'Landlords maliciously complianced themselves': Upstairs roommates decide to buy the building and become terrible landlords, try to call tenant’s bluff but end up in trouble with the law

When it comes to landlords, most renters can tell you they fall somewhere on a wide and wild spectrum. On one end, you've got the overbearing micromanagers who show up unannounced, slap you with surprise fines, and treat rent like it's Monopoly money. On the other end, you've got the ghost landlords, the ones you've never laid eyes on despite living in their property for years. Personally, I prefer the latter. My landlord and I have only ever communicated via text, and honestly, that's the perfect arrangement. No awkward encounters, no hovering, no drama... just rent paid and life goes on.

But not everyone is so lucky. Some tenants get landlords who are equal parts clueless and power-hungry, a truly dangerous combo. Take, for example, this story of upstairs neighbors who decided to buy the building they lived in and crown themselves landlords. They had no idea that renting out apartments comes with actual legal responsibilities.