Tenants are outraged after a landlord converted a windowless garage into a “studio” and charged future tenants nearly $300 a week.
The space was described as a “self-contained room” in a property in Kelvin Grove in Brisbane’s inner north and had a hefty price tag of $280 per week.
The rental property was listed on Facebook Marketplace and stood out for all the wrong reasons – including because it had no windows.
The “room” was described as a “quiet and safe place” and was centrally located, with an Aldi store just 350 m away.
The dubious rental apartment, which had exposed water pipes in the ceiling, also said it was close to a bus stop and was “available immediately.”
One photo showed a makeshift kitchen consisting of a few shelves and a microwave, but the sink and refrigerator appeared to be missing.
There was a desk with a chair, a bedside table, a fan and a room divider.
Potential tenants were shocked that the garage could even be considered a legal rental property and called it “shabby.”
The now-deleted Facebook Marketplace post advertising a “self-contained” garage that appeared to be windowless despite a small curtain (see image)
Australian renters are struggling not only to find a rental property, but also to afford it (pictured: potential renters queue up to view an apartment).
“Is that what I think?” one asked.
“I wish people would stop thinking this is okay,” wrote another.
Another added: “I’m not sure, but isn’t it a law that bedrooms/living rooms must have windows?”
The garage advertisement comes at a time when tenants are faced with historically high weekly rents and a low supply.
According to the Queensland Residential Tenancies Authority, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Kelvin Grove is $525.
Although requirements may vary from state to state and territory to territory, in Australia a habitable space must have natural light and ventilation and a ceiling height of 2.4 m.
The window may lead to another room, but since the garage is only one room, it’s hard to say if that would be possible because there was no picture of a bathroom window.
The Queensland Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 sets out the minimum standards and requirements for rental properties.
Would you live in a garage? Desperate Australians are renting out “converted” spaces like garages – but even these are expensive (pictured archive photo of a suburban garage)
“Although the law does not contain a definition of what constitutes a room, the minimum standards require that rental properties be equipped with curtains or other window coverings,” a spokesman said.
“(These) provide privacy in rooms where the tenant can reasonably expect it, such as bedrooms or a bathroom.”
In Australia, according to the Master Builders website, windows are mandatory in all rooms.
“The Australian Building Code prescribes a minimum requirement for natural lighting in a habitable space. This is calculated based on the floor area of a habitable space,” it says.
“A window opening with an area of 10% of the floor space of the room is required.”
