When it comes to renting, most of us have our own checklists, but one thing we all surely need is a decent landlord. A good landlord can make life so much easier for you. Late on rent? No problem. Need something fixed? Done immediately. They’re the kind of people who work with you, not against you, making renting feel like a breeze. But sadly, not everyone’s that lucky. So, to give you an idea of just how bad it can get, we’ve rounded up some of the most shocking landlord stories out there. Keep scrolling, dear Pandas, and brace yourself for some jaw-dropping tales!
This post may include affiliate links.
Landlord Neglected To Tell Me They’d Be Taking The Stairs Off Of My Second-Floor Apartment
In today’s world, owning a house feels more like a fantasy for most of us. With rising prices and unpredictable markets, buying a home seems like a far-off dream. That’s why renting is often the go-to choice for people.
To put it in perspective, about 100 million people were living in rental homes in the U.S. in 2022 alone. In Europe, countries like Switzerland, Germany, and Austria had the highest percentages of people renting in 2023. So, renting isn’t just common, it’s become the reality for millions worldwide.
If Karen Was Your Landlord
Sounds a bit racist to me. Like, maybe they're targeting certain ethnicities that commonly cook spicy foods.
Found This Camera In My Vacation Rental
While renting offers flexibility, requires less upfront cost, and often seems like a practical option, it can quickly turn into a nightmare when you encounter challenges like dealing with a difficult landlord or unexpected maintenance issues.
Imagine renting a place that seems perfect at first but later you realize something’s off. Every time you take a shower, the hot water turns ice cold after just 3 minutes. At first, you think it’s a fluke, but nope, it happens every single time. And even though you complain about it to the landlord, they do absolutely nothing about it.
The Landlord Who Showed Up A Bit Late
No Worries
The Roof We've Been Telling Our Landlord About For Months Finally Gave Up
Some of you might say "Why didn't you fix it?", my landlord added in all the rental contracts in the building that you can't do anything without his permission, we've been telling him for months about the situation, but he is stingy as heck, so this is the end result of most issues with the building.
Again, in NZ, if a landlord refuses to fix a problem then the Tenancy Tribunal sorts it.
It's no shock that one of the biggest sources of tension between landlords and renters is maintenance issues. In fact, a recent LendingTree survey of over 2,000 people found that 68% of the disputes were caused by things not getting fixed on time. Whether it's a leaky faucet or that dreaded broken heater, maintenance problems can make renting a nightmare.
The Ceiling Caved In After A Year Of Telling Our Landlord That The Ceiling Had Been Sagging
My Landlord Finally Decided To Pour The Concrete Yesterday... Without Notice Right Before I Go To Work
The landlord just redid the sidewalk around the apartment complex 2 months ago. They decided to tear up the slabs infrastructure of my door (just my door) a week ago and it's been just dirt with a big drop-off since.
This morning I had to leave in a bit of a rush and stepped into wet concrete. No notice about it or anything. Made me finally retire the Hey Dudes. Now they're just the Bye Dudes.
Have Fungi Growing In My Apartment, Pretty Sure There’s Black Mold Hidden Too. What Are My Options?
Renting an apartment and have had constant flooding during the storms. This was a problem last year too. Now it’s much worse. Fungi is growing in and around my apartment. The floor has had black spots creep through the fake wood flooring.
I called 311 and filed a complaint and they told me an inspector would reach out in two days time, but they didn’t. So after a week, I called the health inspector's office only to be rudely told that they don’t give out timelines for when they can come back and inspect/test the place.
Any others had this problem and the landlord would just shrug it off? What are my options as far as remediation or rehousing? Do I withhold rent until this is resolved?
I’m in serious need of advice as I have asthma and eczema and I can’t keep either in control now and I think it’s due to this issue.
It’s a bit eye-opening to realize that nearly 3 in 5 renters said they had a landlord they didn’t like at some point. And a whopping 58% of renters admitted they’ve had at least one landlord they weren’t fond of. Additionally, about 1 in 4 renters said that they don’t see eye to eye with their current landlord.
The Landlord Said That The Flea Infestation Was Handled Before We Moved In, It Wasn't
Landlord Is Converting The Common Areas (Parking And Laundry) Into Additional Units. Introducing The New "Open Air" Laundry Room
Powered by an extension cord and water just runs out into the grass.
My Landlord Took Away The Bed And Mattress That Were Provided In The "Furnished" Rental And Replaced It With This Thing Which Is Really Hard To Sleep On
Interestingly, Gen X renters, aged 44 to 59, are the most likely to report having had an unpleasant experience with a landlord, with 61% saying they’ve dealt with one they didn’t like. In contrast, when it comes to Gen Z renters, aged 18 to 27, only 51% expressed dissatisfaction with their landlords. However, it’s worth noting that Gen Z might not have had as many encounters with landlords yet.
Our Landlord Changed Our Fridge While I Was At Work. She Sent Me A Message Asking To Take My Food Out While I Was At Work, When I Got Home Everything Was Left Like This
And please don't buy Oatly, they have gotten millions from a company (Blackstone) that bought part of them, that invest in deforestation in the Amazon! https://www.amazonwatch.se/oatly Please buy any brand of drink (Also not Nestle) you like, but not this! End of sidenote!
Landlord Threatens Tenants With Eviction If They Don’t Keep Their Blinds Open
My Landlord Is An Idiot. Picture Of When I Trimmed It vs. What He Wanted
I decided to move out the townhouse I'ved lived at for 3 years. The landlord started sending realtors out to look at the place, I assume they plan to sell it. One of the realtors complained the trees made it, "Hard to see the house and needed curb appeal". So, I trimmed the branches a little bit and thought it looked nice. Landlord disagreed and said it needs to be done more. This is the final product he is happy with. It makes me so sad.
A significant 53% of the respondents cited poor communication as a primary issue with their landlords. Whether it’s a lack of responsiveness to repair requests or unclear terms of the lease, tenants felt they were left in the dark.
In fact, 31% of renters say that their landlord entered their home without getting their permission. That is an invasion of privacy that can feel incredibly unsettling. Imagine coming home after a long day, only to realize someone had been inside your space without your knowledge. When your landlord doesn’t give you a heads-up, it surely feels like a serious breach of trust.
A Friend Just Sent This Picture To Me Saying: That Rent Advertisements In Berlin Are Like "Build-In Kitchen"
A Glorious Story In Two Parts
"Room mix up." Note: always take pictures, videos! Madness.
I Came Back From Thanksgiving To Find That My Landlord Had Revarnished/Painted The Stairs Up To My Apartment. They Are Still Wet, I Was Given No Notice, And There Is Only One Staircase
Dealing with difficult landlords is something many of us might face at some point, and while you can’t always avoid them, knowing how to handle these situations is important. To begin with, keeping thorough documentation is one of the most valuable tools renters have when faced with unresponsive or unprofessional landlords.
This Was My Landlord's Solution To The AC Unit Leaking Water And Soaking The Carpet. It Was Left On For At Least 24 Hours Before I Got There
My Landlord Said I Had Central AC
It’s A Mushroom. There Are Baby Mushrooms Trying To Sprout Out Next To It. I Moved Into This Apartment 5 Days Ago, And This Happened Last Night
No other signs of water damage. The most baffling part to me is that the ceiling around the mushroom is completely solid. This mushroom really just shoved its way through an entire wall.
I’m terrified that it’s a leaky sewer issue - since, unfortunately, mushrooms thrive in that kind of environment.
My landlord is giving me the runaround. He says he doesn’t have any handymen available to look at it. Asked me if I knew any. No, I don’t, I’m the renter. Not quite sure what to do next. I’ve put all my important belongings in my car and am staying with my brother for the next few days until this gets figured out. I recognize the imminent danger of this kind of damage. We need a mold remediation company, not a handyman. Ugh. I HATE RENTING.
Rentals have to be fit for human habitation and this is not. Send a certified letter to the landlord and contact your local housing authority.
According to LendingTree senior economist Jacob Channel, “Renters should make sure they document all their interactions with their landlord. And they should be firm and assertive (but not overly aggressive) when asking a landlord to address a problem.”
Channel also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a written record of any phone or in-person interactions with landlords, as it can help protect renters in case issues arise later. “Immediately follow up on a call or visit with an email summarizing your conversation and confirming that everyone is on the same page regarding fixes or other solutions,” he says.
This Text Message From My Daughter’s Landlord While We’re Attending Her College Graduation
This landlord has been petty to my daughter and her roommates for the past 2 years, so when my daughter sent her this text message, she didn’t disappoint.
Welcome to America. Everyday you’re getting monetized more and more for everything you do, you’re a product against your will.
Upstairs Neighbor's Kid Routinely Floods Their Bathroom, Landlord Refuses To Fix The Damaged Ceiling. And He Even Threatened To Sue Us For Us Talking About It Publicly
How My Landlord Handled A Nest Of Spiders In The Closet Of The Apartment I Used To Rent
Additionally, he advises renters to take photos and videos of any issues or damage in the rental property that need repairs. This visual evidence can be crucial if the landlord is slow to respond or denies responsibility.
My Landlord Won't Fix Our Leaking Roof (It's Almost Been A Month), Or Oven, Or Install Smoke Detectors, And It Looks Like There's Mold In The Bathroom
Asked My Landlord To Fix My Utility Lines. She Cut Them All Off Now I Don’t Have Wi-Fi Or Phones. She Doesn’t Care Either. I’m In Canada And This Is My Very First Time Renting
Landlord Wanted A "Low Maintenance Yard"
He put these stones in the entire backyard. We are planning on moving into this house in a month, and have three small kids and two dogs. This is so not what we wanted, but we don’t have a choice.
What’s the best way to make safe walking and playing areas for the kids and dogs? What products can we buy to cover parts of this?
While it’s important to take practical measures like documenting issues, it’s even better if you can foster a positive relationship with your landlord from the start. Open communication, mutual respect, and understanding can go a long way in preventing misunderstandings and resolving problems more smoothly.
What do you think about these landlords from hell? Have you ever had a bad experience with a landlord, or are you one of the lucky ones?
My Landlord Justified Their $200 Monthly Rent Increase By Promising Building Upgrades. May I Present The Power Washing Of My Sidewalks
Someone Tried To Break Into My Place And Ripped My Front Door Handle Off, My Landlord Is Leaving All My Texts On Read. I Now Have To Slip My Hand Into The Mailbox To Close My Door
Call the landlord. Call the management office, if there is one. Send a certified letter. Call your local housing authority. Call your state congress person.
My Landlord Destroyed All My Yard Flowers
Once every spring these flowers bloom in my yard, I think they’re invasive but they’re pretty and I don’t live close to a natural area so I let them live. I love looking at them, it breaks up the monotony of grass and leaves all around. My landlord said he was coming to power wash the sidewalks today and said nothing about yard work. I'm responsible for mowing, but since the grass hasn’t even grown yet, I haven’t touched it. However, he decided to mow the yard anyway - completely destroying all my flowers in the process.
Found This In The Apartment I Just Moved Into. I Did Tour The Apartment And Scoped Out The Neighborhood (Day And Night) And Thought All Was Well
I guess I didn’t really look hard enough but I didn’t think I’d need to look for a bullet hole. I already signed a 10-month lease and paid all move-in fees. Landlord said it’s been this way for years and refuses to fix it.
The Landlord Refuses To Replace The Broken Tile. Our Rent Is $3,257 Per Month
We just moved into an apartment and noted during inspection that this tile was broken and several others were cracked. The landlord told us to "make a list", which we did, presumably to be addressed after we moved in.
After weeks of searching, I located and purchased 6 matching tiles (pictured). I showed them to my landlord and asked when she could schedule her handyman. Her reply was, "That's a lot of work. Just fill the gap with some putty."
That's completely absurd given our rent. I'll replace them myself, but her response makes me want to break the tiles when we move out and keep the broken bits.
If my rent was $3,257 per month, I'd make sure that one of my 17 roommates was a tile installer so our entire kitchen wouldn't be a crumbling trip hazard.
Landlord Won’t Give My Router Back
As the title suggests. My family and I moved out yesterday (March 15th) and we wanted to get our router which is connected to the main Wi-Fi router which was in HER room. She told us we could just come get it another time as she was not available, and supposedly she has a lot of boxes covering access to the WiFi router.
She now is refusing to give me my router, and is being hostile, which she never has been before. What can I do? I’m thinking of just saying I’ll get the police involved, but not sure if that would work. I just need my router back..
Involve police, make sure you have proof of ownership and claim robbery!
My Landlord Decided To Set Up His Washing Machine In The Garage. That Spot Is Our Assigned Parking Space
He told my boyfriend straight up that he was doing it, and after we both took the day to calm down, we made it very clear we weren’t going to park there anymore. So he’s going to “fix” it so it drains into the neighbor’s yard there.
Where is it legal to allow washing machines to just drain onto the ground??
My Landlord's “Carpenter” Hooked Us Up With This Beauty Today
I have a wall mounted microwave, too, but it is at the correct height and not inside a wooden box with NO VENTILATION! Serious fire hazard there!
Landlord Switched The Payment Platform To One That Charges A Fee On Top Of Rent. I Know $1 Isn’t Much But The Concept Of Paying To Pay Rent Grates On Me
Send a copy of your receipt with your rent and deduct the amount from your rent.
Load More Replies...Still don't understand why banking in the US is stupidly complicate. Checks, 3rd party payment apps. Why not just an app from your bank like countries that are civilised have?
Just set up a monthly transfer. If you wanna get fancy, offer payment with card directly on your website.
Load More Replies...Do a bank draft if you can. I learned to do this when trying to pay my property taxes with a credit card. They wanted to charge and ungodly percentage of the taxes to do it that way.
Same here but it was closer to $20. I set up an autopay with my bank and they sent them a paper check each month, which is more work for the landlord but didn't cost me anything b/c the autopay was included gratis with my bank account.
Load More Replies...I told them to stick it where it fits when they tried this with me..and they arranged another way to pay that didn't cost the 1.00..sleezy real estates..oz?..the lack of caring is infuriating..
For some reason, today's landlords don't understand how much money they save if they allow people to pay their rent electronically. They'd rather pay someone to process paper payments. On the other hand: check your state's taxpayer credits. If rent is on the list, you can include the fee as a part of your payment.
My apartments do this but we have a choice. I chose not to pay more money
Landlord Nearly Electrocuted My Girlfriend
Need more detail here. Did the outlet just short out, or it that brown line some sort of liquid leaking into the socket?
The Landlord Gave Permission To An Unstable Homeless Man To Live Underneath The Stairs Of Our House Without Telling Anyone
We live in a multifamily home. The hideaway wasn’t immediately obvious. It’s right behind my downstairs neighbor's bedroom window, she is a young woman who lives alone. The past week she kept feeling like someone was watching her at night but thought she was going crazy. When she went looking for her cat that got out, she came across this and the story came out.
Landlord Refusing To Pay For Maintenance. We Have A Clogged Shower Drain And Have Already Tried To Fix The Problem, But We Are Not Able To Fix The Issue
I asked our landlord to send in a plumber and got this response, refusing to hire someone and advising me that it’s my responsibility to pay a technician to repair the problem. My understanding was that these kinds of maintenance repairs were the responsibility of the landlord.
Landlord Fixed The Block Wall Parking Bay
Show Me You're A Renter In One Picture. I Found Out Last Week That My Cat, My Roommate, And I Have Been Under The Weather From A Spell Of Light Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
The landlord ordered us a new stove, and I uncovered this absolute gem of a fire hazard. When we first moved in 2 years ago, I asked to have all of the outlets upgraded to the 21st century. Must have missed the worst outlet of them all. Hooray renting. P.S. don’t judge us for not cleaning behind the oven.
In the UK all electrics and gas have to be safety tested by a licensed tradesman annually. The tenant gets a copy of the report and if there's any fails then the landlord has a small amount of time to get them up to code. I've had boilers condemned under these and landlord had to install a new boiler within 7 days and we didn't pay rent for this period.
When You Try Warning Your Landlords About The Leak In Your Kitchen
They hired a really bad roofing company to replace the roof due to multiple leaks in our place and black mold in the attic. It turns out they needed carpenters to complete the job, and they won’t be back till 3 months later. One of the panels they had removed made the leak worse, and they tried to put a tarp over it to keep the rain out, but the leak was still there. They tried telling the landlords, but they said there was nothing they could do, now this.
Landlord Hired Roofers Who Left My House In Unbelievably Bad Condition
My Buddy Is Renting From This Weird Guy. First, They Asked That He Would Not Cook Anything After 8 PM. Now, They're Onto This Nonsense
Landlords Are Out Of Control
“This Is Fine” - My Landlord
My Landlord Opened My Crocs And This Is How He Returned Them To My Door
All of the packaging is gone & he claimed there was “no name on the box” so he opened them and threw everything they came in away. He was for sure going to just keep them because they had dirt on the inside and I know they didn’t get sent like that, they come in plastic. He has another tenant besides my roommate and me and didn’t text any of us to see if we were missing a package.
It is a federal offence to tamper with mail. Talk to the post office.
When Your Landlady Gives You Only 3.5 Hours A Week To Do Laundry
The Landlord Special
At least there's no dancing cockroach embalmed underneath the paint. ;)
One Week Without A Washer, I'm Doing My Laundry Pilgrim-Style. Landlord Keeps Saying He'll Be Here Then Not Showing Up. I Don't Have A Car So Laundromats Are Not An Option
Sadly, a lot of these seem to come down to (probably) first time renters not understanding what their rights are and/or not reading the fine print on the lease agreement before signing. If a landlord is trying to rush or pressure you into signing, take that as a big red flag. If you can afford it, always consult with a lawyer before you sign any contract or agreement. If you can't, at least in the US, most states have some sort of tenant's rights organization that will advise you for free. At the very least, do some research online. My very first apartment was kind of old and rundown, but it was about what you'd expect for somebody fresh out of college. Thankfully my landlord was a decent guy, because this was pre-internet and I didn't have access to the kinds of resources available to renters today.
I must have been lucky. Almost all my landlords have been responsive, polite, and trustworthy. My rental days are over but I have way more trouble with my HOA than I ever did with my landlords.
Looks like mostly poor people get fecked up by greedy landlords who can abuse renters' financial helplessness
Saying "greedy landlord" is like saying "wooden tree" or "dead corpse"
I've had 3 fantastic landlords. Let's not talk about the other 5.
Load More Replies...I had a horrible living situation for more than five years (senior citizen, fixed income, no other option). It was part of a two-car garage, definitely not up to code. Floors sagging, water flowing from the ceiling during rain storms, mold, slugs in two rooms, mice, mushrooms growing inside the front door, and near-constant verbal abuse and threats from the landlady. My asthma and depression were horrendous. I'm living in a fantastic apartment now, saying prayers of gratitude daily for such a blessing. But the trauma from those 5+ years still haunts me, so much that I'm unable to read the majority of these awful landlord experiences. I'm truly sorry for people who have no choice but to put up with these situations.
At one point I lived in an apartment complex that used to be a motel. Landlord decided one day he needs to replace the roof. I observe foreman having to bring the other two (they both have revoked licenses). Watching them work is like watching the three stooges. One of them almost falls off (drunk--hence the revoked licenses). They finish pulling off the old shingles and leave for the day. Without bothering to cover the roof with tarps or anything. We'll be back tomorrow foreman says. Well.. you can guess, it rains overnight..... Landlord ended up having to replace my sister's furniture as it was coming in all the light fixtures... Idiot.
I assume renting out property is not regulated? If this happened where I live, you ask the tenant's rights team to come over. They have a look at your apartment or house, make notes and take pictures of everything that is wrong and needs repairing/replacing, then they draft for you a legal letter to your landlord giving him 30 days to start getting his s**t together and if he doesn't comply, you tell him you will not pay rent until he complies or lowers his rent significantly. If he still doesn't comply, you take it to court where you will win as a matter of course because the law is very clear and specific. Housing, by the way, should be in the hands of the state, not individuals.
Rental property is highly regulated almost everywhere in the U.S. and tenants have access to a plethora of resources to correct issues like the ones in these posts. Generally similar to what you described. Unfortunately, too many people aren't aware of those rights so slumlords get away with stuff like this. And state-run housing is no panacea. It has its benefits but may drawbacks, too.
Load More Replies...Call me a loser all you want, but I'm living rent free with my parents. I have a room and a bathroom and I can do whatever I want in there. I save as much as I can from my wage to hopefully buy some appartement in the future. I'm not getting out of here as long as they live. F**k landlords!
That right, just make it someone else's problem!
Load More Replies...Sadly, a lot of these seem to come down to (probably) first time renters not understanding what their rights are and/or not reading the fine print on the lease agreement before signing. If a landlord is trying to rush or pressure you into signing, take that as a big red flag. If you can afford it, always consult with a lawyer before you sign any contract or agreement. If you can't, at least in the US, most states have some sort of tenant's rights organization that will advise you for free. At the very least, do some research online. My very first apartment was kind of old and rundown, but it was about what you'd expect for somebody fresh out of college. Thankfully my landlord was a decent guy, because this was pre-internet and I didn't have access to the kinds of resources available to renters today.
I must have been lucky. Almost all my landlords have been responsive, polite, and trustworthy. My rental days are over but I have way more trouble with my HOA than I ever did with my landlords.
Looks like mostly poor people get fecked up by greedy landlords who can abuse renters' financial helplessness
Saying "greedy landlord" is like saying "wooden tree" or "dead corpse"
I've had 3 fantastic landlords. Let's not talk about the other 5.
Load More Replies...I had a horrible living situation for more than five years (senior citizen, fixed income, no other option). It was part of a two-car garage, definitely not up to code. Floors sagging, water flowing from the ceiling during rain storms, mold, slugs in two rooms, mice, mushrooms growing inside the front door, and near-constant verbal abuse and threats from the landlady. My asthma and depression were horrendous. I'm living in a fantastic apartment now, saying prayers of gratitude daily for such a blessing. But the trauma from those 5+ years still haunts me, so much that I'm unable to read the majority of these awful landlord experiences. I'm truly sorry for people who have no choice but to put up with these situations.
At one point I lived in an apartment complex that used to be a motel. Landlord decided one day he needs to replace the roof. I observe foreman having to bring the other two (they both have revoked licenses). Watching them work is like watching the three stooges. One of them almost falls off (drunk--hence the revoked licenses). They finish pulling off the old shingles and leave for the day. Without bothering to cover the roof with tarps or anything. We'll be back tomorrow foreman says. Well.. you can guess, it rains overnight..... Landlord ended up having to replace my sister's furniture as it was coming in all the light fixtures... Idiot.
I assume renting out property is not regulated? If this happened where I live, you ask the tenant's rights team to come over. They have a look at your apartment or house, make notes and take pictures of everything that is wrong and needs repairing/replacing, then they draft for you a legal letter to your landlord giving him 30 days to start getting his s**t together and if he doesn't comply, you tell him you will not pay rent until he complies or lowers his rent significantly. If he still doesn't comply, you take it to court where you will win as a matter of course because the law is very clear and specific. Housing, by the way, should be in the hands of the state, not individuals.
Rental property is highly regulated almost everywhere in the U.S. and tenants have access to a plethora of resources to correct issues like the ones in these posts. Generally similar to what you described. Unfortunately, too many people aren't aware of those rights so slumlords get away with stuff like this. And state-run housing is no panacea. It has its benefits but may drawbacks, too.
Load More Replies...Call me a loser all you want, but I'm living rent free with my parents. I have a room and a bathroom and I can do whatever I want in there. I save as much as I can from my wage to hopefully buy some appartement in the future. I'm not getting out of here as long as they live. F**k landlords!
That right, just make it someone else's problem!
Load More Replies...