Renters blast apartment for ‘banning sex’ as ‘no sleepover’ rule on listing sparks fury
Fed-up renters have vented their fury online after spotting a strange requirement on one listing.
A “designer micro apartment” is advertised for rent, but the listing says guests are not permitted overnight.
The one-bed unit is available for $370 a week in Yeerongpilly, a southern suburb of Brisbane.
“Each apartment is for single occupancy only due to council and fire restrictions,” the listing says.
“Guests are permitted to visit but are not able to stay overnight.”
The strange requirement prompted a hysterical reaction on social media.
“Australian landlords are literally banning sex in their apartments,” TikTok user Beep Yen said in a video that has been viewed 85,000 times.
“Well, nice sex anyway.”
Other disbelieving commenters criticized the measure as seriously over the top, with many questioning whether the measure was legally enforceable.
“They’ve reverted to feudal landlord times….. no joy,” one person wrote.
“There is no way that’s a legal condition,” another said.
However, because each pint-sized unit is classified as “rooming accommodation,” similar to student accommodation, Brisbane City Council regulations stipulate the entire building made up of five units is to be occupied by no more than five people.
“It’s not an apartment. It’s classed as shared living, it’s not the landlord’s rules (it’s) the councils for occupancy in a dwelling,” one online commenter noted.
With Australia in the midst of a rental crisis, there are fears increasing numbers of desperate renters will be forced to turn to similar “micro apartments”.
“My son lived in one of these, they are becoming more common for greedy landlords. Buy a family home & convert to 4x1br rooms & call them apartments,” one person noted.
National vacancy rates reached a new grim depth in September, crashing to a record low of just 1.06 per cent.
