Amidst Australia’s rental crisis, sleeping pods with single bed being rented for $900 a month

Amidst the rental affordability crisis in Australia, sleeping ‘space shuttle’ pods that have just single beds are being offered for rent for a record $900 a month in Melbourne.

The advertisement was put up by the Abbotsford house as the rental property in Melbourne and other places in Australia are seeing a record rise.

SQM Research has said that the cost of renting a house has soared by up to 21.2 per cent in Australia, with further rises expected as the nationalrental crisisdeepens.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

In the advertisement, the Abbotsford house, which is advertised privately, stated that it offers traditional rooms for $400 a week or $1500 a month, or the single pod capsules for up to $250 a week or $900 a month, reports The Guardian Australia.

“The boarding house and the capsules are fully licensed,” the advertisement, posted to Facebook reads.

“Each capsule pod fits a single bed (can sleep one person only), equipped with own mirror, ventilating fan, USB ports, digital control panels, adjustable colour reading lights, safe locker, clothes hanger & curtain door for privacy.

“They look like space shuttles.”

Landlord Frank Chan told the newspaper that rising inflation and a reduction in the number of short-term travellers had contributed to rising costs.

“I do not charge bond, no electricity charge, provide full furniture, full-time housekeeper, tenants have full flexibility when they want to leave, and my price is cheaper than 95% of comparable listings in booking.com, hotels.com and Airbnb the like,” he told Guardian Australia.

“I know there are many people who don’t understand much about the rental market and shout that my price is too high … but they really haven’t looked at how short-term accommodation functions.”

Chan said pods could be a “solution” to the tight rental market.

Tim Lawless, a research director at CoreLogic, told the newspaper that rents have risen 9.2 per cent over the past 12 months and 9.5 per cent for units.

“It’s the highest annual growth rate for rents on record,” he said. “The last time we saw it on this level was in 2017, but that was with a record level of migration. This time around, this level of rental growth is happening amidst closed borders.”

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE