From BuzzFeed · · 3m
32 Tenant Horror Stories
Landlords share 32 stories of tenants who caused massive damage, skipped rent, and even burned down properties.
In brief
Landlords share 32 stories of tenants who caused massive damage, skipped rent, and even burned down properties. Landlords describe tenants who destroyed properties through neglect, illegal activities, and extreme behavior, leading to costly repairs and legal battles. Originally reported by BuzzFeed.
Tenant destroys property
A tenant cut drywall, hid dead fish in walls, and sealed them back up after evicting.
“Guy gets evicted, and instead of just trashing the place, this fucking guy cuts out chunks of drywall, puts dead fish inside the walls, and seals them back up.”
Bedbugs and hardwood damage
Tenants ripped out 100-year-old hardwood trim and sold central air conditioning units after moving out.
“They ripped out and sold 100-year-old hardwood trim, removed the central air conditioning unit and sold that, too, and generally fucked the place up.”
Rent nonpayment for seven months
A tenant stayed rent-free for seven months after evicting, complaining about neighbors and allergies.
“We followed the proper protocols to evict him, but he kept getting the judge to grant him extensions. He ended up staying rent-free for seven months.”
Tenant moves out with trash
Tenants left a microwave full of rotting hot dogs and scattered food items after eviction.
“They waited until the very last minute to move out, left a bunch of their stuff behind, and filled a microwave with hot dogs that they left to rot.”
Dead fish and personal items
Landlords found dead exotic fish, used condoms, tampons, and needles in a bedroom after eviction.
“The first thing I saw when we walked through the door was a fish tank full of dead, exotic fishies. In the bedroom, we found used condoms, used tampons, and used needles just lying around.”
Coca-Cola employees evicted
A tenant who worked for Coca-Cola Co. was evicted after claiming the landlord was a slumlord.
“After I got the judgment against them, I tried to garnish the man's wages and was told he worked for Coca-Cola Co.”
Security deposit never paid
A tenant never paid security deposit despite being a student and needing a second home.
“She never even paid the security deposit, but I was a student, busy with school, and needed someone in that second home so I wouldn't have to cover the expenses myself.”
Kitchen island removed
A tenant removed the kitchen island and moved it outside by the pool for an outdoor serving area.
“I had a tenant remove the kitchen island and move it outside by the pool because they needed an outdoor serving area.”
Parking space dispute
A tenant demanded parking space for free after being charged extra for it, leading to legal action.
“He then started posting propaganda all over the property about the injustices I'd supposedly committed by not giving him a parking space for free.”
Restaurant destroyed
A tenant ruined a restaurant with their dogs, trash, and stolen items after moving in.
“They TRASHED the place. Their two gross, big, ugly dogs shit and peed everywhere; they put holes in the walls, and they took plates and cups from the restaurant's original collection out back to use as target practice.”
Drug dealer tenant
A tenant was a drug dealer who caused damage to the property after being evicted.
“The young man was a drug dealer. They had literally smashed the front doorframe out of the wall, and the locksmith had been called in to repair the damage.”
Roach infestation
Tenants complained about roaches despite previous cleanings, leading to a trashed unit.
“We got the issue resolved, but they kept complaining about roaches. Fast-forward to October 31, when they both moved out. We got the keys and went to check the unit, only to find it absolutely trashed.”
Complaints about neighbors
A tenant complained about homeless people, bad smells, and barking dogs despite no issues.
“His complaints included too many homeless people in the area, the restaurant across the street smelling bad, and the dog next door barking when its owners came home.”
Plumber's putty in drains
A tenant packed plumber's putty into sink and bathtub drains, causing water damage.
“One particular asshole decided to pack plumber's putty into the sink and bathtub drains, then turn on the taps before he left.”
Dog separation anxiety
A tenant's dog had severe separation anxiety and caused damage after the tenant was out for 12 hours.
“The problem was that Brayden was a bartender and would be out of the house for up to 12 hours at a time. Once, he was gone for TWO DAYS!”
Mobile home fire
A tenant's mobile home caught fire, leading to a costly eviction and repairs.
“My mom's worst experience was with her longtime boyfriend's daughter. Her apartment caught fire, so my mom let her rent an old mobile home.”
Rapist roommate
A tenant had a roommate who was a rapist on parole, leading to eviction.
“Kevin's unnamed roommate was a rapist who was out on parole. Great, right? The condo was directly across the street from a school, and it turned out Kevin was violating sex offender legislation.”
Spider complaint
A tenant called the landlord about a spider on Christmas Eve, leading to a misunderstanding.
“At 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, they called because there was a spider. My dad called them back when we got home from church and asked what they wanted him to do about it.”
Live duck in apartment
A tenant kept a live duck that shit everywhere and squawked constantly.
“The first thing she did was get a duck. Yes, a LIVE duck. It shit everywhere and squawked constantly.”
Rats and food waste
A tenant let rats breed, leading to a colony of rats and food waste.
“She also seemed to think old takeout containers were a great way to decorate a home. So, we had a colony of semi-domesticated rats, old food scattered everywhere, and, yes, her two children living in the middle of all this.”
In short
Landlords describe tenants who destroyed properties through neglect, illegal activities, and extreme behavior, leading to costly repairs and legal battles.
