When Your Best Friend Is Your Landlord

Have you ever imagined a situation where your landlord is actually your best friend; be it childhood friend, buddy, colleague or even your ex-course mate? What are the advantages and implications of this sort of relationship? Find answers to the questions raised in this article

Given that landlords wield so much power over their tenants, you’d think anyone who’s actually friends with his landlord is on the right course? Well, all may not be that well with this sort of relationship. Sure, there are upsides, but there can be drawbacks as well.

I have been in this sort of situation before and all I can say is that the experience felt like I was both in heaven and hell.

Here are the pros and cons of having your landlord as your best friend or buddy

1. Pro: Your rent may not go up

If you and your landlord are buddies you may not have to pay so much for rent. It’s possible you don’t even pay as much as the other tenants do. And when a rent hike comes knocking, he may most likely pass over your door.

Also, you are immune to frequent disturbance and threats as it is the norm when your rent is due. Very few tenants enjoy such privileges, so you should count yourself lucky that your buddy is the Landlord.

Con: When it does, your friendship may not feel so warm and fuzzy

On the flip side, what happens when your landlord “pal” decides to jack up rent on your once reasonably priced apartment? Suffice it to say, your friendship will likely go down the drains

2. Pro: When something in your apartment breaks, he’ll rush to repair it

One thing about being friends with your landlord: he’s basically on your speed dial. You can call on him whenever you have a problem with the facilities in your apartment regardless of how often you do that. Usually, he would or should make it his priority. A buddy won’t be happy that you have issues with the apartment he rented out to you. So, he will probably be at your beck and call.

Con: Or he’ll let repairs slide, because you’re pals

Of course the flip side is when your buddy is the landlord he may just overlook any facility palaver that comes from his friend because he feels the friend will be more forgiving if he doesn’t get to it.

3. Pro: It feels like you’re coming ‘home’ to a family

If your landlord lives in the building and you’re close with him and his family, it starts to feel less like renting from some abstract entity and more like being part of a clan.

Con: Like family, a landlord can annoy the hell out of you

So yeah, he’s your buddy and your landlord, but that doesn’t mean he suddenly has an all-access pass to your abode, right?

Some landlord can totally take the friendship tad far and begin walking into your apartment at will, worse still at any time of the day because you are buddies

4. Pro: Landlords who are friends can come to your rescue fast

You’ll always know there is someone you can call if you’re, say, face to face with a life threatening situation you can’t deal with.

Con: Landlords who are friends may not always take your concerns seriously

And then sometimes, if a landlord knows you and your buttons, he can more easily brush you off as being overly dramatic.

5. Pro: If you’re lonely, you’ve got instant company

Home should be someplace you’re happy, and when you’re friends with your landlord, it can lead to awesome times.

Con: If they have money issues, it could affect you

In all, if you have a close buddy that is a landlord it simply means you should be a landlord too. After all they say birds of the same plumage flock together.