A tenant posted on Reddit to share the message they received from their landlord, who was offering them the opportunity to serve as a resident manager responsible for the entire property in exchange for a small monthly rent credit.
On its face, the offer sounds compelling. Who doesn’t want a rent credit each month, especially considering how expensive housing costs have become in recent years? The problem was that the landlord wasn’t exactly offering a credit that reflected just how much work the manager position would entail, and they weren’t willing to negotiate.
A landlord offered their tenant the opportunity to be a ‘resident manager’ in charge of the entire property for a $30 monthly rent credit.
“Hi. Would you have any interest in being the resident manager for a credit of $30 per month? You would be responsible for taking trash to the curb and then lawn and snow care,” the landlord wrote in a text to their tenant. “There is a lawn mower on site so that is provided. Can you please let me know ASAP if this would interest you going forward?”
The tenant explained that they live in a three-unit building, with one unit vacant and the other rented by an elderly gentleman. The rent is $1,265, and the resident manager’s responsibilities include shoveling snow on the front walkway and a good portion of the sidewalk (about 30 minutes of work) and mowing the lawn (about an hour of work).
“Now adding sweeping/vacuum. I’m assuming they would want me to do the laundry room as well, total time would be 45-60 minutes,” he continued. “I’m going to eventually get all of this in writing if they offer me something reasonable. I plan to ask about liability as far as injuries go.”
The landlord was only willing to raise the credit to $50 a month.
In a follow-up text, the tenant questioned the initial $30 credit, noting that it didn’t seem like enough for the work required. They asked how often the lawn would need to be maintained and requested more information about the other responsibilities.
The landlord said the lawn would need to be mowed every couple of weeks, and a shovel would be provided. As the responsibilities and frequency increased, the landlord seemed to realize $30 wasn’t going to cut it and instead offered $50 in rent credit.
While the tenant seemed open to taking the job, people in the comments section of his Reddit post argued that the increase to $50 isn’t much of a difference from $30. For a small building with so few tenants, the responsibilities might not be overwhelming, but all that is being asked of the tenant should come with better compensation.
The landlord seems to be taking advantage of tenants who are probably struggling with housing costs.
DimaBerlin | Shutterstock
It’s no secret that housing costs are high. The problem is that income hasn’t kept up with inflation, and simply put, people can barely afford to live. Any reduction in rent might seem appealing in light of the economy, but as many Reddit commenters noted, even $50 is abysmal.
To put it into perspective, Angi estimated that the average cost of a landscaper just to mow is $123. Obviously, the size of the lawn and the work required would affect the price, but when a landlord offers $50 per month to mow, shovel, sweep, and vacuum common areas, it’s clear they are taking advantage of someone who might be struggling financially.
An estimated 64% of single people struggle to afford their regular rent or mortgage payments, compared with 39% of married people, according to a recent Redfin survey conducted by Ipsos. If a landlord offers tenants the chance to reduce their rent in an economy where people are already struggling, the compensation should be fair.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
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