Entitled tenant tries to claim ownership of the place she has been renting for 20 years, despite having no agreement for such a thing: 'I pay rent, so I own this house'

Look, nobody likes landlords. Even if you have the most benevolent landlord of all time, there is an inherent problem with a societal structure that relies on one person owning the place where another person is living. In an ideal world, everyone owns the home in which they live and where no one person is lording over another.

A common argument for landlord arrangements is that landlords are providing a "service" in renting out their home, preventing them from needing to purchase in an area where they might be temporarily living. The implication is that while the "landlord" is renting out their home, they, too, are renting elsewhere, and the cycle perpetuates. But this assumption relies on every family owning just a single home and renting it while they aren't living in it. 

If that were the case, this argument would have some validity, but it is seldom, if ever, actually the case. No, most rented homes are owned by a person or entity that owns two or more homes. Even if all things are fair and equal in the way that their homes were acquired, there is still the problem of the artificial scarcity created.

Take, for example, diamonds. The price of diamonds relies on artificial scarcity, with the corporations that control the supply of diamonds hoarding diamonds that are mined in order to create an artificial scarcity within the market, keeping the price of diamonds sky-high. Landlords, those owning multiple homes, and shady investment companies hoarding houses like diamonds, effectively create artificial scarcity in a market that is already limited by physical constraints. Really, there is a huge problem with any society where natural rights, like having a place to live, are treated like an investment by those with means at the expense of those without. It stands to reason that there should be laws and fees encouraging money to be invested in something constructive to the betterment of society, rather than people and entities hoarding homes like a dragon sitting on a pile of gold

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    A white house with red door and a white picket fence under maple trees with autumn colored leaves
    via Scott Webb

    The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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  • All of this being said, while it is a shame to think that this woman has no stake or ownership in the place that she has called home for at least the last 12—let alone 20—years, it is absolute lunacy to expect you to have a stake or ownership in a place that you have no legal claim to. 

    While paying your landlord's mortgage undoubtedly hurts, and as bad a rap as landlords might have, it would be insane to just suddenly go around acting like you own the place and attempt to wrench control of the property from them. The reality is that, whatever side of privilege they're on and from whatever walk of life, entitled people will be entitled and try to take advantage of any situation presented to them. 

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    An older woman wearing glasses with a stern look on her face stands with her arms crossed on a dirt road
    via A. C.

    The image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    ""I pay rent, so I own this house"

    Backstory My parents used to own a house on a big land. When my older siblings went away for college, the house felt too big for our needs so my parents decided to sell the house, but not all the land. They built a smaller house on the part of the land they didn't sell. A few years after, we moved to a
    via -Alula
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    city 2 hours away and kept the house as a place to go during the summer. My parents decided to rent the house as it was well located and had a really nice view. Renting it meant that they could use the money towards the mortgage and taxes.
    via -Alula
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    Enters our Karen. Karen and her boyfriend rented the place so she could be closer to her work. From the start, my dad made it clear the place was for rent and my parents planned on living in that house after retiring (at that time, both of them planned to work for at least another 20 years+). They would, of course,
    via -Alula
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    notify Karen in advance when they wanted to take back the house so she would have plenty of time to find a new place. In return, they asked that she notify them in advance should she wished to move out so they could find a new renter. The
    via -Alula
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    lease also stated that my parents would have some of their things in a locked storage in the basement as well as in a shed on the property and that they would always call Karen before dropping by to get something out of the storage (which was in the basement and connected by the garage so they wouldn't even disturb Karen).
    via -Alula
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    For a few years Karen was an okay renter, she payed the rent through a check each month. She smoked inside and didn't take care of the land, but my dad didn't make a fuss about it. Real trouble started after around 12 years. Every few months, Karen's checks would bounce back. My dad would call her to ask about it, Karen would profusely apologize and rectify the situation. Then it became every other month, until it was every month.
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    Finally, my dad had enough and called her about the lease and the rent. During the call, Karen argued that since she had been paying rent for the past 12 years, the house was now hers.
    via -Alula
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    My dad was shocked since that I came out of nowhere. He tried to explain to her that she was renting the place like they had agreed on since the beginning.
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    Karen went on a bitch fit about how she had payed so much over the years and she was the one living there and taking care of the place (which she was not at all) therefore it should be hers. She threatened to take my dad to court.
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    Now, where I live there are many laws which protects the renter and it can be a real bitch to deal with when you have nasty renter. My dad hired a lawyer to make sure everything was in order. After a meeting with Karen, where the lawyer was
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    present, she realized she didn't have much of a case since all paperworks concerning the house was at my dad's name and the original lease clearly stated that it was a rental. My dad offered her to stop renting,
    via -Alula
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    should she wish to after the whole debacle, but she wanted to stay in the house. He made her sign a new lease where it stated (again) that this was a rental and that should she not pay or cause trouble again, my dad would give her the shortest possible notice of eviction allowed by the law.
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    Karen is still renting the house after almost 20 years. My parents are not close to retiring yet. Do hope it won't turn into a shit show when they decide to take back the house.
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    Edit: The question << why did your dad let her sign a new lease? >> comes up a lot in the comments. I will say what I answered throughout the comments :
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    1. I don't have the slightest clue why he would do that. As I was a kid much younger when this happened I wasn't kept in the loop much. It was also not the reaction I would expect my dad to have since he is respectful to others and expect the same in return. 2. I do know the legal actions he took when she threatened to take him to court did protect himself and many future problems that might arise.
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    I do appreciate all the concern and the advices! Although I do think my dad had a good reason to keep her as a tenant (from hell) after everything that want down.
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    ntengineer I would have never let her stay. Your Dad is just asking for trouble when he wants to move her out. She will fight it and carry it out as long as she can until she gets removed physically, and probably will destroy the inside of the house. She already showed what type of person she is and he should have just continued with the eviction process to get her out of the house.
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    OP -Alula I agree with this. I was extremely surprised that my dad let her stay after all the drama. The house has such a great view that it wouldn't be too much trouble to find someone else who would want to rent it. I must say I was younger at the time this happened so I wasn't made aware of every detail. I think there might have been something legal which was in favor of Karen staying granted she paid her rent.
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    Flushingtonn Yeah that was the perfect time to kick her out not renew. But your Dad sounds like a kind and OVERLY fair Man. Good luck!
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    OP -Alula He is very kind with those who deserves it. It did surprised me that he tolerated such behavior.
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    carebearninjahair Unless the lease agreement had strict verbiage that said it was a lease to own, I don't know why she thought she had a case. My second house I ever owned was a lease to own and there was a legal contract that a percentage of my rent went to a trust to build up a down payment over 5 years. Then I could offer to buy the place, which I did. I agree with others that he should have ended her lease as soon as legally possible. It sucks so hard that people get screwed over like this.
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    OP -Alula I don't know where she picked up the idea either. I was aware this kind of lease existed but it was stated from the start that it is a rental.
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    veggiezombie1 Even if she were ideal in every other way, it'll be hard to fix the damage caused by smoking indoors for so many years. It'll be impossible to get rid of the smell without completely gutting the place.
    via -Alula
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    OP -Alula She also used to have two big dogs that were quite agressive. I adore dogs, but hers use to scare me so much. My dad knew from the start that they would have a lot of renovation to do because she smoked indoors. But he loves to do renovations and planned to make it a project when he would retire.
    via -Alula
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    Purple_oyster Start raising the rent each year to drive her out
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    OP -Alula Given what happened in the past I'm sure my dad has a plan when comes the time to take back the house.
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    Lord Jacen make a new post when they retire
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    OP -Alula Will try to do!
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    ShatoraDragon I would firmly impress on your parents that if the checks start to bounce to start evictions and to start doing monthly walk threw to check for damage. Or if she moved or took the locked up items they had in storage
    via -Alula
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    OP -Alula Everything is already locked up, been this way since she started renting the place. I'm sure my parents won't hesitate in kicking her out if her checks start bouncing again. Monthly walkthrough are a great idea. I'll make sure to tell them when comes the time for her to move out.
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    Shelldonix Would definitely suggesting your parents prepare for advance in taking back the house. It seems like it may take up to 2 years to get her out if she fights it hard enough. I'm sure your parents will approach the situation with the same approach as the first time round.
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    OP -Alula I do think they are prepared to take legal actions should she try to stir up drama again. From what I heard from her neighbors (most of them being friends with my parents) she hasn't been the greatest neighbor in the last few years. I bet they would be happy to give a statement if needed to support my parent in getting back the house.
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    Nurum Sounds like she would feel right at home over at /r/landlordlove
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    OP -Alula Haha maybe I should be on the lookout for a post titled « Payed rent for 12 years and they won't give me the house » or something ?
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    ShitOnAReindeer Squatters rights maybe? Yikes.
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    OP -Alula I do think my dad mentionned this.
    via -Alula

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