Balcony advertised at $360 a week in Haymarket, Sydney highlights rental crisis

A Sydney landlord has put a covered balcony up for rent for $360 a week as Australia’s dire rental crisis comes to light.

The Facebook Marketplace listing describes the balcony in Haymarket, on the outskirts of Sydney, as a “sunny room” suitable for one person.

The photos show the small, box-like room furnished with a single bed, a mirror, blinds and a rug on what is likely a tiled floor.

The ad shows sliding glass doors connecting the balcony to the rest of the property, with a large mirror reflecting an adjacent glass wall.

The landlord said the room was ready for a potential tenant to “move in as soon as possible” and that the weekly rent was “inclusive of bills.”

The balcony is connected to a two-bedroom apartment.

This week, a similar listing for a one-bedroom apartment went viral after a potential renter discovered that the dining room and kitchen of the $390-a-week rental apartment were located in a covered outdoor area.

Photos from the bizarre ad show a refrigerator, a cupboard, a stovetop, food storage areas, a dining table and benches covered in tarps.

A balcony in Haymarket, central Sydney, has been listed for rent for $360 a week on Facebook

The photo shows the exterior of the building in Haymarket, in the centre of Sydney's business district

The photo shows the exterior of the building in Haymarket, in the centre of Sydney’s business district

The advertisement describes the balcony as a 'sunny room' suitable for one person

The advertisement describes the balcony as a ‘sunny room’ suitable for one person

According to the potential tenant, it appeared that the ‘wild’ living arrangement was attached to someone’s four-bedroom house.

“It looks like the owner took the master bedroom of a house and just put the kitchen and dining room on the terrace,” he said.

The rising cost of living and growing rental crisis in Australia has led to a rise in dodgy rental properties that would normally struggle to attract tenants.

New data from Domain shows the average rental price for houses in Sydney remained at a record high of $750 in June 2024, up 7.1 per cent on the same period last year.

This week, a listing for a one-bedroom apartment went viral after a potential renter discovered that the dining room and kitchen in the $390-a-week rental were located outside

This week, a listing for a one-bedroom apartment went viral after a potential renter discovered that the dining room and kitchen in the $390-a-week rental were located outside