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Article created by: Simona Kinderytė

Several key factors come into play when looking for a place to rent. Among them are the place itself and how it accommodates your lifestyle, the monthly payment, and the landlord you’ll be dealing with. 

If you’re lucky, you’ll have a landlord who is understanding about your needs and would actually put in the effort to make life easy for you. But of course, life isn’t always perfect like that. 

These tenants would know, and they are rightly shaming the horrible landlords who made renting a nightmarish experience for them. If you’ve been in a similar situation, this list likely resonates with you.

#1

My Landlord Is Telling Me I Left My Apartment “Dirty” And Is Planning To Withhold Some Of My Deposit. These Are Pics I Took Right Before I Left

Empty apartment room and bathroom with clean floors and fixtures showing landlords made a fool of themselves mistakes

Am I delusional, or is my landlord?

Distinct_Morning_607 Report

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    #2

    My Landlord Gave Me My 30-Day Notice

    Two landlords peeking through a window, captured in a humorous moment of landlords making a fool of themselves.

    My landlord was caught creeping without my consent or knowledge and when I confronted her about it she gave me a 30d notice to move out. How can I legally be the most ANNOYING tenant ever in the next 28 days?

    zia_ohlala Report

    #3

    Good Job

    Damaged gold door handle held in hand showing landlord negligence in apartment maintenance and repair issues.

    PhilipAllison Report

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    #4

    I’ve Been Trying To Figure Out How To Turn On This Vent In My Bathroom. Turns Out It’s Fake. It’s Just A Vent Glued To The Ceiling

    Close-up of a poorly maintained white air vent with rust and dirt, showing landlords' neglect in property upkeep.

    CynderMizuki Report

    #5

    Landlord Said Bay 4 Is My Designated Parking Spot

    Parking spot marked with number 4 blocked by metal poles, a funny fail by landlords visible in the outdoor area at night.

    reddit.com Report

    #6

    Landlord Kicked In My Door When I Was Out Of Town

    Door blocked with uneven wooden planks, an example of landlords making a fool of themselves online.

    Moved my stuff into my sublease and then had to go out of town and came back to find out that the landlord had kicked in my front door, not notified me about it, and left it completely unlocked with all my stuff in the room. I’m at a loss.

    sammagz Report

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    #7

    My Landlord Said The New Dryer Is "A Little Small" But Manageable

    Small dryer placed next to a large washing machine in a laundry room showing landlords' poor appliance choices.

    drspits Report

    #8

    That's A Good Way To Disappear

    Tweet about a landlord sneaking into an apartment and stealing cleaning supplies, showing landlords making a fool online.

    alyssaknix Report

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    #9

    Sludge? No One Else Complained

    Close-up of a landlord’s neglected tap filter clogged with brown sludge, showing poor maintenance and tenant complaints.

    samsutliff Report

    #10

    Landlord Said I Left The Apartment Nasty And Never Cleaned (Texas)

    Modern apartment kitchen and empty rooms with flooring and appliances showcasing landlord mistakes for internet viewers.

    It's a 1-bedroom. Lived there 3 years, he did a walk-in with me, complained about nothing.im fine with the 250 cleaning, but aft a sec without me he said I damaged the place and when I said I would sue for the extra taken, said he went back & now says if i do, will charge 1500 for messed up counter and few nail holes from pics.

    ineedapasswrd Report

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    #11

    My Landlord Used My Bathroom Without Me Being Home

    Text message from landlord offering rent cut, mentioning apartment access, maintenance, and warning about security deposit deductions.

    I came home to find him in the bathroom. Good thing I didn’t go in, he yelled out to not come in. His reasoning was that he had full access to the apartment at all times. He told me he’d slash rent by 50% to “keep quiet”.

    themindrazor Report

    #12

    The Rock Was Doing All The Work

    Tweet about landlord mishap where moving a rock under the sink caused water to gush onto the floor unexpectedly.

    carcarrigan Report

    #13

    My Landlord Wanted Me To Lie To The County

    Text message showing a landlord complaining about a rent claim discrepancy between $500 and $950.

    I live in New York State. I just signed a one-year lease in November. When I first toured the apartment in October, I told the landlord that I’d be receiving assistance from the county to go towards rent. She asked how much and said she’d prefer the remaining amount that I’d pay be in cash.

    I had to submit a landlord statement, but when my landlord sent it back to me, she reported that I pay $500 a month in rent. My lease states rent is $950 a month, and that’s what I’ve paid for November and December. When I first told her I needed a landlord statement, she mentioned wanting to report $500, and I told her I didn’t know how the process worked, but that I do need assistance from the county and don’t want to jeopardize the amount I could receive. I submitted the statement and a copy of my lease to the county office and called to make them aware of the discrepancy.

    Almost immediately, my landlord reached out. I’m anxious, worrying about my landlord now being retaliatory towards me about this. I don’t understand her motive for wanting to underreport, and I just didn’t want to get in trouble with the county, and I could really use all the assistance I can get right now.

    icedlemonloaf Report

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    #14

    Landlord Had The Front Door Replaced A Month Ago And "Almost" Finished The Job

    Door with a metal handle missing the lock mechanism hole, showcasing a landlord fail in home maintenance.

    screamingcolor89 Report

    #15

    My Landlord’s Response When Asked About A Potential Black Mold Issue

    Text message exchange showing a landlord responding dismissively to tenant's black mold and maintenance concerns.

    I’ve had issues with my landlord before. There was an instance where I have asked them to put in air filters in the vents because dust and lint was getting into our rooms, my room was “hazy” and I’m finding “black dust in my tissues”. I was told “to check for COVID” by my landlord.

    bamkats Report

    #16

    Landlords Are Charging Us A "Tenant Benefits Package Fee". No Explanation, No Additional Service Given

    Rental invoice showing tenant fees, monthly rent, credits, and total balance highlights landlord financial details.

    Apparently, my roommate said it's to "cover maintenance" - you mean the service they're supposed to provide by law anyway?

    hey-its-harp Report

    #17

    Did I Rust This Pipe? My Landlord Claims I Did

    Corroded and broken metal plumbing pipes under a sink showing poor landlord maintenance and repair negligence.

    My landlord is claiming that this pipe rusting, though, is “user error” and trying to charge me for the repair. I can't see how I'm living in a house for about 2 years and a pipe is rusting, without it being maintained prior to my moving in. I do not use any chemicals in the drain besides soap. Could I possibly be responsible for the damage?

    Adventurous-Web-8438 Report

    #18

    He Failed To Mind His Business

    Text message exchange showing a landlord questioning tenant about guests and rent payment in a humorous landlord interaction.

    BridgetNBrina Report

    #19

    My Landlord Is Selling And Is Asking A Lot Of Us

    Text message from landlord scheduling showing times and discussing time blocks for property viewings and offers.

    My landlord is selling all of their properties and is moving very fast. I was uncomfortable with pictures, but now they want to do walk walk-through showing while we still fully occupy the house. Is this normal? What can I do to protect my privacy? I don’t want to block the sale, but I don’t want strangers walking through my home either.

    jebusv2 Report

    #20

    That Is A Really Random Excuse

    Tweet about landlord blaming tenant for slug infestation through floorboard cracks, highlighting landlord fails and tenant struggles.

    offgridteacher Report

    #21

    Shared Walls, Shared Appliances

    Tweet screenshot showing a tenant explaining how a landlord gave other tenants keys to their apartment to use their fridge without permission.

    jacquelinedole Report

    #22

    When Your Landlord Is Dumb

    Text message exchange showing a landlord repeatedly changing instructions about February rent payment timing.

    How do you handle it? I asked my landlord to text my husband instead of me, maybe 10x, because I was getting very close to responding with what I wanted to say instead of what I should say. We have paid on time or early for the two years we have lived here, not asked for anything, and have been very accommodating to his inability to remember to give 24 hours' notice. Additionally we have been very accommodating to a sale of the entire building. Sharing just because this is a great snapshot of our interactions. Today is Sunday, btw. Also, I haven’t responded to any texts he has sent to this number for a year now.

    hrnigntmare Report

    #23

    Landlord Sent Us Bill For Clogged Sewer

    Handwritten note and invoice showing landlord’s costly clogged sewer repair, highlighting landlords making a fool online.

    We live in a row of 4 townhouses in Pennsylvania.
    On 11/8, around 7PM, I went down to our garage and found the floor drain backing up raw sewage. I immediately called the emergency number and within a few minutes, the on-call maintenance called me back. After going back and forth with him for a while, he had a plumbing company call me, but they couldn’t come out until the next morning. I wasn’t pleased with this because there was raw sewage everywhere, on our clothes (washer and dryer are in the garage), etc.

    He also told me this wasn’t the first time this has happened in our row of apartments, the last time it was 2 apartments farther from the main line. After getting there in the morning, the plumbers immediately went to the outside clean out and snaked towards the main line, and said they found a clog around 44ft out. Problem fixed!

    Fast forward 2 weeks, and I get this bill in an email for a clogged sewer (2nd photo). Luckily, I was smart enough to ask the plumbers for a statement with the date and explanation. My question is, how can they expect me to pay for the bill when 1. There are 3 other apartments on the same sewer line, and 2. I just so happened to be the one who called it in, because my neighbors who are closer to the clog weren’t home at the time.

    Am I correct in thinking this is in no way my responsibility, and I should not pay this? I emailed my property manager, but haven’t received a response yet.

    TheHideoutDev Report

    #24

    Landlord Covered My Windows With Plastic

    Window covered with plastic wrap instead of glass, showcasing landlords making a fool of themselves with poor repairs.

    I was shocked when I came home from work and saw plastic covering every window in my apartment. I reached out to the property management, and they told me it was for “waterproofing” the building. Asked for a date when it would be removed, and they said they “weren’t sure”. It’s cutting off ventilation, and I’m having to run my AC in 70-degree weather because it’s almost 80 degrees in my apartment with this plastic on. I asked if they would subsidize a portion of my electric bills since I will be needing to run the AC, which they said they would “get back to me about,” but of course, they didn’t. Just wondering what the legality of this is, and if there are any suggestions on how to remove it from my second-story window if it comes to that. I have tried popping out my window screen, but for some reason, it’s very difficult. I’m also currently sick, so I need proper ventilation in my apartment, and it would be nice for my mental health to be able to see out of my windows.

    ResidentCaterpillar Report

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    #25

    Landlord Says This Is An Acceptable Temp Difference

    Digital weather station showing indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity, highlighting landlord mistakes caught on camera.

    I need to know if I have any rights as a tenant in Texas against a landlord out of Jersey. She says this is an acceptable temperature difference in my bedroom. My AC simply can't keep up with the Texas heat, and we even bought a window unit because she refused to acknowledge the fact that the house is constantly 80°. She says 20° less is the parameter. Well, I say you come try to sleep when it's 81°.

    tiredoftheweather Report

    #26

    Paid AUD $544 Because Landlord Made An Error

    Person sitting on the floor with tools and wire, illustrating landlords making a fool of themselves online.

    Got locked out after the keycard stopped working because the landlord didn’t update the rental period. After contacting the landlord at 6 pm, they asked me to find a locksmith at my own expense for a mistake they had made.

    normanlzx Report

    #27

    My Landlord Offered Me A “Proposal” After I Asked If The Hotel Employees Would Stop Trashing The Yard (Ca)

    Text message exchange showing a landlord offering 60 days rent-free eviction notice while proposing a studio remodel agreement.

    I’ve been renting a studio apartment on a hotel property for five years. My landlord has raised my rent five times, twice in one year, and the other times have been more than 10% of the previous year’s rent. The last time he tried to raise my rent, I told him I wanted a bunch of stuff fixed, like a place to throw away my garbage, smoke detectors, central heat and air, and a full fridge. Some of these things are deemed “unlivable in California. After I asked him to ask the people at the hotel to stop trashing the courtyard, he sent this proposal, which sounds like a soft eviction notice to me. I live with my girlfriend, and have most of the receipts for staying here. We have two kittens, and I don’t know what to do. Apartments are super expensive here, and I don’t know if they would let us bring both kittens. Any advice would be immensely helpful.

    HandofDOOM708 Report

    #28

    Landlord Said Any Realtor Can Enter At Anytime (Tx)

    Sticky note on a door lock warning not to enter without notifying residents, highlighting landlord mistakes online.

    The landlord said that any realtor can enter at anytime to show the house. We will be out at the end of the month, in 3 weeks. The reason we want to be here whenever the house is being shown is that we have dogs. Both dogs bark, but one will bite if a stranger comes into the house. Please tell me that there is a misunderstanding and that nobody is going to enter our home without warning. I put the note on the lockbox. Any advice on how to go about this situation is appreciated.

    LamarNoDavis Report

    #29

    One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other

    Staircase baluster wrapped in plastic, showcasing a landlord's unusual and poorly executed home repair attempt.

    MikMinaj Report

    #30

    The Landlord Decided That We Didn't Need A Backyard Anymore

    Small construction vehicle parked near a new wooden fence with gravel and landscaping fabric in a yard, landlords fail.

    i_dont_know_you_dude Report

    #31

    Landlord Painted A Penny To The Window Ledge

    Close-up of a poorly sealed window by a landlord, showcasing a clear plastic cap used as a makeshift fix on the sill.

    raynsuch Report

    #32

    Suspected Landlord Of Stealing My Mail, So I Set Up A Camera

    Landlord caught on porch security camera behaving oddly outside a suburban house in daytime.

    Unfortunately, I didn't get any today. She didn't even check her own mailbox, man... I can't sign up for USPS Informed Delivery because I'm pretty sure she stole the change of address confirmation letter with the code I needed.

    CinnySugar Report

    #33

    Landlord Withholding Full Security Deposit (1.8k) Plus Charging Another 1k Over For "Light Marks" On Walls (TN)

    Itemized landlord charges for minor wall marks and maintenance issues with photos of wall damages in rental property.

    TrentBladez Report

    #34

    Former Landlord Found A Remaining Balance 3 Years Late

    Email from landlord demanding payment of $53.27 balance after move-out, unable to process payments online for former tenant.

    Today I received this email from a former landlord’s property management stating I have a past due balance of about $50. It’s an inconsequential amount of money for me now, but my issue is that I moved out at the start of February 2022… So almost 3 years ago. This is the first I’ve heard of any remaining balance. I have no qualms paying a legitimate charge, but if I don’t legally have to, then I’d obviously rather not. I have no plans to rent from them in the future, so if this “burns a bridge”, then so be it.
    I haven’t asked for specific details yet because I’m worried that asking for details will be considered “acknowledging” the debt, which may or may not be legitimate. I’m not sure what the charges could be for - I left the place in IMMACULATE condition since it was my first time renting and I’d heard the horror stories of how nit-picky some landlords can be. They still didn’t return my security deposit, but I was so naive at the time that I thought they were allowed to just keep it. So that’s on me, but I’m over it at this point.
    So my questions are: Does asking for details count as me acknowledging the debt, even if it is not legitimate? If it is legitimate, is there any sort of statute of limitations that would preclude them from legally collecting? Thanks in advance.

    DrWollyNips Report

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    #35

    Told Landlord Multiple Times Plugs Keep Sparking And Then This Happened

    Burnt and damaged electrical outlet on a wall, highlighting landlord negligence and poor maintenance issues.

    So my landlord refuses to do anything to fix the electrical issues I have been having. I told him multiple times that the outlets have been sparking and they are loose (meaning no matter what I plug in, they don't stay in all the way). So then, when I was sleeping, I woke up to this. I live in Pennsylvania, so I'm trying to figure out what to do. He's from Greece, not originally from here. He's somewhere in his late 50s. It's a great place, but he either refuses to do anything or just puts it off for months. I was going to most likely put the rent into escrow until the problem is dealt with. But I am very open to any other opinions.

    AnimeExtremist23 Report

    #36

    Landlord Says Hes Not Responsible For The Huge Chunk Of Our Roof That Blew Off In January

    Skylight window with c*****d and dirty plastic panels showing poor maintenance by landlords.

    We lost a panel that makes up about 25% of the roof covering our patio during heavy winds in January. Put a maintenance request in right away, haven't heard anything in months. Yesterday, the landlord canceled the request, saying it's "a greenhouse", so if we want it fixed, we have to fix it ourselves.
    Because the rain always comes with winds, about 60% of the patio is completely soaked every time it rains, and there are no other measures to direct water toward the edge, so it just pools and spreads even further. I've got laundry that can't go in the dryer, and now I can't dry it outside for a third of the year either.

    yourbaconess Report

    #37

    What Should I Expect? South FL 2 Months Left On Lease

    Text screenshot of a landlord complaining about the air conditioning temperature being set to 72 but reading 77 degrees.

    AlfalfaMaterial1141 Report

    #38

    That's A Solution

    Screenshot of a tweet about a raccoon infestation in walls and ceiling shared as a landlord fail story online.

    SusanRBruce Report

    #39

    The Door That Opened Itself

    Tweet describing a landlord refusing to fix a faulty apartment door until legal action was mentioned, showcasing landlord mistakes.

    lizscher Report

    #40

    My Landlords “Solution” To Broken Kitchen Tiles

    Broken blue glass tile installed on floor corner, showcasing landlord fail with flawed flooring in rental property.

    It’s not even cut properly, and the corners are already coming off…

    Gur3665 Report

    #41

    Indoor Parking Space Is Poorly Lit For My Space, And I Decided To Add A Bulb To The Empty Socket Above It. This Is The Landlord's Response. It's One LED Bulb

    Text conversation showing a landlord instructing not to move light bulbs in parking, tenant responding about lighting issue.

    MasterOfBunnies Report

    #42

    (NY) I Believe My Landlord Is Evicting Me In Retaliation

    Text message exchange showing tenant disputing landlord’s entry and rent demands, highlighting landlord fails and tenant rights.

    I noticed that someone was in my apartment last weekend while I wasn’t home. I went into my basement and saw something’s slightly moved and it freaked me out. Later that day I was at my dad’s for dinner and mentioned it to him. He knows my landlord. On Tuesday he called my dad and said he needed to access my apartment again and my dad told him to call me as I’m the tenant. He yelled at my dad and hung up on him. He then called me and yelled at me while I was at work and hung up on me. He had never spoken to me about entering the apartment so I was caught off guard. These are all the texts between us. He came by to collect rent today for the other tenants. I saw his car and went out to greet him. He saw me, I said good morning, and he immediately said goodbye to the other tenant, got in his car, and drove away without a word to me. I tried to smooth things over the best I could but I had to resort to saying what he’s doing is illegal. Now he wants to evict me immediately. What can I do?

    THROWRA-HelpNY Report

    #43

    I Got Charged A $35 Process Server Fee For My Landlord Having Someone Tape A Notice To My Door Telling Me My Rent Is Going Up $100

    Notification of a new online charge showing a process server fee of $35, dated 07/09/2025, with payment option.

    This kind of stuff has to stop. My landlords are lawyers, I've put in 3 separate maintenance requests for minor fixes that have gone ignored, open my front door to homeless people sleeping in my stairwell, and somehow my 1-bedroom apartment is now $1145 a month. This is so dumb.

    mooseman077 Report

    #44

    Breaking Lease Couldn’t Have Gone Better?

    Text message exchange between tenant and landlord discussing rental license and rent payment issues.

    If you live in Philly, check on the L&I property history search to see if your landlord has a rental license. If not, keep that in your back pocket and use it as leverage for when you need it.

    More context: we JUST signed our lease for a 3rd year with our landlord when we found a house to buy! When I emailed to break the lease, I mentioned the unsafe conditions like the electrical wiring (ungrounded, likely knob and tube), the previous termite issues, and the gas leaks we had for months when we first moved in until I called PGW.

    He suggested that I call another tenant of his to tour the place, and she told me she’s not planning on moving until February. I was shocked that he would hold the property for that long, as we will be out by the end of September. Well, he wasn’t. He told her that I would continue to pay the rent until February! Hilarious.

    I tried to help out and find a new tenant, but when he asked us to pay rent for our last month, we decided it was better to break it off and offer the deposit as a peace offering.

    Honestly, I expected the conversation to go way worse. This worked so well.

    In other news, SO glad to never have a landlord again!

    I learned a lot about Philly rental laws along the way, so if you have any questions, ask away!

    kristencatparty Report

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    #45

    Landlord Suddenly Doubled The Price Of The Laundry Machines. His Solution? Buy Less Ice Cream

    Note from a landlord explaining laundry rules, charges, and advice, showing typical landlord behavior online mistakes.

    vinylsandjaneausten Report