A bizarre lettings start-up has launched – and isn’t taking rent in return for property. 

KindRoom instead offers itself as a platform advertising homes to let, but in return expects tenants to offer “valuable knowledge in a field, expertise in a subject area or … a valuable skill or skill sets that can be exchanged for a space or a room to save money on accommodation.”

In a vaguely worded launch statement the service says it’s a “fight back against skyrocketing global rental markets.”

It continues: “Tenants get to browse on homes, rooms and spaces available in their desired location. They then apply to a stay they like and to which they can provide the required services for the host. 

“However, before they can apply to a particular stay, they must register first. Similar to that of Airbnb.”

Likewise, hosts can browse through requests that tenants have posted and select a particular tenant they feel matches their needs and apply to host them. 

Hosts can choose multiple tenants and select one they like most following a conversation with each tenant.

The platform already has registered users, including a tenant looking to use her London residence in a swap for a dog sitter for a few weeks.

“The platform will encourage almost limitless service-for-accommodation trades, with anything from coding to legal advice and DIY assistance to simple companionship. The sky really is the limit” says the launch statement.

Founder Bernard Darko says: “The rental market, both domestically and on a global scale, is simply out of control, rising above inflation in most cases and becoming unaffordable for masses of people.

“For us, the idea stemmed from when we ran out of money from our previous start-up and could no longer afford our accommodation. We searched online to see if we could provide our expertise in exchange for accommodation.

“We then had an epiphany whereby we could create an alternative world where almost anything could be obtained by exchanging knowledge or acquired skill. An equaliser against the backdrop of an increasingly financially driven world.”