Would you pay $700 a month to rent a micro suite? Craigslist ad highlights bleak options
A micro suite in Vancouver is being rented for $700 a month—a steep price considering the space is just 150 square feet.
According to the Vancouver-based rental listing website liv.rent, the average rent per square foot in the city is $3.85, which works out to a monthly rent of $577.50 for a 150-square-foot space.
Utilities are included in the $700 price for the micro suite listed on Craigslist, however.
An advertisement for the room specifies it is “freshly renovated” and comes with access to a shared kitchen and bathrooms on the same floor, but there’s no laundry on site.
A single bed frame and mattress, plus a kitchen sink and mini fridge can be seen in photos of the tiny room posted online.
The advertisement does not include the address, but says the micro suite is in a “secure building with neighbourhood security.”
In an email to CTV News, a spokesperson for the City of Vancouver says micro suites are “intended to encourage the creation of new livable, affordable micro dwelling rental units in the Downtown Eastside and the False Creek Flats areas” and are a minimum of 250 square feet under city guidelines.
“We’re unable to tell whether this particular unit is legal or not, based on the photo and listing information,” the spokesperson said, explaining it depends on whether a business licence is required.
A person needs a business licence if they are sharing three or more rooms in their house, or for whole units, but no licence is needed to rent out two or fewer rooms.
Robert Patterson, a lawyer at the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre, says that legal or not—advertisements for rental units like this micro suite represent troubling times.
“This is not the sign of a healthy rental market,” Patterson said.
CTV News has reached out to the person renting the unit and will update this article if a response is received.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.