Housing Review: Room in a 4 Bedroom Apartment, 1 Liley Street, Hilton, City of West Torrens (Adelaide)
This property is a room within a four-bedroom apartment located at 1 Liley Street, Hilton, in the City of West Torrens, Adelaide. It is listed as a non-ensuite unit in an independent house. The property is near Adelaide University and is part of the Adelaide student housing market. This analysis is based on verified listing data, guest reviews, and market context to help prospective tenants assess suitability.
Who This Residence Suits
This apartment is designed for students or young professionals who value affordability and are comfortable sharing a larger living space with three other residents. The weekly rent of AUD 265–335 includes bills (electricity, water, gas, internet) and the property features a digital door lock, washing machine, and basic security. It suits individuals who:
- Prioritise budget-friendly housing in a suburban setting (Hilton is approximately 3 km from Adelaide city centre and Adelaide University).
- Are flexible about move-in dates: availability is listed as “not available” at time of review, which often indicates upcoming tenancy vacancies.
- Accept non-ensuite living – bedrooms share a bathroom. This is typical for many shared apartments in the medium-price band.
- Like included utilities to avoid complicated bill-splitting among flatmates.
The property’s price point (AUD 265–335/week) sits above Adelaide’s city from-price of AUD 205/week (the lowest weekly rent among current student housing listings). It is positioned in the mid-range for a shared room with bills included. For comparison, many student apartments in central Adelaide without bills start around AUD 220–250/week, so this property charges a modest premium for its inclusive arrangement.
Who This Residence Does Not Suit
Based on reviews and the property’s limitations, the following tenants should look elsewhere:
- Those requiring an ensuite bathroom: All rooms are non-ensuite. If private bathroom facilities are non-negotiable, this apartment cannot meet that need.
- Short-term tenants: The minimum lease length is not stated in the data, but shared houses in Adelaide typically require at least a semester (12–26 weeks). Check with the operator for exact flexibility.
- Tenants sensitive to move-out charges: Several user reviews on Google (overall rating 3.5 stars from 131 reviews) describe billing conflicts during departure. See the “What Residents Actually Say” section below for verbatim excerpts.
- People who need fast transport links: Hilton is a western suburb. While buses and trams serve the area, residents may rely on a car or a 25–30 minute walk/cycle to city campuses.
What Residents Actually Say
The property listing has 131 Google reviews and a 3.5-star average rating. The three detailed user reviews in the dataset are negative. They all describe experiences with billing disputes after moving out.
Excerpt 1 – Edward Yip (Rating: 1)
“After moving out, I was suddenly charged $607.75 for “cleaning”, but no itemised invoice or breakdown was provided explaining what exactly the charges were for. I sent an email requesting clarification, but never received a reply.”
This review suggests that tenants should document the condition of the apartment at move-in and move-out thoroughly (photos, signed condition reports). An AUD 607.75 cleaning charge is unusually high by Adelaide standards, where one-time cleaning fees for a room typically range from AUD 80–200.
Excerpt 2 – Shuwen Ding (Rating: 1)
“I was told it would only be a fixed cleaning fee of “a few dozen dollars”. However, after moving out, additional charges were applied.”
This indicates a potential discrepancy between verbal promises and actual charges. Always request a written fee schedule or tenancy agreement clause covering move-out cleaning, repairs, and bond deductions.
Excerpt 3 – Lachy (Rating: 1)
“It’s been four months since I moved out … I was overcharged multiple times while staying here as it was a ‘system error’ … After leaving, I’ve been chasing up an almost $400 refund amount.”
System errors leading to overcharging and slow refunds are another recurring theme. Tenants should set up automatic payment confirmations and check statements weekly to catch overpayments quickly.
Overall takeaway from reviews: The property itself (location, price, facilities) is not the main complaint. The grievances centre on transparency and accountability regarding charges after tenancy ends. A positive review (not in the dataset) might highlight the convenience of bills included and proximity to shops, but the three negative reviews dominate the public record. Prospective tenants should factor this into their risk assessment.
Price Positioning vs City From-Price
Adelaide’s lowest weekly rent among student housing listings is AUD 205/week (likely a smaller room in a share house without bills). This property’s minimum of AUD 265/week is AUD 60 higher (29% premium). The maximum of AUD 335/week is AUD 130 higher (63% premium).
What you get for the premium:
- Bills included (electricity, water, gas, internet) — typically worth AUD 30–60/week in Adelaide.
- A larger apartment (four bedrooms) with shared living areas and a washing machine.
- Digital door lock for keyless entry.
The premium relative to the city’s cheapest listing is justifiable if you value predictable all-inclusive rent and do not mind the suburban location. However, if you are willing to handle utility connections yourself, you can find cheaper non-ensuite rooms in central suburbs (e.g., Mile End, Goodwood) for around AUD 200–250/week.
Room-Type Guidance
Unit type: This is a non-ensuite room in an independent house (not a purpose-built student accommodation complex). You will share the bathroom with three other tenants. Digital door locks suggest each room has a separate lockable entrance.
Guidance for choosing a room within the apartment:
- Ask the operator: Does every bedroom have a window and a built-in wardrobe?
- Confirm which rooms receive natural light — interior rooms in shared flats can be dark.
- Inquire about the internet speed and reliability: bills-included often means basic NBN (25/5 Mbps), which may not suit heavy gamers or streamers in multiple rooms.
Apartment vs dormitory style: Because it is a “independent house”, you may have a full kitchen, lounge, and sometimes a small yard. Purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in Adelaide tends to have higher security, lifts, and on-site laundry but can cost AUD 300–450/week.
Booking Timing
The property is tagged “not_available” at the time of this analysis (data reflects July 2026). This likely means the current tenancies are in progress, with vacancies opening in early 2027 (around January–February, typical for Australian academic year starts).
Action steps:
- If you need accommodation for semester 1 2027 (February–June), start contacting the operator in October–December 2026 to secure a room.
- If you need semester 2 2027 (July–November), inquire in March–April 2027.
- Because the property has a reputation for slow refunds, do not book months in advance without reading the lease terms on deposit and bond handling.
Given the negative reviews, consider this property only if you have alternative back-up options and can inspect the room in person (or via a video call) before paying a deposit.
Frequently Asked Questions
H3: What is included in the weekly rent? Are internet and electricity included?
Yes, the listing tag “bills_included” covers electricity, water, gas, and internet in the weekly rent of AUD 265–335. You do not need to set up separate utility accounts. However, verify with the operator whether there are any usage caps on electricity or internet (some bills-included arrangements limit high consumption).
H3: How can I avoid the cleaning charge problems described in the reviews?
Take the following steps immediately after moving in:
- Photograph every corner of your room, bathroom, kitchen, shared spaces, and any furniture.
- Receive a signed condition report from the landlord/agent within 7 days.
- Email the operator requesting a written breakdown of standard move-out cleaning fees (ask for a list of tasks and estimated costs).
- Before moving out, request a pre-inspection walk-through with a representative.
- Pay the final rent only after receiving a final itemised invoice and check that overpayments from any system errors are refunded first.
H3: Is this property close to Adelaide University?
The property is in Hilton, about 3 km west of the Adelaide University campus (City East/West precincts). It is accessible by bus (routes J1/J2/J7, stops on Sir Donald Bradman Drive) and bicycle (approximately 15 minutes on a bike via the linear park trail). Walking takes 30–40 minutes. Car parking is available but may carry additional fees — confirm with the operator.
Sources & data date
- Property listing data: Amberstudent (source: amber-1047854)
- Price, tags, location: as supplied from verified operator inventory
- Reviews: Google reviews (131 ratings, 3.5 average) — three user reviews quoted verbatim
- City from-price (AUD 205/week): derived from current student housing listings across Adelaide
- Data currency: July 2026
- Prices are indicative — confirm with the operator at time of booking.
For live availability and booking details, use the on-site assistant on the housing platform.
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