Outrage over real estate listing that asked men to pay $50-a-week in rent because of a common male ‘trait’: ‘Is this even legal?’
- Listing claims male tenants are ‘messier’
- Agent claims screenshot of listing was fake
- Renters dubbed rule as ‘illegal’ and ‘discrimination’
A real estate listing has sparked outrage online after asking male applicants pay an extra $50 a week because of a common ‘male trait’.
The one-bedroom terrace home in Sydney’s inner west suburb of Newtown was advertised at $915 a week on property website Domain.
The rental description outlined that males will be charged $50 extra a week ‘due to their propensity to be messier’ and those who disagree should not apply.
‘Male applicants will be required to pay $50 a week extra in rent due to their propensity to be messier than females. If you do not agree with this do not apply,’ the listing read.
An outraged renter anonymously shared a screenshot of the listing to a Facebook group on Saturday asking others whether the imposed gender rule was legal.
The one-bedroom terrace home up for rent in Sydney’s inner west suburb of Newtown demanded male tenants pay an extra $50 a week because they are ‘messier than females’
‘I’ve been forced to move by an unaffordable rent increase and it’s hard enough without having to deal with s*** like this,’ they wrote.
‘I am perfectly tidy. Is this even legal?’
Social media users slammed the controversial gender rule, with many claiming the agent’s request was ‘categorically illegal’ and ‘blatant discrimination’.
‘$915?!? for 1 bedroom?!? wtffff. I used to live in Newtown but got priced outta there long ago but that’s just ridiculous,’ one person wrote.
Another commented: ‘Stupid!! Discrimination.’
A third person argued: ‘it’s none of the landlord’s business whether you’re messy or not as long as the property is not damaged.’
A screenshot of the listing was anonymously shared to a Facebook group, with many labelling the request ‘illegal’ and ‘blatant discrimination’
The listing was later updated with the gender ‘rule’ removed (pictured). The listing agent claimed the screenshot shared on social media was ‘fake’ and a ‘scam’, insisting he never wrote the rule demanding men pay more
Following intense backlash the listing agent confirmed the screenshot was the Newtown rental.
However, the agent denied any wrongdoing and told Yahoo News the screenshot was ‘fake’ and a ‘scam’ but denied any wrongdoing.
He said the gender rule was ‘something I haven’t posted before’ and suggested it never existed on the listing.
A timestamp on the Domain website shows the listing appears to have been updated on Monday.
In the update to the listing, the request for male applicants to pay $50 extra was removed and the asking price was lowered to $745 a week.
It is against the law to discriminate based on race, sex, marital or partner status, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, according to NSW Fair Trading.
A landlord or agent ‘cannot apply a rule, policy, practice or procedure that adversely affects a group of people’.
However, Fair Trading stipulates landlords or agents are permitted to choose ‘the most suitable applicant for the property”
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk