I’m not sure what’s worse: dealing with terrible neighbors or dealing with an awful landlord. But it’s especially bad when you find yourself sandwiched between both!

One Reddit user recently detailed the nightmare they experienced while renting an apartment in California, but thankfully, they were able to get petty revenge on their useless landlord before moving out. Below, you’ll find the full story, as well as some of the replies amused readers have shared.

Landlords don’t always treat their tenants kindly once they’ve gotten them to sign a lease

Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto (not the actual photo)

So after this couple realized their landlord wouldn’t be resolving any of their issues, they found a way to get petty revenge

Image credits: Cfullersu (not the actual photo)

Image credits: LightFieldStudios (not the actual photo)

Image credits: PopcornFuel (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Endlessly_Trying

About a third of residents in the US and Europe rent their homes

Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual photo)

There are pros and cons to renting and owning a property, but renting is a step that very few of us get to bypass. Whether you’re a student looking for accommodation close to campus or a middle aged resident of an extremely expensive city, you’re likely going to have to deal with a landlord at some point. According to Eurostat, about 30% of residents in Europe rent their homes, while about 36% of Americans do the same.

While renting is a great option for those of us who don’t have the financial means to purchase a home yet, who don’t know where we’ll want to live a year from now or who simply don’t want the responsibilities of home ownership, there is one major downside: dealing with a landlord. According to The Street, 43% of tenants admit that they hate their landlords.  

And even more, 45% of tenants, report that their landlords have exhibited inappropriate behavior towards them. 32% say they were secretly filmed, 30% say that they were verbally threatened or screamed at, and another 30% have even been issued a false eviction notice. Over a quarter of tenants report that their landlords have flirted with them or physically threatened them, and 23% say they’ve been sexually harassed by a landlord.

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Nearly half of tenants aren’t fans of their landlords

Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)

Not every accusation against a property owner is quite that heinous, but it appears that plenty of them are simply bad at their jobs as well. 64% of tenants say their landlords are slow to make repairs, taking nearly a month on average to fix anything. And over a third of tenants say once something is fixed, it’s done poorly. Meanwhile, over a quarter of landlords refuse to make repairs at all. 

Landlord Today reports that many residents are actually interested in buying out their landlords, if they were to be given the chance. Apparently, those most interested are between the ages of 25 and 34, as over half of tenants between those ages say they’d be happy to buy the place they’re renting. And as far as why tenants would prefer to own their places, the top reason cited was due to the home’s location, followed by wanting to avoid the hassle of having to move out.

When it comes to why landlords are often slow to make repairs (or refuse to make them at all), it might be because they simply have too much on their plates. That’s not a valid excuse to neglect tenants, but according to Flex, the average landlord owns three properties. And 45% of landlords manage all of their own properties, rather than hiring someone else to do so.

Maintaining good relationships with tenants is a worthwhile investment for landlords

Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)

A landlord’s primary concern is earning income on their properties, as well as ensuring tenants don’t decrease the value of their homes. But just because you’re renting out your place to someone else doesn’t mean you must abandon your humanity. Steadily recommends a few ways that landlords can be even better towards their tenants, including trying to maintain a good relationship with them.

Landlords who keep in frequent communication with tenants, go through the lease together to ensure everyone’s on the same page, keep the property in good shape, resolve issues promptly and are transparent with tenants are not likely to be hated. It’s also wise to respect tenants’ privacy and empathize with their problems. If rent comes in late one time, ask them what’s going on and how you can make sure it doesn’t happen again, rather than resorting to immediate anger or extra fees.

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We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Have you ever had a landlord of your own who you’d like to get petty revenge on? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing tenant drama, look no further than right here. 

Readers shared their thoughts on the situation, and the former tenant joined in on the conversation

Others chimed in as well and suggested that the OP share their secret with the other tenants

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