3 days ago
Renter Bails on $20K Bill, Not Prepared for Landlord's Revenge: 'Thought She Got Away'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A New York City landlord has been applauded for their years-long online campaign to expose a former tenant who stopped paying rent and left their apartment "filthy".
The landlord and original poster (OP), user Buddhany, shared their story on Reddit, explaining how they had rented their furnished Manhattan apartment to a woman from Queensland, Australia.
Although she lacked previous landlord references, the OP noted, "She was gainfully employed, met the financial criteria to qualify, and provided some solid letters of reference."
Seven months into the lease, however, the tenant reportedly stopped paying rent, skipped Housing Court hearings, and then left the country.
"She arrogantly and callously cost me $20,000 in unpaid rent and damages," the OP wrote.
So, the OP plotted their revenge.
Stock image of a residential lease agreement.
Stock image of a residential lease agreement.
Photo by JJ Gouin / Getty Images
The OP explained, "She has a very unique name, so I bought her domain name - let's say her name is Jane Smith, I purchased - and built a website.
"I proceeded to post the details on said website: her photo, an official copy of the financial judgements I won against her (she owes me $16,000 in unpaid rent + $7,000+ in damages) including photos of the filth left in the apartment, the damaged furniture and broken microwave, the notice from the Marshall posted on door with eviction details, details about where she worked and the club she frequents in Queensland to play bridge."
They added that they were very careful to only include facts "so as not to be accused of slander".
'Publicly unmasked'
"I focused on the SEO of the website and managed to have the website be the #1 result when you google her name," the OP wrote.
"Then I sat back and looked at the stats of the website visits, which showed her employer had visited the site."
The OP also said they notified the people who wrote the tenant's letters of reference and received tips from people who had spotted her at conferences.
In a message to Newsweek, the OP said their revenge on the former tenant has been "satisfying".
'Most people are decent human beings'
"I am very surprised that I have not heard from her," the OP noted. "She has outstanding debts with me, and she can run, but she cannot hide...I have been patiently waiting for any attempts at restitution for more than 2 years."
They wrote that the "overwhelmingly positive" comments on Reddit have been "heartwarming".
"Most people are decent human beings, and they despise it when others take advantage and flagrantly violate the law and social norms of human decency," they added.
Reddit Reacts
Reddit users flocked to the comments to weigh in, with many applauding the OP's tenacity.
One wrote, "While we may never be able to become friends, I most assuredly hope to never be your enemy!"
Another added approvingly, "This isn't too far, this is exactly far enough. [People] like her count on the fact that landlords or victims won't have the time or money to fight back. And you said bet."
"This is LITERALLY the VERY BEST revenge outcome I have ever heard of," one Redditor noted. "And you served it cold and aged perfectly."
More Landlord Coverage
Disputes between landlords and tenants are not uncommon, and there are plenty of examples that have attracted online attention.
Newsweek covered a post detailing a young tenant's dispute with their landlord over a security-deposit deduction that went viral on Reddit.
The tenant said the landlord was "super nasty over email" when they asked about the issue: "I sent her the pictures and she ignored them, mentioning that she 'also has picture proof of the uncleanliness'. She must have used a spyglass..."
Not all landlord-tenant relationships end in acrimony, however.
'I was really taken aback'
A landlord in Maine shared a rare find after one of his tenants, who had lived in the same apartment since 1992, moved out and left behind a perfectly cared-for home that stunned him.
"I was really taken aback because it does not look like this place was lived in for 32 years," the landlord, Syed Zafar, told Newsweek.
"It was in such great condition for its use and age."
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