One renter alleged he was charged hundreds of dollars for an apartment to be cleaned after he moved out and left behind one item.
TikTok user and Ohio native Mason (@investedinife) made his feelings about the situation known in a video that has amassed over 222,700 views as of publication.
“My landlord looking me dead in the eyes, explaining how I’m being charged $375 for leaving behind a shower curtain after I moved out,” text overlaid on the short clip read.
The caption appeared to be the explanation the TikToker was reportedly given about the charge.
“Well our professional cleaning team had to take the time to remove the large debris,” it read.
In the comments section, many shared their own move-out horror stories.
“I got charged a carpet cleaning AND a carpet replacement fee,” user Case wrote. “I was like uh, no, pick one.”
“My previous landlord told me not to cancel the electric so that he could switch it back to his name,” user Trenton said. “Bro never did and I started getting charged for the next tenants electric.”
“I don’t clean when moving apartments anymore,” user Eddie said. “I still get charged a ‘cleaning fee’ after leaving the place spotless.”
@investedinlife “Well our professional cleaning team had to take the time to remove the large debris” #collegelife #budgeting #rentaltips ♬ original sound – MarcellShotYa
Many TikTokers have used the platform to expose landlords and talk about their move-out experiences. A few months ago, one woman alleged she was overcharged by thousands of dollars on her rent for a year. She discovered the landlord’s misdeeds after reaching out to the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal to inquire about how much she should have been charged for her rent-stabilized apartment. Others have gone viral for detailing the lengths they go to in order to leave their rental spotless and get back their security deposit.
TikToks about “Landlord special” repairs (quick, DIY apartment fixes) have also been popular and the subject of many viral videos.
There are a multitude of laws to protect tenants from unscrupulous landlords. For example, in Ohio, deductions from a renter’s security deposit can only be made for unpaid rent or the cost to repair damages brought on by negligence. Landlords must also pay renters interest on their deposit if they’ve resided in a property for over six months and paid over $50 for a security deposit.
The Daily Dot reached out to Mason for comment via email.
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