'She responded by telling me she has “every right” to tour my apartment': Fed-up tenant makes impatient landlady wait to visit her apartment using a legal loophole

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Aug 16, 2024 3:00 PM EDT

Getting in a squabble with your landlords or landladies can be so awkward… U/Corrid21 found that out firsthand when they had to move apartments. As if moving wasn't stressful enough, thanks to all the packing and cleaning you have to do, this person's landlady just can't stop showing up at her apartment to show the property to prospective buyers. 

This person was wondering if they were in the wrong here for their approach to getting back at the landlady. On the one hand, the landlady does have to show the apartment if she wants someone to live there when the original poster's stay is up. But just think about how annoying it would be if your landlord or landlady started showing up at your door almost every day. Would your apartment be ready to be shown immediately? Wouldn't you have to do some dishes, put away personal items, or wipe off the countertops? It seems like such a hassle, and this person did a great job establishing boundaries. 

After that, read about the bosses who had really ridiculous requests for their employees, like one worker who "was once ordered to rake up pine needles...[at] a camp named "Pinewoods."

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10389968128
    via mike nguyen on Unsplash
  • 02
    AITA for making my landlady wait 29 minutes before she showed my apartment to a potential tenant?
    via u/Corrid21
  • 03
    Long story short, I'm moving at the end of the month and am in the process of packing my stuff up. My landlady keeps on showing my apartment to potential tenants at least three times per week, which out of me really annoys the since I've paid August's rent to live here, so I should be able to enjoy my apartment in peace. I don't like
    via u/Corrid21
  • 04
    getting kicked out of my apartment (oftentimes when doing school-related things), so that the apartment can be shown. I asked her to limit the amount of showings, since the showings were becoming bothersome to me. She responded by telling me she has "every right" to tour my apartment, since I handed in my 30-day notice to vacate at the beginning of August.
    via u/Corrid21
  • 05
    Local laws are such that if a landlord/landlady is going to show a rental property with somebody still living there, the landlord/landlady must give a 24- hour notice to the tenant. Most of the time, my landlady gives me almost exactly a 24-hour notice.
    via u/Corrid21
  • 06
    Like, I'll get a text at 2:59 pm saying that there's going to be a showing at 3:00 pm the next day. She never gives me more than a 25-hour notice, which seems purposeful on her end.
    via u/Corrid21
  • 07
    Well, on Thursday afternoon, I got a text at 4:29 pm saying that there will be a tour at 4:00 pm on Friday. When my landlady showed up and knocked on my door at exactly 4:00 pm, I opened the door and told her that she needs to wait 29 minutes. She immediately got all pissy with me and demanded an explanation.
    via u/Corrid21
  • 08
    I showed her my phone which proved that she sent her message at 4:29 pm the previous day, so she legally couldn't step foot into my apartment until 4:29 pm. She started yelling at me saying that I'm just being petty. The potential tenant who was going to tour my place wasn't willing to wait 29 minutes, so he cancelled the showing and bounced.
    via u/Corrid21
  • 09
    My landlady was very upset and said that I "wasted her time." I know what I did was out of pettiness, but if she didn't kick me out of my own apartment like twelve times in August so far, I wouldn't have a reason to be petty.
    via u/Corrid21
  • 10
    I paid for my rent in August and want to enjoy my apartment in peace while I prepare for my move. I feel bad for wasting the time of the guy who cancelled the showing, but I feel zero empathy for my landlady. AITA?
    via u/Corrid21
  • 11
    emcee_pern NTA. Your landlady is being overly intrusive. Even if the laws are on her side to allow her to show the place she's still being utterly inconsiderate. This is still your home and you are legally entitled to some right to privacy
    via u/emcee_pern
  • 12
    IANAL but I would dive deeper into your local tenancy laws. Some places allow you to refuse entry, even with notice, for certain reasons. Some do not consider a text message to even be legal notice. Some limit the time and manner in which your home may be entered. Also, there's a good chance that your landlord cannot legally force you to leave for these showings.
    via u/emcee_pern
  • 13
    Since you're leaving soon it might not be worth fighting her but you can do other petty things as well. Leave your place a mess (nothing that can't ultimately be cleaned so you don't risk your deposit) so it looks less appealing. Talk to prospective tenants and make it sound like the place is terrible.
    via u/emcee_pern
  • 14
    Aggressive-Mind-2085. NTA "I don't like getting kicked out of my apartment (oftentimes when doing school- related things), so that the apartment can be shown.".. there is NO reason for you to leave while she is showing the appartment. You SHOULD refuse, protect your property.
    via u/Aggressive-Mind-2085
  • 15
    My landlady was very upset and said that I "wasted her time." .. oyu were pety, but she does not seem to be considerate of your time and privacy either.
    via u/Aggressive-Mind-2085
  • 16
    JackedLilJill ΝΤΑ Who says you have to leave? No way in ! She can take pictures and show pictures and say "sorry there is a tenant and I don't feel like disturbing their living quarters." From now on stay and make small talk. Then slip in a "bet you can't wait to move in! Then when you move out you get to deal with people invading your home up to three times a day with only 24 hours notice and a landlady who's an !" That should help!
    via u/JackedLilJill
  • 17
    kdawg09. NTA. I've never had a landlord start showing my apartment while I still occupied it ever but this definitely seems excessive. I wonder if the guy didn't want to wait because he realized her behavior was a red flag?
    via u/kdawg09
  • 18
    Fabulous_Bison 7072. NTA, but why are you leaving your apartment when she brings people around for these showings. You've got a bunch of strangers in your home uninvited- no way would I be leaving them alone to tour my place.
    via u/Fabulous_Bison 7072
  • 19
    annedroiid ΝΤΑ. And assuming you're in the UK, you also have the right to decline viewings if they don't fit with your schedule. Just refuse all viewings at this point. There's nothing your landlord can do about it. It's a civil matter that would take far longer than the 10 days left on the month to deal with.
    via u/annedroiid
  • 20
    Anuri_DnD ΝΤΑ Where you petty? For sure. But so was your landlady with always texting you almost exactly 24h beforehand. Also why are you being kicked out of your apartment during this showings? It should be up to you if you want to leave or stay. I have been to several showings where the tenants stayed during the showing. 49 Reply Share wrongfaith 3 mo. ago "No I'm not being petty. I'm being petty back."
    via u/Anuri_DnD

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