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We all know very well how some landlords are. If you call to say there’s been no hot water for the past week, they won’t pick up their phone, they get their way with a pet deposit by adding to your rent price, and they worry about young home buyers who may push them off their front lines in the overpriced real estate industry.

Thanks to the Twitter user @retrograde, we now have even more evidence of some very unethical tricks landlords play on their tenants. The author wrote that she weaseled her way into a landlord Facebook group to observe what’s happening there, and shared some findings in this viral thread.

“I’m gonna start showing you guys some of their secrets and tips so you can stay ahead of their game,” @retrograde added and continued with sharing a bunch of screenshots from the group. So let’s see what she found out right below.

#1

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"looking inside of someone’s car...they’re so creepy."

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stienbabe avatar
Becky Samuel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It may sound creepy, but it's kinda genius too. If someone can't be bothered to keep their own car to a basic level of cleanliness then why would they be any different in a house that doesn't even belong to them?

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#2

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"here are some other memes they’ve recently posted...when someone steps on families and people that aren’t as well off to get ahead, you have to question their morality."

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lance-dboyle avatar
Lance d'Boyle
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMG! This is F*&ked in so many ways I don't even know what is most offensive. The worst thing is out there is a landlord looking at this and thinking 'so true, so true".

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#3

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"so basically they “can’t discriminate” means they’ll find something else to deny you housing that falls within legal bounds."

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#4

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"most of them are, as you’d expect, terrible human beings"

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#5

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

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bcgrote avatar
Brandy Grote
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rent is $2500 a month for a 1 bdrm in a decent area. A mortgage on a $450k house at recent rates is $2300. So yes, you've priced rents too high.

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#6

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"so...what i’m hearing is that you shouldn’t tell landlords you have a service animal?"

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#7

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"as we knew, these “investors” are driving young adults, who more than often cannot meet these insane standards, out of housing. units will sit empty for months and you might be denied because of your JOB."

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chimeraxe avatar
Gareth Graham
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If a tenant can suddenly no longer pay. It can take 3-6 months to evict plus the cost of legal fees. So finding a tenant that can afford the full lease is just good businesz

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#8

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"here are some other memes they’ve recently posted...when someone steps on families and people that aren’t as well off to get ahead, you have to question their morality."

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jencook avatar
JennyLaRue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So grateful for the UK's mandatory deposit scheme, gone are the days of landlords trying to claim it all back under the guise of repairs and cleaning that are completely fictitious.

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#9

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

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stienbabe avatar
Becky Samuel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why is this supposed to be a bad thing to post? Can you think of any other business where one quarter of their customers are behind on payments and yet the Government is blocking any means of collecting the money owed?

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#10

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"here are some other memes they’ve recently posted...when someone steps on families and people that aren’t as well off to get ahead, you have to question their morality."

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eucritta avatar
Eucritta
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This cartoon ... the tenant is a gross caricature, dark-skinned, hook-nosed, flabby and the landlord is portrayed as bandaid pink, blond, muscular, hung. The racism/antisemitism here isn't subtext.

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#11

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"here are some other memes they’ve recently posted...when someone steps on families and people that aren’t as well off to get ahead, you have to question their morality."

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#12

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"expect changes in the future in regards to pet deposits and service animals"

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chimeraxe avatar
Gareth Graham
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't this mainly a US thing? Most landlords I know either a straight yes or no on pets rather than charge extra

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#13

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"landlords can and will take the deposit you put down to hold a unit if you end up not being able to come up with the rest of the money to move in. i recommend not giving them a deposit to hold until you’re ready to move in."

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stienbabe avatar
Becky Samuel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't that kinda the exact point of a deposit? Or am I missing something?

jencook avatar
JennyLaRue
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The deposit is usually a security deposit against damages or loss whilst living in the property, if the tenancy doesn't progress and the contract isn't signed, then they shouldn't have any rights to that money. That's how it works in the UK anyway. Anywhere I've rented I've only had to pay the deposit and rent before I move in. I wouldn't pay anything until I had a contract in place. I'm also pleased we now have deposit schemes, where they legally have to be held by a 3rd party who will settle any disputes within 2 weeks of the end of the tenancy.

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mizadelem avatar
MizAdeleM
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am a landlady of one unit on the first floor. Had a potential tenant give me a deposit for moving in at the start of the next month. I took the listing down, and did not show the apartment to any other people. She contacted me before she was due to move in, and told me that she was not moving after all as her present landlord was going to lower the rent to keep her. Turns out that she threatened to move, and this was a scheme to get him to lower the rent for her (according to her). Now wants her deposit back, and I refused. Of course, I had it in writing that the deposit would not be returned (learn from Judge Judy!), and soon received a letter from the law firm where she worked as a paralegal, threatening legal action. I told her that now it is the end of the month, and I have no tenant, as I took the unit off the market. I knew that letter was bull; continued to ignore two more letters, and she finally went away. Moral of the story: get it all down in writing with their signature.

moviefreak122 avatar
Karin Jansen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seems completely fair. How is this exploitation? It takes time to find a tenant, and if this person backs out last minute of course he or she should reimburse the landlord for that.

cascole avatar
Carey Cole
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Every business does this. If you book a hotel room and cancel the reservation with little to not notice before your arrival date, the hotel will keep your deposit. I understand that there are lousy and cruel landlords out there, but a lot of these "examples" are simply business owners, trying to be paid for the services that they offer. No one that comments here would be OK with giving their services for free. As the saying goes, it is always easier to spend someone else's money.

leodomitrix avatar
Leo Domitrix
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ummm.... that's on the forms. Your hold deposit is nonrefundable UNLESS you sign a lease and move in. On every lease I ever had to sign, anyway.

erin_16 avatar
GirlFriday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is the point of your deposit. If you put down a deposit and sign the lease and don't move it, you broke the lease and forfeit your deposit.

rpder3737 avatar
Felix Feline
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rented an apartment for a relative on a Friday with a deposit. She was hospitalized on Sunday with a life-ending illness. On Monday I requested a refund. I was told "You ain't gettin' yer deposit back!"

jack_bonner80 avatar
ThePracticalSarcastic
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

if its in an agreement then there should be no question whether or not you can keep it. Does it say "non-refundable deposit" ? if it does then just keep it.

mdr_1 avatar
Potato
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A security deposit is not the same as a "hold" deposit. the assumption of a deposit to hold a property is that there are other qualified applicants and you want dibs. So if there aren't other qualified applicants on the home, why make them pay for you to hold it? It would be empty regardless, if there is no other interest, so you're actually getting extra money.

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#14

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"they’re getting more strict with paystubs. be aware!"

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stienbabe avatar
Becky Samuel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Surely this is a good thing. Do you want to have your rent increased because your landlord is trying to recoup costs caused by tenants that have lied and cheated their way into one of their properties?

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#15

Landlord-Secrets-Tips-Exposed

"people with felonies also deserve housing. everyone deserves housing."

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caseymcalister avatar
Casey McAlister
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They do, but you also are entitled to decide who gets to live on your property and who doesn't.

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