The Aussie town where the rent and staffing crisis is so dire, potential employees are offered hotel rooms for anyone willing to take a job
- Catering operator offering cheap accommodation
- Staff can have space for as little as $150 per week
A major hospitality operator is offering an attractive benefit of low-cost housing to anyone willing to work for them as the nationwide rent deficit reaches crisis point.
The vacancy rate for rental properties in Perth recently hit an all-time low of 0.7 percent.
But W1 Hospitality has come up with a creative solution by offering discounted accommodation to people struggling to find affordable housing.
The Perth-based company said it was willing to offer accommodation to anyone wanting to work at its Fremantle sites, including Emily Taylor, Sailing for Oranges and Wanders Hotel.
For as little as $150 a week, employees can rent their own room at the nearby Hougoumont Hotel, which is also part of W1 Hospitality.
W1 Hospitality offers low cost accommodation for staff wishing to work at one of their Fremantle locations including Sailing for Oranges (pictured)
All bills, linen and cleaning are included and guests are not restricted to an itemized temporary lease, making it ideal for travelers.
W1 Hospitality director Tim Buckton has been inundated with at least 30 questions.
“This is ideal for people who might be traveling or people who want to live in Freo for a summer period or while studying,” he told The Western Australian.
‘Moreover, they provide us with guaranteed work in one of our three companies and comfortable housing at current market prices.
“We want to employ the best possible staff who are traveling or looking for a base in Fremantle with the flexibility to come and go as they please.”
The catch is that interested applicants must be willing to work for Emily Taylor, Sailing for Oranges or Wanders Hotel at least a few days a week.
They must also find alternative housing if they leave the job.
Rooms at the Hougoumont Hotel cost just $150 a week for hospitality staff
The accommodation deal is also available to the staff at Fremantle bar Emily Taylor (pictured)
The staff accommodation offer is only available until the second phase of the hotel’s redevelopment begins in a few years.
Mr. Buckton encouraged other hospitality entrepreneurs to follow their example by offering commuter deals.
A search for accommodation in Fremantle shows that a week sharing a room or dorm in a backpacker hostel would be at least double the $150 offered.
The median rent for a house in Fremantle has increased by 4.6 percent over the past 12 months to $660 per week, while rent per unit has increased by 11.1 percent to a median of $500.
Rental vacancies in Perth (pictured) are currently at an all-time low