Money: Today, after spending two weeks renovating my room and $1000...

By Anonymous - 15/11/2010 12:06 - Netherlands

Today, after spending two weeks renovating my room and $1000 on paint and a new floor, my landlord told me that he's sold the house. Also, he was kind enough to inform me that unless I paint the walls back to white, I won't be getting my $500 deposit back. FML

I agree, your life sucks 26 398

You deserved it 19 752

Labour Day: Rest or Disaster?
Find out how a day off can turn into a series of hilarious, unexpected events. More…

Previous FML Next FML

Same thing different taste

By scottyboy - 01/10/2016 07:58

Today, I started packing up the flat I have been renting. As I took a picture off the wall I also ripped half the wallpaper. That's my deposit gone. FML

I agree, your life sucks 10 625

You deserved it 1 671

My new house

By Anonymous - 22/01/2013 08:27 - New Zealand - Wainuiomata

Today, I bought my first house, blowing nearly all my savings on the deposit. I had left myself enough for just a couple of necessary bits of furniture. It turns out the previous owner completely stripped the house when he left, taking the oven and even the toilet with him, amongst other things. FML

I agree, your life sucks 36 448

You deserved it 13 478

By That escalated quickly. - 28/08/2017 20:00

Today, I was excited by the thought of the bathroom in my rental being replaced after the plumber advised that the leak can't be easily fixed. Instead, the owner has decided to fully renovate and is kicking me out. FML

I agree, your life sucks 3 957

You deserved it 322

By Sad_homeowners - 20/10/2016 15:45 - United States - Pierre

Today, I'm still not living in the house I fought so hard to buy three months ago. As I was fixing a hole in the wall, I found black mold covering the back side of my drywall. On every wall. I can't afford to fix it. FML

I agree, your life sucks 12 310

You deserved it 1 430

By Anonymous - 17/10/2009 04:27 - United States

Today, my landlady decided to fix the leak in my room. Her solution was repainting the ceiling. Now not only is my room still wet but it now reeks of paint thinner. FML

I agree, your life sucks 27 640

You deserved it 1 993

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

By Anonymous - 17/07/2022 01:00 - United Kingdom

Today, after my housemate handed in his notice to vacate without telling me beforehand, I had few days whilst working to make a decision to stay or vacate. In a panic, I chose vacate. On my day off I sat down with my finances and discovered I can't afford elsewhere. I asked to stay, my landlord put up rent by 50%. I might now become homeless. FML

I agree, your life sucks 962

You deserved it 233

I like what you've done with the place

By Scammed - 05/06/2016 18:26 - Mexico - Mexicali

Today, a week after spending most of my paycheck on a down-payment and rent on a new apartment, I found out the "landlord" I paid was a scammer. Turns out the real owner was away on vacation, and he'd stolen most of her stuff before showing me the place. FML

I agree, your life sucks 15 790

You deserved it 1 391

By Stevarious - 10/07/2015 15:49 - United States - Sacramento

Today, I was finally starting to relax after a stressful and expensive move, where I had to give up half my belongings and furniture, as well as my cat. All the stress came rushing back as my new landlord told me that he's selling the building and I've got 30 days to vacate. FML

I agree, your life sucks 28 407

You deserved it 2 283

By Anonymous - 23/05/2012 06:26 - United States

Today, my girlfriend broke up with me after my check cleared for my half of the $1000 deposit on our new apartment. FML

I agree, your life sucks 25 246

You deserved it 2 374

Social parasite #7887889098

By Good tenant - 03/05/2019 23:00 - United Kingdom - Consett

Today, my landlord increase my rent because of the "increased value of the flat". Why has the value increased? Because I decorated and replaced the broken fixtures. FML

I agree, your life sucks 2 445

You deserved it 171

LoveINKs 0

Monday 15 November 2010 19:11

why would you spend that money replace you rent anyways YDI

Xquisite1 28

Monday 15 November 2010 19:12

ydi, for making changes to a place that inlt yours

Comments

Honesty4U 0

Monday 15 November 2010 19:46

I thought it was common sense that you can't paint walls that you rent…

rasellersjr 0

Tuesday 16 November 2010 6:37

Sometimes common sense is not as common as some would think....

trey_prakash 0

Wednesday 8 December 2010 9:28

actually u can

whiterabbit420 4

Tuesday 16 August 2011 17:49

Actually it depends on your lease, but most places are ok with painting as long as u paint back. My complex allows u to paint and u can leave it as long as it can be covered easily,

sallen0046 4

Monday 15 November 2010 19:51

Why would you renovate any rental you don't have a long term lease on that states the owner won't sell until your contract is up? On top of that, who puts new flooring in only one room of a house? Most rentals require you to paint the walls white before you leave or they don't return your deposit. Don't blame the owner because you didn't research your rental agreement and made unapproved renovations.

Tancaliel 12

Monday 15 November 2010 20:20

Given that OP is from the Netherlands and apparently only renting a single room, I suspect that by "room" they actually mean "dorm" (the Dutch word is the same for both). In that case, it's likely that OP rented the room completely bare, ie. just cement for a floor... meaning you are actually *supposed* to renovate it yourself. Well, unless you prefer to live on a bare cement floor, I guess. :P That being said, I have no idea why you'd want to spend $1000 renovating your (short term lease) dorm O.o I just moved into my own dorm last week (that I have a long term lease for) and spent $90 on the cheapest wooden floor I could find plus $50 on basic paint. Works just fine :)

TheIrishJaneDoe 8

Monday 15 November 2010 22:11

Hey 18, maybe you can answer this: In the Netherlands, is it even legal for a renter to be kicked out after a sale? I'd look it up myself, but I had a hard enough time finding US laws about this, and I'm guessing most of the relevant info will be in Dutch anyway. I ask because I wouldn't have a problem putting some cash and elbow grease into a rental, as long as the rent was low enough, and I had a reasonable expectation of a long-term rental. But I wouldn't do it if I knew the house was for sale and I could get booted soon.

LilaBear 1

Wednesday 17 November 2010 11:58

18 - if the OP meant 'dorm', then why didn't they just say 'dorm'? They wrote the post in English, not Dutch. Also, it says the landlord sold the 'house'. Which makes it sound like they weren't renting a 'dorm'.

Tancaliel 12

Wednesday 17 November 2010 15:01

#76 - Because they might not have known there was a separate word for "dorm" in English? Who knows. Also, many student houses in the Netherlands are just that -- regular family houses, with all (say 2 to 5) bedrooms being rented out separately as dorms and the students sharing the house's original kitchen and bathroom. Besides, even if it was a regular (non-dorm) room, the conditions in which you get those are often the same (ie. stripped bare). #32 - Not really an expert on our laws, but according to #29 and #44 below, sale of the house does not invalidate the tenants' contracts. So unless OP had a short term lease that happened to run out at around the same time, or there was a clause in it stating the lease would be terminated by sale of the house, I guess she can't actually be kicked out.

stayc0103 0

Monday 15 November 2010 19:57

well since you are pretty much screwed on the money for the new white paint which I dunno how much you will spend but why not just **** the walls up...black or red paint is the hardest to cover up just buy a bucket and draw on every wall also you can buy bugs so why not infest the house! lol fyl

ImaginaryFoe 0

Monday 15 November 2010 20:05

Don't know how it is in the Netherlands but where I live, that will land you in court. OP violated the lease; that's not the landlord's fault.

skyeyez9 24

Monday 15 November 2010 20:12

I would never paint a rental home. What's the point? It isn't your house, plus when you move, you wasted $1000.

breenntt 0

Monday 15 November 2010 20:22

what?? who uses dollars in the netherlands?

Callyn 47

Monday 15 November 2010 20:24

Did you even talk to the landlord before you renovated your place? It certainly sounds like you didn't. Why would you ever spend $1000 on renovating a rental?

mike3775 35

Monday 15 November 2010 20:27

NEVER EVER do anything in a rented house/apartment without first letting the landlord/owner know. I have been dragged to court several times for refusing to return security deposits when tenants moved out and they had repainted the walls in every single room to what they wanted. If they ask ahead of time, no big deal honestly, as long as its colors I have no issue with.