Finding the right rental is like winning a lottery—it might take quite a few tries before you hit the jackpot. But sometimes it’s the proprietor, not the property that’s far from prize-like.
The TikToker ‘sarkero’ has seemingly had her fair share of dealing with troublesome homeowners. The woman’s videos of her landlord’s weird behavior caused quite a buzz online and got the netizens invested, some encouraging her to move out immediately.
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Knowing the tenant’s rights and responsibilities might come in handy when dealing with irrational landlords
Image credits: PhotoMIX Company (not the actual photo)
This woman documented her landlord’s unusual behavior and went viral when TikTokers got invested in the story
Image credits: sarkero
The OP repeatedly saw the landlord in the property without permission through her cameras
Image credits: sarkero
Image credits: sarkero
Image credits: sarkero
Image credits: sarkero
She claimed the proprietor deliberately covered the cameras inside the house
Image credits: sarkero
@sarkero #ringcamera #landlordabusevideo #harassmentawareness #stalker ♬ original sound – Willow the WiLd Whoodle!
The woman eventually called the police
Image credits: sarkero
On her video she wrote: “Officers responded to my call and delayed entry while landlord, attorney Brian Ledebuhr was in my apartment again, purposely blocked and turned my cameras around. Brian and his attorney wife Meghan Ledebuhr have been threatening and harassing me. [One] officer kept hiding his name badge and was siding with Brian because he said he’s a landlord too. Officers said they can’t touch my cameras. But said landlord can do what he wants.”
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Image credits: sarkero
Image credits: sarkero
She didn’t receive much help from the officers
Image credits: sarkero
Image credits: sarkero
Image credits: sarkero
Image credits: sarkero
Image credits: sarkero
Her TikTok videos blew up on the internet, one reaching over 20 million views
@sarkero #landlordsfromhell keeps entering my apartment whenever he wants. Friends and family say he’s pretending to fix things. Always in my bedroom and bathroom. Police here because he blocked all my inside cameras. #policeoftiktok #landlordabusevideo ♬ original sound – Willow the WiLd Whoodle!
@sarkero I thought the police were coming back upstairs to speak with me. Listen to what the landlord says at the very beginning…#landlordabusevideo #landlordsfromhell #harassment #ringcamera #willowthewildwhoodle ♬ original sound – Willow the WiLd Whoodle!
After the police left, the landlord continued to visit the rental without permission
Image credits: sarkero
The well-being of a large portion of society lies in the hands of landlords
The OP’s videos show that even if the property feels like a great fit, the owner might not be; and, unfortunately, the TikToker is far from the only tenant facing landlord-related troubles. Statistics show that in England, for example, nearly half of renters (45%) have encountered problems caused by illegal actions by their landlords. Such statistics are understandably upsetting or even frightening for those looking for a place to rent.
According to Statista, back in 2021, there were nearly 130 million housing units in the US. Roughly 44 million of them were rented, which means the well-being of around a third of households lies in the hands of their landlord. Pew Research Center revealed that most of the single-unit properties that are available for rent are owned by individuals rather than businesses.
Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto (not the actual photo)
Knowing the rights and responsibilities of everyone involved can help avoid any rental-related conflict
Some proprietors can get carried away with their use of power. That’s when knowing your rights comes in handy, and the OP’s situation is great proof of that. Even though some conditions might differ depending on the lease agreement, renter’s rights are pretty universal and should be familiar to anyone who does not own the property they live in. According to Legal Zoom, some of the fundamental ones include the right to fair housing, a habitable home, and your deposit, as well as certain rights regarding eviction.
In addition to that, it is also worth noting that landlords are legally not allowed to take certain actions. Investopedia emphasizes that they can’t enter the property without a notice—something quite a few commenters pointed out under the TikToker’s video,—end the lease not following the protocol, raise the rent unjustifiably, or discriminate against the tenants in any way. If the owner of the property you rent does break any rules, documenting it is a good idea; in case of a conflict between the two parties, you might need all the evidence you can get.
Be that as it may, it’s also important to keep in mind that with rights comes responsibility. Tenants have to hold up their end of the bargain as well. When it comes to their duties, some of the main ones include properly maintaining the rented dwelling, preventing any excessive damage that is not considered normal wear and tear, and reporting any issues in a timely manner.
In a perfect world, there should be no problems as long as both parties respect each other and the terms and conditions of the lease agreement. And even though the OP’s story covers a scenario that’s far from perfect, statistics reveal that more people are happy with their landlords than not. This means that even if it’s as rare as winning the lottery, finding an agreeable landlord is possible after all.
Bored Panda has reached out to ‘sarkero’ via TikTok and will update the article once we’ve heard back from her.
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)
People in the comments shared insight and similar stories
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Source: boredpanda.com