A Los Angeles tenant's shocking conversation with their overseas landlord drew eyes on Reddit.
In the conversation posted to the r/LandlordLove community, a tenant living in the San Fernando Valley revealed their landlord, who lives in France, refused to fix their broken air conditioning system during a dangerous heat wave. The tenant even offered to purchase their own portable AC unit to stay cool.
The landlord's response stunned the Reddit community: "I won't be able to pay to fix the AC and the portable one," they wrote, suggesting the tenant endure sweltering indoor temperatures until October when they could renew their home warranty with coverage for air conditioning. This meant they even asked the tenant to participate in insurance fraud since the home warranty company would have to be told the unit just broke down.
A photo of the home's thermostat tells the rest of the story: Outdoor temperatures soared to 103 degrees, and the indoor temperature reached 88 degrees.
This incident reflects a broader pattern of property owners' preventing tenants from making sustainable choices in their living spaces.
From blocking the installation of energy-efficient appliances to prohibiting money-saving practices such as line-drying clothes or growing gardens, some landlords' restrictions can lead to higher utility bills, severe health risks, and harsh environmental impacts.
The Reddit community rallied around the tenant with both support and practical advice.
"Had similar problem in FL and after informing LL that dog had heart issues and the heat had the sweet dog laid out on floor panting in an alarming fashion, response was can you drive around in your car with the ac on cold?" one user shared.
Another commenter pointed out the landlord's legal obligations: "Yeah that's illegal level temps, the LL simply has to take on debt. It's the 'risk' they assume entering into the LL business and how they justify their existence."
"How are you able to sleep there?!?" a third user wrote. "I can't sleep for s*** if the temp is over 72 degrees."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
