'I'm not feeling safe in my own apartment': Cheapskate landlord gets fined $10,000 for jerry-rigging electrical instead of replacing a faulty stove after endangered tenant reported it to the fire department

Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor

Apr 8, 2023 1:00 PM EDT

One of the few benefits of being a renter is that you are not responsible for maintaining a property's upkeep. However, that is simultaneously a huge downside if you have a chintzy landlord. If your unskilled landlord is a cheap, do-it-yourself type, you might find yourself constantly smelling methane gas, putting putty over leaks, and watching him paint over holes in the wall. Truthfully, some renters even catch themselves doing the fixes themselves because of how cringey it is to watch a man who knows nothing about plumbing, reach woefully under your kitchen sink. As you hold the flashlight, just try not to stare into the crevice widening above his denim waistband.

A renter in Ontario recently suffered from an increasingly dangerous landlord situation– much more dangerous than an unwanted coin-slot situation. u/_IamAllan, experienced problems almost immediately after moving in. One of the burners on the stove was faulty and he asked his landlord if they could get a used range oven replacement from a second-hand store that had fully functioning burners. Knowing his landlord wouldn't want to spend the money, Allan did the research and found a used appliance for under $500.

The landlord refused and insisted on doing the electrical repair himself. With no experience. And without proper equipment.

Cue the dangerous part. The jerry-rigged stove worked fine for almost two years until it started to spark without warning. With the wiring aging and most likely done incorrectly, Allan was afraid of his house burning down. Literally. Once again, he asked the landlord to replace it. He refused… again. After he pulled the same cheapo "repair" again, Allan was constantly fearful in his own house and decide to take matters into his own hands.

He reported the dodgy electrical to the fire department, which snowballed an investigation on tenant's rights as well as habitable living. Following the investigation, the fines, and the required repairs, the landlord ended up paying $10,000 to the city. Fuming, the landlord stormed down to his tenants unit, blamed him for getting caught, and served an eviction notice as retaliation for his losses. Allan felt no remorse in his revenge and moved out on his own accord as soon as possible.

For more juicy tales of revenge and pettiness, check out this selfish girlfriend who bought gifts for herself for her BF's birthday.