By Editor,Matt Jones

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This charming home with a sprawling backyard is perfect for renters… if you can overlook this alarming detail

Rental slammed by Aussies for worrying caveat

READ MORE: Tenant claims a common problem in her rental has left her sick

By MATT JONES, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA

Published: 07:19 BST, 16 September 2025 | Updated: 08:05 BST, 16 September 2025

A rental listing in Perth has been criticised for listing in the small print that the property was overrun with rising damp ‘that will not be getting attended to’.

Saraceni Real Estate has listed the three-bedroom, one-bathroom property in Middle Swan, in Perth’s northeast, for $600-per-week.

The rental is described as a ‘spacious family home’ on a quiet street close to shops, restaurants, and local schools.

But an alarming caveat was revealed in the next paragraph.

‘Please note there is rising damp throughout the whole property that will not be getting attended to,’ the listing continues.

‘Please do your own check if it will have/cause any health risks for you and anyone that would be living with you.’

Saraceni Real Estate realtor Phillip Saraceni said the rising damp was first identified in 2021, when paint started bubbling at the bottom of a skirting board.

The owner wanted to fix the issue but it would have required vacating the property, and the tenant refused to leave.

The rental was listed for $600-a-week in Middle Swan, in Perth’s northeast (pictured)

The property has been described as a ‘spacious family home’ that is close to shops and restaurants. The large backyard is pictured

The warning of the dampness has not deterred renters from expressing interest in the home

Mr Saraceni said his agency had checked with the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (DLGIRS) whether the house could be let with such a problem, and was told it was at the tenant’s discretion.

The agent said the rising damp was not getting worse and that six people had registered their interest since the home was listed last Thursday.

‘We present conditions to the tenant prior to applying. That way they can make their own decision,’ he told news.com.au.

Despite the six interested parties, many online commenters could not understand how anyone would put their health at risk by moving in.

‘For the low price of $600 a week you can have the chance to live with potential mould and health hazards… spacious family home with enough room for everyone to get sick,’ one person wrote on the Don’t Rent Me Facebook group.

‘This is really sick,’ a second person said.

‘How is that allowed? Absolutely disgusting and reprehensible,’ a third agreed.

The DLGIRS states that a home must be free from pests and vermin, reasonably clean, and in good repair at the start of a tenancy.

A number of potential renters have registered their interest in the three-bedroom, one bathroom property in Perth’s northeast (pictured)

Renter locked in bitter feud with their landlord after forking out $1,260 to clean the carpets TWICE

A Consumer Protection WA spokesperson told Daily Mail: ‘In Western Australia, tenants have the right to expect that a rental property will meet minimum standards, including being in a good state of repair at the start of a tenancy.

‘Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA) (RTA), landlords are legally required to ensure properties are safe and suitable for habitation.

‘Property managers also have a duty to disclose all material facts before listing a property. It is unlawful for agents or landlords to attempt to limit their responsibilities under the RTA through contract terms or any advertising.

‘Tenants concerned about rising damp, maintenance issues, or whether their home is fit for habitation are encouraged to lodge a complaint with Consumer Protection.’

An inspection of the home will take place on September 26, with the property available for rent from October 7.

Daily Mail has contacted Saraceni Real Estate for comment.

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This charming home with a sprawling backyard is perfect for renters… if you can overlook this alarming detail

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