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.
Bored Panda has reached out to the OP and she was kind enough to answer a few of our questions. You will find her thoughts in the text below.
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
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."
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
After the police left, the landlord continued to visit the rental without permission
Image credits: sarkero
The landlord didn’t want to fix things in the apartment but he would be happy to spend time there
The OP, Sara, told Bored Panda that the landlord wasn’t too happy when things needed fixing in the apartment, and there were many. He did, however, offer to install the wall air conditioner unit the redditor purchased when she moved in, fearing that she would damage the window frame if she did it herself.
“I was very surprised there weren’t air conditioners in there to begin with,” Sara said. “There were none. That’s why it’s interesting that he would be in my apartment at his leisure, using my electricity and turning on the air conditioners. I think he was trying to run up my electricity bill.
“In hindsight, this may have been when he was allegedly installing his own cameras like a lot of individuals suggested and pointed out via TikTok. I wasn’t home the day he offered to install the wall air conditioner unit for me,” the woman added.
She revealed that the landlord would get angry if anything was mentioned about the apartment and he would spend time sitting in his backyard stalking her. “He lived in a very nice home right next door; I always felt like I was being watched. It seemed like he wanted to keep me in an oppressed situation. Even the cameras on his home were later discovered to be pointing to all of my entry and exit points, including my car in the driveway,” Sara shared.
The tenant said she decided to share the videos on TikTok for awareness and evidence. “No arrest has been made that I’m aware of, but in Illinois, tampering with security cameras is a felony. Stalking, harassing, intimidating, illegal eviction tactics, installing spyware and accessing Ring cameras are also illegal.”
The TikToker told Bored Panda that the list goes on, adding that the attorney landlord couple should be ashamed of their actions and for thinking that nobody deserves a safe space besides them. “It just makes me sick; and a lot of TikTokers, too,” she shared, pointing out that the TikTok responses have been amazing. “I love this community of smart individuals with similar and different perspectives; wonderful advice from many.”
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.
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)
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