Nightmare rental listing sums up everything wrong with Toronto-area market
Finding adequate housing in the Greater Toronto Area can be a challenge, to say the least, and things are often much tougher for new Canadians and foreign students trying to establish a foothold in the ultra-pricey region.
As rent prices soar across the GTA, one apartment listing in Mississauga is stirring up backlash on Twitter, with commenters disgusted at the nightmarish conditions awaiting renters in sketchy rooming houses.
The listing advertises "two cot basis spots (for male student[s] only)" available from Oct.1 in the Morning Star and Goreway Drive area of Mississauga, all for the generous sum of $500 per month.
The "furnished, shared room" offers laundry — but only on weekends — internet, a shared kitchen and washrooms.
It's a tiny space with limited amenities, but then there are the rules. Oh, so many rules.
No smoking is a pretty standard one, along with rules banning loud music. But what if you want to relax with a drink after work? Well, too bad. Alcohol is not permitted.
You also can't host visitors, store your own furniture, or park your car on the premises — which I'm assuming is important for any prospective tenants, because Mississauga.
For reasons that remain unclear, the owner of the unit is only accepting cash, and specifies that e-transfers and cheques are not accepted.
Males only, no visitors, cash only payments. $500 per bed. I’ve also attached another photo of a prison cell for comparison pic.twitter.com/ep1A43riXu
— Justice_Queen (@RE_MarketWatch) September 21, 2022
The listing — posted alongside a photo of a jail cell for comparison — has triggered quite the discussion. Some even pretended to need clarification on which of the two pictures depicted the prison cell.
First one is the shared room it’s quite cramped last one is the prison cell
— Justice_Queen (@RE_MarketWatch) September 21, 2022
In fact, a few have even suggested that the prison cell pictured offers some advantages over the living situation advertised here.
And free
— Caius Cryptocles (@cakesnsyrupboi) September 21, 2022
Another commenter suggests that students from India frequently face rip-offs, exploitation, and even scams while in search of housing in the region.
100% its exploitation before they even come here and continues onwards. They also are limited to 20 hrs to work per week so after the 20 hrs these employers take advantage paying them far below min wage. Its so sickening!
— Justice_Queen (@RE_MarketWatch) September 21, 2022
The landlord associated with the listing was unavailable to discuss the advertisement at the time of publication.
And this appears to be a widespread issue for newcomers to Canada, with similar listings also under fire. One advertisement even goes so far as to specify the preferred gender and ethnicity of tenants.
