarding Houses Act was a good move, but there is still the question of are you in it or are you not, especially around shared housing, it still can be difficult to know where you stand legally."

He added that it's important people get clarification of their housing situation with an agreement in writing. "This is something people should be keeping in mind, especially in a month's time when people are starting to look at places for university and whether the room they're renting is being advertised as a share house or boarding house or private hotel or student accommodation."

Martin also encouraged people to speak to their local tenants' advice service if needed.

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