Forget the classifieds: speed renting hits Wellington

Fairfax Media

FIND A FLATTIE: Speed renting has made its way to the Wellington bar scene and the principles will be familiar to anyone who has ever braved speed dating.

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Looking for a flatmate in all the wrong places only to end up heartbroken with an empty room?

Then perhaps it's time to give speed renting a go.

Speed renting has made its way to the Wellington bar scene and the principles will be familiar to anyone who has ever braved speed dating.

After paying a membership fee, flatties with a room to let take a table and prospective housemates get four minutes for both sides to make favourable impressions.

Vegan? Christian? Party animal? Cat lover? GSOH? Then out comes the match card - will it be household bliss?

Speed renting is less formal than speed dating however - speedrenting.co.nz director Liz Mclean promises no bells are rung.

Ms Mclean dreamed up the idea in Queenstown two years ago, reasoning if it worked for love, why not for flatmates?

After some success in a relatively small rental market, she decided to give the idea a whirl in a bigger city.

Ms Mclean chose the capital because she thought Wellingtonians "may be more receptive to a new idea, something they haven't done before".

She said the reaction has been positive, though slow, with only about 12 people turning up to the trial evening last week.

“People have been very receptive, [they] get quite excited and think it’s a good idea. We haven’t had the evidence of people turning up but everyone loves the idea.”

The next speed renting session will kick off in Jet bar on Courtenay Place this Wednesday at 6.30pm and tables can be booked online.