Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
1.2K
Jerk Landlord Accidentally Reveals Why Some Landlords Never Give Back Your Deposit
Renting can be a nightmare. It’s bad enough watching the biggest portion of your paycheck disappear into the black hole that is your rent in the first place. But if you ever get the feeling that your landlord is actively scheming against you… well, you might actually be right.
Recently, this screenshot from someone who infiltrated a Facebook group for landlords has been inspiring people to share their renting horror stories and tips to avoid them.
RELATED:
One Twitter user posted this screenshot
Image credits: mitchysuch
The private group is run by a self-described “a**-kicking landlord of 8 rental properties,” who strives to maintain a group where landlords can gather “for support and to save others [their] lessons learned.”
We’re not sure what it’s like in there, but this screenshot leaves us with a mental image of a round table of shadowy, stereotypical villains in capes twirling their mustaches and plotting the best ways to wring their tenants dry.
Here are some other Twitter users’ reactions
Image credits: paulbraterman
Image credits: emmseeeeee
Image credits: embirdened
Image credits: superboles
Image credits: upsidedwnworld
Image credits: xstar_girl
Image credits: herder_of_cats
Image credits: xstar_girl
Image credits: violiav
Image credits: WordWomanOW
Image credits: lauramariani
Image credits: greg_p_kennedy
Image credits: baphomet2k20
Image credits: jmkeep
Image credits: Cammie
If you pay rent to someone who meets the lowest bar of decency (isn’t raising your rent, takes responsibility for normal maintenance of the property that you’re already paying them to use, and is honest about where your security deposit is going), congratulations! You’re one of the lucky ones.
One property owner based in Scotland replied that in his country, security deposits must be held by a deposit service that requires proof of damage to withdraw them. This wouldn’t be good news for the almost 25% of landlords who admitted to having unfairly claimed renters’ security deposits in a survey by US real estate network Porch.
If you have some of your own stories about bizarre excuses landlords have given to get every last cent out of you before you left, some of the responses will show you that you’re not the only one, and that knowing the law where you live can be crucial if you don’t want to get scammed.
The screenshot was also shared on r/trashy
What do you think ?
Pseudo Puppy 6 years ago
a security deposit, by definition, is to cover negligent damage (as opposed to "fair ware and tear" which will happen naturally over time eg wear marks in carpet where people walk all the time from room to room). It is NOT "the landlords" money to "refund" to the tenant. It is, by law, the TENANT'S money. If going to court / tribunal, if the landlord wants to keep any of the security deposit, THEY MUST PROVE WHY they are entitled to THE TENANT'S SECURITY DEPOSIT. Seriously, tenants need to know / learn their rights. Had a landlord threaten me with a $10,000 law suit, over non-existing "damage" to the old apartment I'd rented. The security deposit was $2400. He got $150 for 'cleaning' (ie extra dusting) (which was allowed, by law). Had I not known my rights, and had I listened to my naive roommate who believed the $10,000 threat, we would've lost our entire security deposit. Seriously fellow-tenants - do some googling & reading, before believing a managing agent / landlord.
chi-wei shen 6 years ago
Greedy people will always find ways to fill their pockets. That's why it is important for tenants (and any other consumers) to know their rights, and at the same time they have to show their landlord/landlady that they will not go down without a fight.
RaroaRaroa 6 years ago
That landlord deserves karma - in the form of every future tenant he ever has leaving more damage than the deposit is worth. The fact that he does everything he can to find fault shows there is no point in his tenants trying to keep the place nice onces they decide to leave.
Load More Replies...
Daria B 6 years ago
My husband and I once had a problem with a landlord who wouldn't want to return our deposit just because they couldn't find any new tenants to replace us (in Korea, they must give back the deposit by law). We would be preparing to sue him, but thankfully, his wife intervened and told him to just give us back our money as he should. So we moved without any trouble.
Jo Choto 6 years ago
Once upon a time my landlord tried to keep a $2000 deposit because of "damage" to the property, forgetting that I had got her to sign a document when we moved in noting all the already existing problems with the property and its condition. I got my damn deposit back! You have to protect yourselves, peeps, with photos and written descriptions and signatures wherever possible.
kurisutofu 6 years ago
Reading about the US always makes me realize how lucky I am not to live in the US ...
Leo Domitrix 6 years ago
ALWAYS take pictures, time-stamped, of the place the moment you sign the lease ---- when it's dead empty ---- and again when you leave. ALWAYS. I've gotten every security deposit back doing this. And get a definition for "normal wear and tear" written out. You are in *their* property, but that deposit is *your* money. I once saw someone denied their security deposit back after a drunk swerved off the road and into the rental unit, destroying it... As if that was the tenant's fault. Oh, and always check crime reports for the address. It's creepy what trouble you can avoid doing that.
Demi Zwaan 6 years ago
Land of the free! This is what you get when you're afraid to have the government put things in laws to protect you. This wouldn't happen here. Tenants are well protected.
EvilDinosaur 6 years ago
I'm guessing this is the US? In the UK we have a full online form to fill out if you want to keep the deposit due to dishonest landlords doing things like this.
KatHat 6 years ago
It still blows my mind that this isn't regulated in the States. In Australia your bond goes to the Rental Bond Board and is held by them and the landlord never sees it. It will go automatically back to the tenant at the end of the lease unless the landlord can prove damages.
Pretty Pangolin 6 years ago
That's actually the law here in the U.S. too - it needs to be put in an interest-bearing escrow account - but a lot of people don't know this, or they know it but don't do it.s. And there's Housing Court if you have to go that far. My new landlords are very professional - when I got a mystery bank statement in the mail, I called the bank, and she confirmed it was my security deposit that the landlords created an account for, as they should.
Load More Replies...
Dreamma 6 years ago
I think that it is ridiculous how messed up and greedy some landlords can be I have encountered three and it's because they have no integrity in this country nothing matter you can hike the prices up for rental even when it is a total dump the prices are too high people are finding it hard to find a place to live or becoming homeless they really need to fix this problem in this country the problem keeps on getting bigger for you shady landlords who are unfair your day is coming
Pseudo Puppy 6 years ago
a security deposit, by definition, is to cover negligent damage (as opposed to "fair ware and tear" which will happen naturally over time eg wear marks in carpet where people walk all the time from room to room). It is NOT "the landlords" money to "refund" to the tenant. It is, by law, the TENANT'S money. If going to court / tribunal, if the landlord wants to keep any of the security deposit, THEY MUST PROVE WHY they are entitled to THE TENANT'S SECURITY DEPOSIT. Seriously, tenants need to know / learn their rights. Had a landlord threaten me with a $10,000 law suit, over non-existing "damage" to the old apartment I'd rented. The security deposit was $2400. He got $150 for 'cleaning' (ie extra dusting) (which was allowed, by law). Had I not known my rights, and had I listened to my naive roommate who believed the $10,000 threat, we would've lost our entire security deposit. Seriously fellow-tenants - do some googling & reading, before believing a managing agent / landlord.
chi-wei shen 6 years ago
Greedy people will always find ways to fill their pockets. That's why it is important for tenants (and any other consumers) to know their rights, and at the same time they have to show their landlord/landlady that they will not go down without a fight.
RaroaRaroa 6 years ago
That landlord deserves karma - in the form of every future tenant he ever has leaving more damage than the deposit is worth. The fact that he does everything he can to find fault shows there is no point in his tenants trying to keep the place nice onces they decide to leave.
Load More Replies... Daria B 6 years ago
My husband and I once had a problem with a landlord who wouldn't want to return our deposit just because they couldn't find any new tenants to replace us (in Korea, they must give back the deposit by law). We would be preparing to sue him, but thankfully, his wife intervened and told him to just give us back our money as he should. So we moved without any trouble.
Jo Choto 6 years ago
Once upon a time my landlord tried to keep a $2000 deposit because of "damage" to the property, forgetting that I had got her to sign a document when we moved in noting all the already existing problems with the property and its condition. I got my damn deposit back! You have to protect yourselves, peeps, with photos and written descriptions and signatures wherever possible.
kurisutofu 6 years ago
Reading about the US always makes me realize how lucky I am not to live in the US ...
Leo Domitrix 6 years ago
ALWAYS take pictures, time-stamped, of the place the moment you sign the lease ---- when it's dead empty ---- and again when you leave. ALWAYS. I've gotten every security deposit back doing this. And get a definition for "normal wear and tear" written out. You are in *their* property, but that deposit is *your* money. I once saw someone denied their security deposit back after a drunk swerved off the road and into the rental unit, destroying it... As if that was the tenant's fault. Oh, and always check crime reports for the address. It's creepy what trouble you can avoid doing that.
Demi Zwaan 6 years ago
Land of the free! This is what you get when you're afraid to have the government put things in laws to protect you. This wouldn't happen here. Tenants are well protected.
EvilDinosaur 6 years ago
I'm guessing this is the US? In the UK we have a full online form to fill out if you want to keep the deposit due to dishonest landlords doing things like this.
KatHat 6 years ago
It still blows my mind that this isn't regulated in the States. In Australia your bond goes to the Rental Bond Board and is held by them and the landlord never sees it. It will go automatically back to the tenant at the end of the lease unless the landlord can prove damages.
Pretty Pangolin 6 years ago
That's actually the law here in the U.S. too - it needs to be put in an interest-bearing escrow account - but a lot of people don't know this, or they know it but don't do it.s. And there's Housing Court if you have to go that far. My new landlords are very professional - when I got a mystery bank statement in the mail, I called the bank, and she confirmed it was my security deposit that the landlords created an account for, as they should.
Load More Replies... Dreamma 6 years ago
I think that it is ridiculous how messed up and greedy some landlords can be I have encountered three and it's because they have no integrity in this country nothing matter you can hike the prices up for rental even when it is a total dump the prices are too high people are finding it hard to find a place to live or becoming homeless they really need to fix this problem in this country the problem keeps on getting bigger for you shady landlords who are unfair your day is coming
You May Like 64 Rental Nightmares Where Landlords Tried To Cut Corners And Got Exposed SAHM At A Loss When Husband Asks For Divorce And She Never Planned For This
Simona Kinderytė
Mantas Kačerauskas
Related on Bored Panda
139
48