Rental crisis: Tiny Sydney listing labelled a 'jail cell' for $350 a week

The seemingly endless saga of rental properties being listed for a price disproportionate to their size shows no signs of abating, with the latest offering coming in the form of a modest space offered in the heart of Sydney.

The private studio in Redfern is advertised as fully furnished with a small walkway leading into the "tiny" space fitted with a desk, chair and bed, which runs parallel to a kitchenette an arm's reach away.

A bathroom is included in the $350 per week accomodation, yet it appears the tenant would need to venture outside before finding the private toilet situated near a communal area to do their business.

Rental slammed online: 'Like a jail cell'

Much like a tour of the space would be, the criticism online was swift. Many questioned why the accomodation had such a high weekly rental price considering its size, branding it as "awful", while others found it so ridiculous they responded with humour.

"You don't need a chair when you can just sneeze to move the bed a bit closer," one wrote, while another joked you can "lay in bed while you wash the dishes".

Another jokingly mistook the accomodation for a "jail cell" before confirming he now understands it as a rental listing, with another central city rental in Melbourne likened to a prison cell last month.

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Risks involved with finding a rental property online

The small studio was advertised on Facebook Marketplace and while that's not uncommon, there are several disadvantages for tenants associated with renting via platforms such as Facebook or GumTree – such as scams or certain laws not being adhered to.

"Renters can unfortunately be caught out by dodgy listings. Everyone should make sure they can verify a rental advertisement regardless of where it is published," Tenants' Union of NSW Policy and Advocacy Manager, Jemima Mowbray recently told Yahoo News Australia.

Frustrated Aussie renters

Sub-par rental properties continue to pop up across the country with landlords and real estate agents being accused of exploiting the rental crisis.

An extensive report on the country's property crisis concluded that Australia is one of the worst places to rent in the developed world, with rental prices over the last 30 years outpacing inflation and rental vacancy rates dropping to record lows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

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