Aussie tiny house slammed for outdoor kitchen and unbelievable toilet location

Serious health questions have been raised about a $1,400 a month rental property in Australia that’s been built out of a 20 foot shipping container.

In a listing on Facebook Marketplace, the converted “one bedroom ensuite space” is described as being a furnished “tiny house donga” located on a “gated acreage well behind the main house” south west of Brisbane near Munruben in Queensland. Donga is a slang term for temporary or portable housing — but it’s the facilities that have experts worried.

“The outdoor kitchen and the bathroom situation would perhaps indicate that this property is not compliant with council,” property lawyer Monica Rouvellas told Yahoo News Australia.

“I would be concerned about the tenant’s health and safety with having an outdoor kitchen as their only kitchen, which is different to having a covered and well-designed outdoor BBQ/kitchen area.”

In a photo of the outside property, a long kitchen bench with a fridge at one end can be seen sitting on the veranda along with a barbecue, but it remains unclear if there is a stove top or oven.

While wrapped around the back of the container, on a very narrow verandah, is the air conditioning unit, washing machine and laundry sink.

Inside, the situation is even more grim, with a tiny, clear glass walled bathroom positioned in the middle of the room and beside the bed, offering the user zero privacy.

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‘Attempt to profiteer off people's desperation’

Rach McQueen, a TikToker known for rental reviews, shared a video about the property on her profile, pointing out the ‘sold’ sign on the $350 a week listing which claims to be suited to a “single mature person”.

“It would appear that this place has been rented out so it is a shame to see that their attempt to profiteer off people’s desperation during this crisis has been successful.”

In an almost 10 minute clip she pointed out the “bulls**t” property’s faults from its “bathroom in a glass box” where tenants could be “staring at the toilet 24/7 as it is right at the foot of your bed” to its outdoor kitchen with a lack of power points and practicability during storms.

“This place is going to be freezing in the middle of winter so how pleasant will it be to be outside here grabbing a drink from the fridge or preparing a meal in the depths of winter,” she said, before highlighting the laundry’s “electrocution risks” with a power adapter running off the main power point.

Is it legal?

According to Rouvellas, “a converted container can be legal if it has met council requirements for a second dwelling or granny flat”.

“The key issue is whether this has been approved by council,” she said. “For short fixed or period leases, tenants are not required to do any due diligence, so unless a tenant inquires with the local council, they will not really know if the property is council approved.”

While a spokesperson for the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) told Yahoo News that properties must also receive development and building approval and meet all health and safety regulations, including Queensland’s new minimum housing standards.

“Minimum housing standards include ensuring the property is weatherproof and structurally sound, provides adequate plumbing and drainage, includes the necessary fixtures for a functional laundry and a functioning cooktop, if a kitchen is provided,” the spokesperson said.

They also specify that rental properties must be in good repair with fixtures and fittings (such as electrical appliances) that are not likely to cause injury through normal use, and provide privacy in bathroom areas.

“If a customer believes a property manager or owner hasn’t met their legal obligations, they can request the RTA investigates the matter,” the spokesperson added.

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