Landlord Perplexed By Backlash To Her Rule Forbidding Tenants From Having Overnight Guests
People think she should get a job.
Rocketclips, Inc./Shutterstock If you happen to end up with a terrible landlord, they can make your life miserable. Living in someone’s home takes away some of your autonomy as an adult, giving you déjà vu from your teen years under your parents’ roof.
On the other hand, a great landlord can become like an extended family member. You pay your rent on time and they treat you with fairness, dignity, and respect.
A landlord by the name of Eileen Wood shared from her now-deleted social media account to ask if it was okay to make a stunning demand from her tenant.
The landlord asked if she could forbid her tenant from having overnight guests.
In the tweet, Wood told readers that she have explicitly laid out that her tenant is the only person who is allowed to occupy the home. She is concerned that he often has company stay overnight.
Wood also claims they are “loud and up all night.” So, she sent him a text message telling him that no one should be spending the night in the home.
Commenters were quick to rebuke the intrusive landlord.
People were not amused by her overstepping her boundaries. One commenter wrote, “Why is this the same writing style of every landlord?” [They ask] “Is that ok?” While making totally unhinged demands.”
Wood’s profile listed her as ‘self-employed’ since 2006. Users implied that she was counting on her tenants to pay her bills. Some even thought she needed to go get a job so she didn’t have so much time on her hands.
The post was also shared on God.Dailydot where more responses about the invasive landlord were shared.
One person believed it was clear that Wood didn’t have a clue about the laws surrounding landlord-tenant relationships. They added what they knew about the legalities. stating that a tenant can't stay longer than two weeks.
In the comments, section subscribers shared their takes on Woods's behavior. One person posted, “You can’t tell a grown adult that they can’t have interaction with other human beings inside a property they pay you for.”
Someone else said, “What do you think this is, kindergarten? Who the h-ll do you think you are telling them who they can and can’t have over and for how long they are allowed to stay?”
Others suggested that Wood give up being a landlord altogether and limit herself to hanging out with only animals.
Landlord-Tenant laws vary by state, but there are guest-related terms that can be added to your lease.
Wood might be a nuisance to her tenant, but there are some rights that she has as a landlord when laying down the law about guests on her property.
The Federal Fair Housing Act does not address whether or not a landlord can ban guests for any reason. It does, however, prohibit landlords from being discriminatory in any way toward their tenants.
With that said, your landlord can write terms on how long a guest can stay and at what point they become a tenant in the lease, so it is important to review the small print before signing.
Nevertheless, the law gives tenants the right to ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the property they are renting as well as privacy.
If, in fact, the music is loud, they may be violating other tenants’ rights while simultaneously having their own privacy infringed on by Wood.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.