Landlord's unlivable conditions forced tenant to move-out — but not before exacting a quiet revenge that scared off new tenants
Small frustrations can spark surprisingly clever solutions, as shown in a recent incident. A Reddit post shared by a user, who goes by the handle u/regular6drunk7, on December 13, 2025, told the story of a friend who had dealt with a landlord who repeatedly ignored complaints, eventually forcing him to move out. But before leaving, he managed an act of revenge that left every new renter hesitant to move in.
The tenant had endured months of frustration with the landlord, who rarely followed through on promises. "He lived in an apartment with a landlord who was completely unresponsive." When he occasionally took calls, he “always sounded sympathetic and promised action, but very little ever came of it,” the user wrote. Heating was out for weeks in winter. Eventually, the tenant found a new apartment and gave notice to move out, leaving the landlord unaware of the quiet plan that was about to unfold.
The landlord then asked if a photographer could come in to take pictures of the apartment for sale, and the tenant agreed without hesitation. The day before the scheduled photography session, the tenant decided to rearrange the living room furniture. "My friend decided to get in a little, very petty revenge." Couches and chairs that had been pushed against the walls were moved closer to the center of the room, about eight inches inward. The effect was subtle yet noticeable, making the small apartment feel much more cramped. The user described, “The apartment wasn't very large to begin with, but now it looked absolutely cramped and gave the impression that you would have a hard time moving around in there.” The move required no confrontation, just a clever manipulation of space that left a lasting visual impact.
Once the photos were taken, the impact on potential renters was immediate. The apartment lingered on the market for weeks, with many avoiding it entirely. The Reddit user noted, “A month or so later, the apartment was still on the market because who wants to live in a cramped little shoebox?” Many internet users were clearly amused by the idea and eagerly shared their reactions. u/UnderstandingOld4276 wrote, "Well played and deservedly so." u/HTired5678 mentioned, "This also confirms that the landlord can't be bothered to pay any attention. If he had looked at the pictures closely even once, he would likely have noticed something at least a little bit off." u/Cute_Recognition_880 exclaimed, "Excellent revenge!"
Everyone encounters difficult landlords from time to time, and another incident shows just how frustrating it can get. A tenant found herself paying high rent while her landlord imposed unfair rules and ignored basic maintenance, leaving her with little choice but to take action. Using her experience at the Rental Housing Tribunal, she presented evidence of broken appliances and unauthorized entries. As she said, "They had no actual defense for our water heater being out for 6 months or us not having a fridge for a year." In the end, she was granted nine months of free rent and finally moved out victorious.