I love it when listings are written with Google translate. It honestly makes my job so much more intriguing.

Also, this rental listing may very well be fake or some sort of scam, given the unmatched European electrical outlets pictured as well as some other fishy details. 

Anyway, this listing is titled: “A very interesting and beautiful shelter for rent.” And honestly, it kind of nails it.

This place, unlike many we’ve listed before, is actually an objectively nice apartment.

The kitchen is tiny, but cute. The main problem being your fridge is a bar fridge and there’s no oven, but apparently that’s the way of the future!  Sigh.

The space comes furnished with nice enough furniture and there’s a cool fireplace.

The bathroom is well…how do I put this? It's in a glass box.

The entire bathroom is just in the middle of the apartment in a glass box. Why? Why can’t it have a wall? When did solid walls and doors become obsolete for bathrooms? Am I the only one who likes to be able to go to the bathroom in private?   

Sure, it's fine if you live alone, but if someone comes over, well I'll just let you figure out how that scenario will go down. I guess that’s what they meant about interesting…

But it’s listed for only $1,288 a month, which is like winning the lottery in Toronto’s rental market. Perhaps this is proof that it is a scam.

Anyway, shelter is actually an appropriate word since it’s not really your apartment. According to the listing, by letting you rent this place for $1,288 a month, they’re actually hiring you as a live-in cleaning service.

“Want to hire people who keep cleaning,” reads the listing. Now I don’t know if that’s just something that got lost in translation or if the landlords genuinely expect you to be a live-in maid.

I just have so many questions about this arrangement. For example, how do they know if you’re cleaning or not? Are there cameras? If so, I'm pretty sure that’s illegal. Do they stop by for regular visits? What happens if they find out you’re not cleaning? Do you get evicted? 

Also do they pay for cleaning supplies? Because if not, that bathroom is going to be a giant pain to clean—and expensive. It’s wall-to-wall glass. That requires so much Windex. I’m already tired just thinking about it.

While I'm pretty sure this isn't legal, I can't help wondering in what universe someone thought that they could get people to pay them to clean their apartment. Oh wait, that's right, this is Toronto.  

Specs

• Address: 38 Church Street
• Type: Bachelor
• Rent: $1,288/ month
• Furnished? Yes
• Utilities: Yes
• Air conditioning? No info
• Bedrooms: 0
• Bathrooms: 1
• Parking: Available
• Laundry? No info
• Outdoor space? No
• Pet friendly? Yes

Good For

Building up your maid skills for your resume?   

Move On If

You don’t want to clean that fish bowl of a bathroom.