Toilet in the kitchen, number two

An Auckland couple have washed their hands of the rental market after attempting to lease out a fully furnished flat with a toilet in the kitchen. 

Unfortunately, this is the second kitchen-toilet hybrid Property Observer has seen this year.

The studio apartment in Auckland's Forrest Hill has a combined bathroom, laundry and kitchen.

The New Zealand Herald reports that the rental was advertised on Trade Me, an online classifieds site, through Ray White (picture from the advertisement above). Agent Serena White told The New Zealand Herald that although she inspected the property before advertising it, she hadn’t noticed the bathroom bungle. She later asked the landlord to set up a partition.

"I shouldn't have done the advertisement first, I should have done the advertisement after," she said.

"We talked to the landlord, we can't list this kind of property. Some clients reported it wasn't legal."

The landlords, Anthony Wong and Anita Leung, agreed.

"I don't want to rent the room because we can't do the kitchen in the bathroom,” Leung told The New Zealand Herald. "It’s illegal."

The listing was reportedly pulled after prospective renters complained about the layout. It seems that even the inclusion of utilities in the rent wasn’t enough to lure toilet-shy tenants.

Earlier this year, a Darlinghurst art-deco apartment with a less than flattering view from the stove was listed for rent (pictured below).

In defence of Darlinghurst, at least its toilet had a floor-to-ceiling glass door, which might provide the cook from noxious fumes and germs (if not an eyeful).

Not so for Auckland’s novoviral paradise, where the portable stove and toaster are set within full spray of the toilet. According to The New Zealand Herald, New Zealand building codes require that there is at least one door between the kitchen and the toilet. 

Thankfully, Wong and Leung say they haven’t rented the flat out before.

Feature photo source: Trade Me via The New Zealand Herald.