There is nothing more frustrating to a renter than a landlord who does not fix things around a rental property. Whether it’s a simple or complicated fix, it is infuriating when a landlord drags their feet or ignores repair requests.
But when renter Tyson Blatter (@t_blatt) found himself in this situation, he took a more creative approach. He shared the unorthodox approach he used to get his landlord’s attention on TikTok.
Apparently, the renter had submitted requests for his building to fix the broken treadmills in the gym. But these requests were ignored. Blatter then decided to try a more unconventional method to get some answers.
In the video, Blatter is in his building’s gym with several other people. The text overlay explains what he is doing.
“When your apartment ignores your maintenance requests to fix the treadmill so you pretend to be a potential client and schedule a tour to ask what their plan is,” he writes.
In the caption he suggests that the person conducting the tour claimed they were unaware of the broken treadmills.
“Crazy none of your tenants said anything,” he sarcastically writes.
Renters share relatable struggles
Blatter’s post went viral, garnering over 2.3 million views. Many were unsurprised by the landlord’s behavior but amused by the renter’s tactics.
One comment reads, “Landlords will avoid getting things done as much as possible.”
A second wondered, “Did it work? Asking for a friend.”
Another renter shared their own tip: “My apartment had a whole in the ceiling to the point where rotting ceiling beams were exposed. kept closing the maintenance tickets. After four months, i put in a complaint with health department. Fixed that week.”
@t_blatt “Oh we had no idea!!” “Crazy none of your tenants said anything 😀”
♬ Assumptions (slowed down version) – Sam Gellaitry
Tips for unresponsive landlords
Renters have rights when it comes to unresponsive landlords. The first step is always to document requests in writing to create a paper trail. This can be via email, text, or even registered mail.
It’s also important for tenants to know their legal rights and remain persistent when holding landlords accountable. Renters can check local tenant laws on the website of the state they reside in.
Many states provide tenant protections that require landlords to make timely repairs in order to maintain habitable conditions. Knowing the law can help renters know when to escalate a complaint to a local housing authority.
Renters may also withhold rent until repairs are completed or do them independently and deduct the cost—but this would depend on their jurisdiction.
The Daily Dot reached out to Blatter via TikTok direct message for further updates.
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