Vancouver ad seeking roommate for '3 or 4 nights per week' at a rate of $750/month

A screenshot form a Craigslist ad on Oct. 26, 2022 shows an online rental ad for a shared space in Vancouver.

A single fold-out cot in a screened-off section of a Vancouver living room is being advertised as best suited for someone who doesn't actually need a full-time place to live – and renting for $750 per month.

The Craigslist post went online 10 days ago, but an update Wednesday says "an agreement has been signed today."

The post describes the ideal tenant.

"It would be perfect for a fellow student, as it’s a peaceful area to study and relax from. Almost like a sanctuary decorated with tropical plants!" the ad reads.

"This area might be best for someone who mostly needs it for day-use, such as in between classes, or for three to four nights per week. The ideal person would be someone who, like myself, does not need to be here everyday, or who has a schedule that melds with my own."

The space in the one-bedroom apartment near Cambie Street and King Edward Avenue also includes use of an "office desk" in the unit, which is in a building that is close to transit and has an outdoor swimming pool and an on-site laundry room. An additional $50 a month is required for utilities, which includes internet.

The "spacious, sectioned off area" is also billed as having "stunning, almost panoramic views of the city and ocean."

The person who posted the ad declined an interview with CTV news but confirmed that a lease is now in place. They also said that finding someone to share the space on a prt-time basis was only an idea, and not a requirement. The person who is moving in will be living there seven days a week. 

The post is one of several advertising spaces that were never intended to be bedrooms for rates that are relatively affordable – coming in at less than $1,000 per month in a city where the average monthly rate for a studio hovers around $2,000.

Census data released Wednesday shows that in 2020, renters accounted for 54 per cent of households in the city. Among tenants, 39.4 per cent of households are living in unaffordable accommodations, meaning they are spending more than 30 per cent of their income on shelter. By comparison, that percentage for owners is 26.3.