A TikToker said in a viral video that her landlord tossed all her belongings and changed the locks after she was 20 days late on rent, sparking a debate among commenters.
User @sibrke’s video shows her looking in through the glass window of her empty apartment, where everything appears to have been removed. “We worked so damn hard for what we had WHY,” the caption says. “This is the first time we were late on rent.” The text layover narrates, “20 days late on rent and landlord changed locks and all of our things were thrown away.”
The video received over 390,500 views and 10,000 likes since it was posted three days ago.
@sibrke clarified the situation in a series of follow-up videos. The TikToker says she was never served an eviction notice. In one video, she shows documents that she says are account statements of rent being paid on time. In another follow-up video, she states that the apartment “did not disclose the mold growing on the ceiling above the shower, or the wicked roach infestation.”
“We’ve been looking for new housing since day one,” @sibrke says. “I got let go from my job in December, and my husband’s been on leave from FedEx because he got a back injury working there. Income’s been really shitty. We finally got a new place, and I could choose to pay rent on the new place for a safer place for my son, or pay rent here.
“It’s just devastating because we fought so hard. At the end of 2020 we were homeless and fought hard through the winter pregnant in a tent,” she continues. “We lost all of our things during that time due to mold. Now everything we worked really hard to make a home for our baby with is lost.”
Leasing laws vary from state to state, but in most states, the landlord is required to give an eviction notice and a 30-day period to vacate if no rules were broken.
Many of the comments on the original eviction video complained that she should’ve paid her rent.
“Landlords are normal people, and rent is part of our income,” user @mama.scrunch said. “Would you want your paycheck 20 days late?”
However, after @sibrke explained her situation in a follow-up video, some commenters expressed sympathy.
“They have to go through the legal eviction process, they can’t just reclaim the property,” @mncelica81 wrote.
According to another follow-up video, @sibrke says she’s still looking for a lawyer who will work pro bono.
Daily Dot reached out to @sibrke via TikTok message.
Editor’s note: Due to a technical error, our original message to this TikToker may not have been delivered.
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