Shocked Aussies react to landlord’s ‘insane’ request: ‘Never seen this’

By MATT JONES FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 02:44 BST, 24 April 2025 | Updated: 03:24 BST, 24 April 2025

Prospective tenants of an NSW apartment would have to leave the property most weekends as the landlord wants to keep using for coastal getaways. 

The female landlord is currently looking for a tenant for the ‘fabulous’ two-bedroom apartment in Nelson Bay, two-and-a-half hours north of Sydney, for $380-a-week. 

Renters would enjoy an ‘amazing third level view of the ocean overlooking Nelson Bay with a massive balcony and living area’.

But they would only be able to reside in the home 85 per cent of the time and would be required to leave whenever the landlord fancied a break from Sydney. 

‘You will be expected to vacate the property so the owner can use the apartment for her sole use about 15 per cent of the time, about 30 days over six months, mainly Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights,’ the listing states. 

The listing went on to say the ‘owner is a working professional from Sydney who loves this weekender to come to when time permits’.

The terms of the lease left many people stunned.

‘I’d like to think with such an insane condition that it’s really cheap,’ one said. 

The Nelson Bay property looks appealing but there’s an inconvenient condition involved 

Aussies renting a property in an idyllic coastal getaway would be required to vacate the home for up to a month if their landlord wanted to stay (the listing is pictured)

Pictured is the view from the apartment in Nelson Bay, north of Sydney

‘I can’t imagine anyone agreeing to that disruption, unless there was a house-swap going on so the renter could stay in the owner’s place in Sydney.’ 

CEO of the Tenants’ Union of New South Wales, Leo Patterson Ross, told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday there could be issues arising under the conditions.

‘This practice is likely to lead to disputes with confusion and frustration around the actual usage,’ he said. 

‘We need listings sites like flatmates.com.au (which is owned by the REA group) to ensure listings are compliant with relevant laws and this may require regulation of the sector from Fair Trading NSW.’

The $380-a-week rent does not cover internet or bills. The property, which requires tenants to sign a minimum three-month lease is about 500metres from Nelson Bay.

Despite the unusual terms, most expected the landlord would find a tenant because there was a severe shortage of options in Australia’s overbid housing market. 

‘Accommodation is stupidly scarce at the bay. I’ve no doubt this person will get someone to agree to this. It’s really gotten way too out of hand,’ one wrote. 

‘I’ve actually never seen this. Can you imagine having to leave your house… and the landlord sleeps in your bed,’ another said.

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Shocked Aussies react to landlord’s ‘insane’ request: ‘Never seen this’

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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk