# You rent the place, you did not fucking buy it! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 18, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640 "2007-09-18T18:42:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/1 "2007-09-18T18:42:37Z")
Arghhh If you haven’t tuned in to my multiple rants on this subject, here’s a recap: I rent a small apartment for short-term stays. It has given me my share of grief. The newest one: self-declared ultra-religious lady rents the apartment. She leaves, and with her various items from the apartment and she left the brand-new computer in the apartment broken. This is the last straw. I am fucking selling the place. I think whatever little faith I had in humanity is gone today. What the hell is wrong with people who, because the are renting a place, decide that taking things or breaking them was part of the deal? Do they really need to take kitchen utensils? And towels? Do they need to run every electrical appliance non-stop, just because the power bill is included? WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/2 "2007-09-18T18:58:55Z")
I don’t really have a dog in this fight but, why was there a computer there in the first place? I might could understand a wireless router in a locked closet, but not a working computer out in the open. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/3 "2007-09-18T18:59:21Z")
Don’t you have them leave a deposit from which you can subtract the value of these items? I have never rented a furnished apartment but leases I’ve signed have often had several pages of damage values (i.e for burnt out bulbs even!) that would come out of my deposit. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/4 "2007-09-18T19:04:17Z")
She was coming to work for some relief org or something. Complete idiot that I am I But really, why do people steal things from hotels and rental places? I know, I know. That was a rhetorical question. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/5 "2007-09-18T19:18:52Z")
Why not steal? It’s a business; they’ll just write it off anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/6 "2007-09-18T19:27:22Z")
I’m wondering about the above questions too. Why was there a computer there, and do they not pay a deposit? Why not make the computer an option? Extra $500 deposit to use the computer while they’re there or something. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/7 "2007-09-18T19:35:22Z")
Is that the computer you put in for that last douchebag? 'Cause we toldya. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/8 "2007-09-18T19:37:58Z")
It’s called “wear and tear.” Get over yourself - you’re clearly not fit to be a landlord. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/9 "2007-09-18T19:44:00Z")
[QUOTE=VCO3] It’s called “wear and tear.” Get over yourself - you’re clearly not fit to be a landlord. [/QUOTE] Stealing kitchen utensils and towels doesn’t fall under any definition of ‘wear and tear’ I’ve ever heard of. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/10 "2007-09-18T19:45:50Z")
Self control, people. Ignore it. Mighty\_Girl, take a page from the 80s… trust but verify. Mandate an appropriate deposit. ---
**Author:** ![Swampwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Swampwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swampwolf)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/11 "2007-09-18T19:46:23Z")
[QUOTE=VCO3] It’s called “wear and tear.” Get over yourself - you’re clearly not fit to be a landlord. [/QUOTE] It’s called “vandalism and theft.” Get over _yourself_ - you’re clearly not fit. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/12 "2007-09-18T19:48:20Z")
What religious organization does she belong to? “Sticky Fingers for Jesus”? “Jehovah’s Burglars?” “Thievin’ Day Adventists?” ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/13 "2007-09-18T19:50:38Z")
I take it from the later comments this is wrong. She leaves, and with her various items from the apartment and she left the brand-new computer in the apartment broken This is right. She leaves, with my various items from the apartment and broke the brand-new computer in the apartment. Bitch! I added the last because you seemed to need that feeling to be spoken. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/14 "2007-09-18T19:51:31Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] Self control, people. Ignore it. Mighty\_Girl, take a page from the 80s… trust but verify. Mandate an appropriate deposit. [/QUOTE] Depending on your juristiction, “damage deposits” may be illegal. I live in Toronto, in Ontario it is illegal to require a damage deposit from tenants. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/15 "2007-09-18T20:00:27Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Is that the computer you put in for that last douchebag? **'Cause we toldya.** 😉 [/QUOTE] And you were right. > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by VCO3 > It’s called “wear and tear.” Get over yourself - you’re clearly not fit to be a landlord. Plenty things have broken that I never complain about. I know wear and tear. Taking things with you that you did not buy is not wear and tear. Even I (atheist) know that it’s wrong to take things that don’t belong to you. I’ve never taken so much as a shower cap from a hotel. It’s use it or leave it. Of course YM (and moral values) MV. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/16 "2007-09-18T20:12:05Z")
Btw, “Ignore it” was in reference to post #8, which seems to reflect a bit of a pattern. You seem like a wonderful landlord. Goodness knows that for short term rentals especially, not having to go purchase all those items you mentioned is usually a welcome relief and appreciable convenience. Folks do exist that’ll treat you as well as you treat them but, obviously, they’re not the rule. Are damage deposits legal where you reside? I think most people who don’t plan on any funny business understand their necessity and for those who don’t, maybe it’ll be what they need to either go elsewhere or to fly right. ---
**Author:** ![nonymouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@nonymouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonymouse)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/17 "2007-09-18T20:13:42Z")
[QUOTE=VCO3] It’s called “wear and tear.” Get over yourself - you’re clearly not fit to be a landlord. [/QUOTE] This is why we can’t have nice things. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/18 "2007-09-18T20:19:08Z")
[QUOTE=nonymouse] This is why we can’t have nice things. [/QUOTE] You can’t have nice things because **VCO3** is a dick? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/19 "2007-09-18T20:19:37Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] Self control, people. Ignore it. Mighty\_Girl, take a page from the 80s… trust but verify. Mandate an appropriate deposit. [/QUOTE] Or from the US Army, “Be nice to everyone you meet, but have a plan to kill them.” ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640/20 "2007-09-18T20:20:40Z")
My response was wrong, and I apologize. I’ve been traumatized by deposit-stealing landlords who don’t understand the meaning of “normal wear and tear” in the past over things like white carpet not being in “brand new” condition after 3+ years. Forgive me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-rent-the-place-you-did-not-fucking-buy-it/419640.md?page=2)