Melbourne hostel ad calls for a cleaner to be paid in free accommodation in a tent

Hostel owner advertises for a cleaner who would earn no money but get ‘free accommodation’… in a TENT

  • A job advertisement for a Melbourne hostel has called for an unpaid cleaner
  • Instead of payment, the cleaner would be allowed to live in a tent in the backyard
  • Ad called for a motivated, well presented person who wanted to stay long term 
  • Owner of the hostel said they did not post the ad and were being targeted 

A Melbourne hostel has advertised for a new cleaner – but advised the winning candidate would not be paid, just allowed to live in a tent out the back. 

In the ad, prospective staff are told they would need to work just one or two hours a day, cleaning rooms from about 10am to midday.  

‘In return, you get free accommodation, a nice tent in the backyard. You can sleep in our bed in a shared room too whenever it is not booked,’ the advertisement said. 

‘We are looking for someone who loves cleaning, who is well presented, good manners, reliable with common sense, someone long term, someone who takes initiative, someone with leadership skills, who is ready to take care of the whole house if needed and is ready to be trained to be future manager.’

A Melbourne hostel has advertised for a cleaner who would be paid in accommodation – a tent pitched in the backyard (stock image)

The job poster said they judged employees by ‘the initiatives they take’ which displayed their passion for the job. 

‘This shows you don’t need to be micromanaged, don’t need to be whipped and told what to do every time.’  

The ad caused a stir online, with many calling the position ‘indentured labour’ or joking it was equivalent to slavery. 

Many have slammed the hostel on Trip Advisor too, claiming the staff were unpaid and forced to live off extras from the breakfast bar. 

The owner of the hostel, which Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to name, denied he had posted the ad, and said he was the victim of a vicious and competitive industry.

‘I think I’ve just been targeted,’ he said. ‘There are a lot of hostels in the area and it’s very competitive.

‘I don’t even have staff… I use family members or I have some help from friends. We only have like 10 beds.’

The owner said on occasion, guests would help out around the house for free board, but he denied they were made to sleep in the backyard.  

The ad called for a motivated cleaner with good manners and the view to move up to management (pictured)

The ad called for a motivated cleaner with good manners and the view to move up to management (pictured)

 



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk