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
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.