'That sounds like a you problem': Landlord tries to bill tenant $300 for junk removal months after move-out, tenant calls out the scam

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Sep 16, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

Some landlords will go to absurd lengths to squeeze a few extra dollars out of former tenants. Case in point: one renter shared a story about moving out of his efficiency apartment after five years, only to receive a call three months later from his ex-landlord accusing him of leaving behind "junk" and now owing $300 for removal. In reality, the only items he left were a chair and a mirror placed neatly by the trash cans for bulk pickup. When the landlord tried to claim there was "more junk," the tenant pushed back. Cornered, the landlord finally muttered, "Just forget it."

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  • If you’ve ever rented, this probably sounds familiar. Renting is always a gamble, and the stakes are rarely in your favor. Sometimes you roll the dice on noisy neighbors. Other times, you discover the building itself is a maze of leaky pipes, flickering lights, and mystery smells. But often, it’s the landlords themselves who tip the scales, whether they’re absentee ghosts who never fix anything or micromanagers who nickel-and-dime tenants for imagined offenses. 

    This story is just another reminder to all tenants that yoy have to be vigilant, because when rent is someone else’s income stream, fairness isn’t always part of the equation.

  • Cheezburger Image 10553536512
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+
  • Rented an efficiency from a guy for 5 years and moved out 3 months ago. So, I got a call from my former landlord today saying I owed him money.
    via NBrooks516
  • Here's how the call went: L: Hey J it's T, I just wanted to let you know you owe me $300 to have your junk hauled away.
    via NBrooks516
  • MAXIMUM LOADING LEVEL
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+
  • M: Hey T, who charged you $300 to haul away 1 chair and a mirror? Sounds like you got ripped off to me. (These are the only two things left by the garbage that were too large to fit into the trash can.)
    via NBrooks516
  • L: Well there was more junk than just that. M: When I left, I cleaned the space, put all my trash into the trash can and only left the chair and mirror next to the trash cans in plain sight so they could be put out with the next bulk trash pick up as they didn't fit into it.
    via NBrooks516
  • I don't know what "junk" you're talking about. Anything else after that was not mine. L: Well, there was stuff around the corner.
    via NBrooks516
  • M: That wasn't mine. And why didn't the chair and mirror get put out with bulk trash in July? (I moved out June 23) L: No one saw it.
    via NBrooks516
  • M: What was the contractor doing then? Ignoring them? They were in plain sight by the garage door. L: Just forget it.
    via NBrooks516
  • Some landlords are just trying to take advantage of people. Edit for clarity: Several people have asked this question so I'm going to add it here at the end of the post.
    via NBrooks516
  • I moved into the apartment the day before everything shut down from Co id, so I only gave a months rent when I moved in and he did not require security deposit or last month's rent.
    via NBrooks516
  • virginiafalls1234 you are out of there 3 months ago, i would never answer the phone again, looks like its some type of 'money grab' from the landlord
    via virginiafalls1234
  • Personal_Gur855 I left my old apartment. Gave a written notice that I'm leaving. My lease expired for months, and the landlord never mentioned renewal. A year later, I got a text asking for a payment plan. I have no idea what. Regardless, it was over a year that I left. So I didn't respond and blocked her. Never respond if you're not part of them.
    via Personal_Gur855
  • Past-Distribution558 Sounds like he was fishing to see if you'd pay up. You cleaned the place and left bulk items where they should go so that's on him not you. Good that you stood your ground.
    via Past-Distribution558
  • Ambitious_War_3077 Ha, six months after moving across country, my old landlord called to try to accuse of us taking a whole engine out of a car in the garage we had no access to. Gfy my guy. I have no doubt that engine was very much inside that car when he called
    via Ambitious_War_3077
  • Frosty_Astronomer909 Pictures, pictures of everything
    via Frosty_Astronomer909
  • sunsetpoe That is absolutely right. Some people try and scam. Disgusting. I'm about to move out of a house I've been renting for over 4 years. I'm holding my breath to see what the guy tries to pull with me.
    via sunsetpoe
  • guitargeek76 wow, that sounds like a you problem. Click."
    via guitargeek76
  • SolOberlindes_2564 In many states, landlord has to send you an itemized list of expenses within a certain time, like 30 days. No list or late list and landlord can't get anything from you
    via SolOberlindes_2564
  • Upstairs-Ad8823 Ask for receipts. Who did they pay to do the work? They never have them.
    via Upstairs-Ad8823

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landlord fine absurd tenant junk removal entitled people karma scam renting money Renters apartment
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