Toronto landlord charging $475 to share bunk beds with three other people

Mar 6 2024, 9:27 pm

Although rent prices in Toronto have slightly cooled off over the past few months, the city’s exorbitant rental market continues to be out of reach for many who are strapped for cash.

Unfortunately, those operating under a tight budget in Toronto far too often come across alarming listings on websites like Facebook Marketplace and Kijiji, as landlords advertise less-than-desirable living arrangements for bargain prices.

One of these unconventional listings posted on Kijiji advertises a shared bedroom in Toronto for $475 per tenant. While the listing might seem like a sweet deal at first glance, its appeal quickly fades once you realize that you’ll have to share one of the bunk beds with a total stranger.

“Large and beautiful bedroom with attached den, bed, pillows, and mattresses for four occupants. Three got booked, only one left,” the listing reads.

$475*4 = $1900 off of a single bedroom. Nice!
byu/mybluntside inSlumlordsCanada

The space — which only permits a female tenant — does come with some “perks,” including a large balcony, fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, and a separate den for luggage storage.

However, as highlighted in a recent Reddit thread, the monthly rent does not include utilities, which are charged separately at $50 a month and include hydro, heating, water, and high-speed internet.

Reddit users quickly did the math, and noted that the monthly rent would actually come out to $525 per person, or a staggering $2,100 per month for the entire space.

As expected, the horrifying listing sparked polarizing discussions about tenancy regulations, greedy landlords, and the overall state of Ontario’s housing market.

“Canada is becoming scarier by the month with how the housing and rental market is evolving,” one person wrote.

“People are basically trying to turn apartments into dorm rooms for college students,” another comment reads.

Somehow, this bunk bed listing isn’t even the most expensive one we’ve seen hit the city’s rental market in recent years. Last month, one landlord advertised a shared bedroom with bunk beds in North York for $555 per month, while another ad in 2022 listed one of two bunk beds in a windowless apartment for $1,200 per month.

Kimia Afshar MehrabiKimia Afshar Mehrabi

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