Tenant gets even with entitled landlady for showing up unannounced, sets up blaring alarm for the next time she trespasses: 'Half the neighborhood could hear it'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Feb 28, 2025 4:00 PM EST

It's easy to let your landlords overstep their boundaries. After all, the last thing any self-identifying conflict-avoidant tenant wants is to aggravate the person who could make their living experience a whole lot more difficult.

I remember moving into one of my first apartments after college and listening to a lecture my superintendent presumably gave everyone on the first day about how strict he would be regarding our security deposit. I almost embraced the unfortunate reality that even if I inflicted zero damage on my apartment, I would somehow never get my deposit money back. After several years, I found myself packing items to prepare for my move. Of course, it was just my luck that in removing a mirror from the wall, I created the slightest dent. I knew in that moment that my superintendnt would give me trouble about this.

However, as fate would have it, on the eve of my superintendent's walkthrough of the space, the apartment above mine flooded and the walls of my apartment were severely damaged. At that point, all of my personal items had been removed from my space, so luckily, there was no personal damage. However, now, one could not discern where the damage from the flooding ended and any other damage began. Long story short, I got my well-deserved deposit back.

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    Cheezburger Image 10473572608
    via Unsplash+ (Pablo Merchán Montes)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • This tenant had a similarly tense relationship with her landlady, who decided to sell the duplex where they both lived. This was a relief for the tenant, who was ready to move out anyway and find an apartment with a more decent human as her landlord. However, the landlady needed to show the tenant's apartment to prospective buyers and had a bad habit of never notifying the tenant prior to giving tours…

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    I live in one half of a duplex. The other half is occupied by the owner, my landlady.
    via [deleted]
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    My landlady is awful. I won't go into detail so you'll just have to take my word for it. Since we live in close proximity I do everything within my power to keep the peace and prevent either of our daily lives from being too miserable. That patience finally wore out.
    via [deleted]
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    My landlady decided to sell the entire duplex. Fine by me, I'm protected by my lease and I figure my odds are decent of getting a less landlord out of the deal.
    via [deleted]
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    Obviously she needs to show the property to prospective buyers. My lease states she needs to give 24 hours notice before entering my half. I told her I'm even fine with less than that as long as she lets me know the night
    via [deleted]
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    before. I also set her up with a personal code for my alarm so she can get in if I'm not home since I travel frequently. However, even this has been too difficult for her.
    via [deleted]
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    Cheezburger Image 10473573376
    via Unsplash+ (Pablo Merchán Montes)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    Had a knock at the door last week. It's the landlady with a nice young couple. She asks if they can come take a quick look. I say no, sorry, I haven't had time to prepare for a showing since she gave me no notice. She pouts and says can they just take a quick peek from the doorway. I stay firm, tell them they can come back tomorrow if they like, and close the door.
    via [deleted]
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    A few days later I'm heading out the door and bump into my landlady out on the street with a strange man. She says sorry for not calling yesterday but asks if they can go upstairs for a viewing. I say no, I have laundry out that I haven't put away and am not comfortable with a strange man looking at my underwear. She pouts. I'm in a rush and jump into my car.
    via [deleted]
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    I arrive at work to a notification on my phone. It's my Ring alarm system letting me know my landlady's code was used to deactivate and reactivate the alarm within the last few minutes. She's older and probably has no idea I can see who uses the alarm code. I am seething.
    via [deleted]
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    That night, I delete my landlady's alarm code from the system. I do not inform her of this. I figure if she needs to show the property while I'm out of town, I'll just deactivate the alarm remotely from my phone.
    via [deleted]
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    The next week I'm traveling for work. I spend the day in meetings. I check my phone to find a million notifications. Ring has let me know the alarm was tripped. My landlady has called a dozen times, left voicemails, sent angry messages.
    via [deleted]
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    Yes, she tried to go into my apartment again without giving me a heads up. She was unable to deactivate the alarm. Let me tell you, that alarm is LOUD. I assume half the neighborhood could hear it.
    via [deleted]
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    I pay for Ring monitoring so the police were also automatically called. Since she owns the property it seems they didn't give her too much grief, but as the neighborhood Karen, boy is she at being the center of drama. But hey, I bet she won't try to go into my apartment unannounced again.
    via [deleted]
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    RumBunBun 1 hr. ago Years ago, we had a great landlord, but he used a leasing agent to show our duplex. She kept showing the place without notice. I worked 2nd shift and awoke one morning to her and a couple walking into my bedroom. while I was still in bed. I
    via [deleted]
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    screamed murder and they beat a healthy retreat. From then on, I left boxes of rat poison in plain sight and notes on the kitchen counter or refrigerator to the effect of "Honey, I found two more big rats, we need more traps!"
    via [deleted]
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    (It's been 30+ years and I can't remember exactly what they said.) When the agent complained to the landlord, I told him as long as she gave 24 hour notice, I'd remove the notes and rat poison but otherwise they stayed. He laughed and said he didn't blame me one bit and he'd have a talk with her.
    via [deleted]
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    Tracy MinOB 1 hr. ago OMG! Some landlords are so obtuse! When I was married to my ex, I was 20 and expecting. I was 7 months pregnant in August. We lived in the upstairs of a house that was split into a duplex. We didn't have a/c (1986).
    via [deleted]
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    I was floating in the giant claw foot bathtub of cool water, with a fan blowing on me. The bathroom door was open. I shrieked when my landlord appeared at the door to the bathroom and proceeded to try to tell me he was starting construction on
    via [deleted]
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    our front porch where our entrance was. My ex came running and pushed him out of the bathroom and forced him down the stairs.
    via [deleted]
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    Our front door, which opened onto the front porch was locked. He didn't knock or ring the doorbell. He just let himself in on a Saturday afternoon!
    via [deleted]
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    Needless to say, I was hysterical. Started cramping. Headed to the ER. Diagnosed with stress and put on a modified bedrest.
    via [deleted]
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    Landlord got blasted by my patents and my in-laws. Found a new apartment, broke the lease and everyone pitched in and moved us the next weekend. What a C
    via [deleted]
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    Grouchy-Ad4338 - 2 hr. ago Good one. Money well spent on your alarm/lock service. I have the most amazing landlady - hope that you too will get a nicer landlady, once you move some place else....
    via [deleted]
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    aerin104 54 min. ago Not sure where you live but certain states impose big penalties for landlords who enter without proper notice. I would check and see if your
    via [deleted]
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    state does. You should have a slam dunk case given that you can show the unauthorized entries on your security system and also there should be an incident report from the police.
    via [deleted]

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karens landlord tenant entitled people karma bad landlord karens in the wild karen entitled people apartment
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