Hobart: One tenant’s heartfelt reason for renting a tent in his backyard for $125 a week despite fierce backlash

A tenant who rents out a tent in his backyard for $125 a week has come under fire after people accused him of “shameful” behavior.

Mark decided to rent out the tent on his property in Hobart, Tasmania, to help an Australian in need, and his girlfriend Helen Quinn posted the advert on Facebook on Saturday.

The tent was set up for a single person and included all bills except for food. The ad said: “Emergency accommodation for a single person.”

However, the backlash against the ad was not long in coming, with some saying they would rather sleep outside than in his backyard.

“I’d rather sit under the freeway overpass than pay some idiot $125 to have fun in his freezing backyard,” wrote one.

“Disgraceful. I know someone who tried to charge a pet sitter to look after their pet. This is even worse,” said one.

Another added: “You can’t seriously charge a homeless person $125 a week to sleep in a tent – I must have misread that.”

But Mark defended his actions, saying that he was also a tenant and had made his house and garden available to families and individuals in need over the years.

The advert for the $125-a-week tent rental in the backyard of a Tasmanian man (pictured) came under fire, but the man defended his actions – saying he wanted to help someone in need

The rental crisis has hit Tasmania hard, with tenants now paying $7,000 more in rent per year than they did five years ago (pictured: tenants queuing to view a property).

The Tasmanian, who receives a disability pension, said there were currently seven people living in his rented property and he was offering help to people who could not afford to live there themselves, The Mercury reported.

Mark pays $450 a week for his home in the suburb of Risdon Vale and rents out a renovated tin shed on the property as well as rooms in his house.

He also rented a trailer to a woman who lived in front of a Kmart and slept on concrete before moving in.

“I have often fully supported people who had no financial means at all,” he said.

“One was here for two years and couldn’t pay anything.”

The pensioner said that his generosity had not been without problems – he had been robbed and physically abused by residents “with aggression problems”.

But the Tasmanian is proud that he has been able to help people. He said that a former inmate had nowhere to go with his partner and child after his release from prison – and that they now have a home with him.

Mark said the former inmate and his family pay just $350 every two weeks for a room in his house, which includes internet, electricity and food.

The generous pensioner said his home was now “a kind of community”, adding that he declares all the payments he receives to Centrelink.

Mark’s girlfriend said she was not “surprised” by the backlash, but found it “disappointing.”

Ms Quinn described the pensioner as a “nice person” and “very generous” and said he bought a new tent for $600 after someone stole the old one.

Many homeless people have no choice but to pitch their tents in public spaces, which can be dangerous (pictured: homeless tents in Brisbane).

Mark has also evicted residents who were under the influence of drugs after they told him they were not.

The Tasmanian said he was just trying to “do his part”.

“If people went to the fairgrounds, they would have to pay $40 or more a night,” he said.

According to the Tenants Association of Tasmania, the average tenant in Tasmania is currently paying a whopping $7,000 more in annual rent than they did five years ago, Yahoo reported.

According to SQM Research, the average rent in Australia is currently $692 per week for a house and $544 per apartment.