Renting is an experience that almost everyone has to go through at some point in their lives. It might be thrilling when you’re 18 and freshly out of your parents’ house, but it can be frustrating at 40 when you’d love to have your own place and the housing crisis is holding you back.

But how tenants feel about renting can also largely depend on the relationship they have with their landlord. One woman recently hopped on Reddit to detail how she managed to get revenge on her terrible landlord after suffering on his property for years. Below, you’ll find the full story, as well as some of the replies amused readers shared.

Having an awful landlord can turn renting into a nightmare

Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko / pexels (not the actual photo)

So this woman made sure to get revenge on her landlord before finally moving out

Image credits: Suzy Hazelwood / pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Yan Krukau / pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Chellator

The majority of renters have had at least one landlord that they weren’t fond of

I’ve had a long list of landlords, ranging from wonderful to infuriating. But unfortunately, that’s the risk that comes along with renting. Even if someone seems lovely when you first meet them or promises you that they take excellent care of their tenants, there’s no guarantee that six months down the line they won’t be dodging your calls while your toilet floods your bathroom.

And unfortunately, it seems like negative experiences with landlords are extremely common. According to a survey from LendingTree, 58% of renters admit that they’ve had at least one landlord that they didn’t like. A quarter of tenants reported that they don’t even like their current landlord. 

As for the reasons why renters tend to not be fans, the most common issues come down to maintenance, poor communication, and a lack of respect or professionalism. Apparently, many don’t respect boundaries either, as a third of tenants say that a landlord has let themselves into their residence without permission. And sometimes, issues between renter and tenant escalate, as one fifth of renters have even had a legal dispute with their landlord.

While it’s not always easy to spot a bad landlord before you’ve signed a lease, one third of renters believe that they’ve been discriminated against by a potential landlord, be it by race, age, sexual orientation, etc. But still, nearly half of tenants would prefer to deal with an individual landlord rather than a corporation, as about half of renters believe that this can save them some money. 

The majority of renters would also like the government to limit how many properties an individual or company can own, as it seems unfair to own a dozen homes and be responsible for dozens of tenants. Especially when it appears that many landlords aren’t keeping up with the maintenance and safety concerns on their properties already.

Image credits: Karolina Kaboompics / pexels (not the actual photo)

Renters should know their rights when it comes to dealing with a difficult landlord

It often feels like landlords have all the power in housing disputes, but in reality, they need tenants just as much as we need housing. How else will they be able to pay their mortgages? And according to NOLO, renters have some options when landlords refuse to take care of repairs in their homes. 

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First, it’s important to note that small issues, such as clogged toilets and changing light bulbs should be handled by tenants. But major repairs, such as roof leaks, electrical issues, lack of heating, structural damage, major plumbing issues and anything that puts tenants in danger should be taken care of by the property owner.

If a landlord refuses to fix issues, NOLO notes that renters can report violations to housing inspectors, just like the woman in this story decided to do. There will usually be a deadline of 30-60 days given for the property owner to remedy the problem, but the window can be even smaller for issues that endanger tenants. And if the landlord still won’t do anything, they could be hit with hefty fines or even jail time. 

Another option tenants have is to simply withhold rent. A lease is a two-way agreement, and if one party refuses to provide what was promised, the other party can stop paying until they are given the housing that they signed up for. Or, if tenants want to take matters into their own hands, they can resolve the issue themselves then deduct the cost of any necessary repairs from their rent. Just remember to keep all of your receipts.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Have you ever had to deal with a terrible landlord like this? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda piece discussing landlord versus tenant disputes, look no further than right here!

Image credits: Mikhail Nilov / pexels (not the actual photo)

Readers chimed in with their thoughts, and the woman joined in on the conversation

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Some even shared similar stories of their own terrible landlords

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