Tenant allows 13 apartment showings over 3 months, later discovers why their landlord doesn't seem interested in renting the unit: ‘This feels extremely unfair’

Cata Holmes • Writer

Jul 2, 2026 2:30 PM EDT

What happens when a landlord's business needs clash with a tenant's daily life?

What an awkward situation... This tenant made her best efforts to help her landlord rent the place she's leaving in July by being super accommodating when people came to check it out. In total, the apartment was shown 13 times. 13 times she had to leave her home with her dog so people wouldn't get frightened by it. However, there was one thing that struck her: nobody was interested in her apartment, but kept renting other units… that are the same. I don't want to spoil what happened and the landlord's excuse; I'll let you find out this information by yourself.

I'm a renter, and I live in a big building that belongs to the same landlord. I have a great relationship with him, and I would never want to ruin that bond by trying to make the place look bad or untidy whenever people are coming to see it. So, I'm totally with the OP here. As a consequence, I'd expect the landlord to be respectful of my time and my efforts, and try to rent the place as fast as possible, so I can stop receiving these visits.

If this is not the case, I'd most certainly confront him and demand an answer as to why he keeps arranging visits - sometimes with less than 24-hour notice - and not having a single offer. Without a doubt, there must be something fishy behind it. The community in r/Tenant supported the OP and shared some interesting advice.

Prospective renter walking through an empty apartment, taking in the space with a focused and curious look while viewing the property, as shown by a model.

I live in an apartment complex with identical units. I'm moving out in late July, and informed my landlord on 3/25. Since then, he has shown my apartment 13 separate times, often with barely 24 hours notice.

I have an aggressive dog, so I have to make sure I'm home for every showing. I take my dog outside and walk him around while they show the place, which is usually ~30 minutes. He has been accommodating of my availability thus far and has understood that I haven't been able to host showings certain days due to work conflicts.

However, at around showing #10, I began to wonder why my place hadn't been rented yet. I googled my address and saw that it was actually listed as "off market". I also have pet cameras in my house that run 24/7, so I scrolled back through the footage and found a clip of my landlord telling prospective tenants that "this unit is rented, but every other available unit is identical"!

Obviously I can't use this recording as proof of anything legally, but it showed me that he is using my unit as a "model unit" even though it has already been rented. This feels extremely unfair, especially given that I have to rearrange my day in order for them to show my unit.

I recently had a big shift in my work schedule, and told my landlord that I won't be available to host showings for two full weeks in July. I also told him that it was "my understanding that my unit has been rented based on a google search, so I'd prefer if they showed available units instead".

He responded that my unit has definitely not been rented, and has proceeded to schedule several future showings during the weeks I told him I will explicitly not be available. He has shifted his attitude to not being accommodating of my schedule at all, stating that he has a right to enter the property at all times with reasonable notice.

Which is true, but I feel this is unfair since my unit is not for rent anymore.

I simply cannot have him enter my home while I'm not there, as my dog poses a bite risk, and I'm not leaving him crated for 8+ hours a day. He is insisting on showing my house anyways anytime he gives me 24 hours notice, and will not respect my boundaries.

Am I being unreasonable by asking for him to work with my schedule? I've already allowed them to show the unit 13 times. I even told him that I'm moving out two weeks early and that he can have free range of the unit once I'm gone.

I feel like I'm backed into a corner. I've never had to endure more than 5-6 showings for a rental unit before, and this feels so excessive and ride, especially knowing that he's blatantly lying to and using me. Thanks for listening, any advice would be appreciated.

Real estate agent showing property details to a couple, with both leaning in and smiling as they review information together, as shown by models.

In the comment sections, Redditors were pretty mad at the landlord for wasting the tenant's time with the number of showings. If he's not willing to rent the place, just show the ones that are available and don't waste anyone's time.

OldGeekWeirdo Since your unit is being used as a model, it's time to make it less of a model. How messy and disgusting can you be without damaging the apartment itself? Start by arranging the furniture in really strange ways.

Early-Light-864 Whatever you do, do NOT announce in writing that your aggressive dog is a bite risk. That's a liability nightmare for you.

Mystery_Dragonfly Do Not put any notice or anything in writing that your dog is aggressive or a bite risk. Stop keeping the apartment cleaned for showings, lots of clean cups on counters, coffee tables, dishes set out not put away, cookware nilly, push seating into the walking paths of the place, don't make your bed, leave laundry on the floor in the bedroom, bathroom and living room

SadExercises420 I bet if you make it a pigsty for the next showing, that'll be the last

No_Text_4500 Tell him if he is doing showings in your apartment you are not paying rent. That it is interfering with work and putting your dog in harms way. There is no way that is legal

WinstonChaychell "oh man, I hope you guys rent this place! You know you guys are number 15 so far. I wonder what the hold up is?" Use the "Midwestern Mom" voice (or as my kids say, "camp counselor voice" lol) but be as weird as possible

North-Tomatillo9158 I mean, you are moving, so just cover the whole floor with empty moving boxes. You can keep them flat against the wall while you are home, and when you get that text just pop them open so it's hard to walk around. Make sure to leave some in front of all interior doors. Put a heavy bag of dog food in one by the door on your way out.

Couple listening carefully to a real estate agent, with thoughtful expressions suggesting they are weighing an important housing decision, as shown by models.

North-Purpose-2773 Tell him straight out I recorded you saying this one is rented, call him out on the lie

Mandiezie1 I'd change the locks for the duration of the stay. You might even have a case based on your video as it isn't illegal how you obtained the video. Make sure you have a copy of the listing that says its rented

Having a good relationship with your landlord is very important if you like the place where you live. But that relationship has to be maintained and respected from both sides: if one of them is not willing to be respectful of the other's time and efforts, then better to lose them than to keep them… At least, that's what I think.

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Tenant allows 13 apartment showings over 3 months, later discovers why their landlord doesn't seem interested in renting the unit: ‘This feels extremely unfair’

What happens when a landlord's business needs clash with a tenant's daily life?

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