Tenant desperately texted landlord 'I can't make rent' after losing job offer. His reply left him sobbing in his car

A fresh graduate (u/softenthusiasm3833) lost a job opportunity just a few weeks before joining. They immediately started applying for other jobs, but nothing was working in their favor. On top of that, rent was overdue, and the tenant had no money in their bank account. Anxious, they texted their landlord, but his unexpected response left them sobbing for hours. The tenant discussed the heartfelt incident on March 25, and the Reddit post has garnered 132k upvotes so far.

The tenant shared that they graduated in May with a job opportunity lined up, but lost it just two weeks before their joining date. At first, they didn't inform their landlord and started job hunting. In fact, they applied to over 60 jobs, but nothing worked out. They were already worried about their finances, and the rent, overdue by 24 days, just added to their stress. Worried, they looked at their savings, only to find $214 left in the account.

Somehow, the tenant mustered the courage to inform Mr. Kaplan, their landlord, about the situation. "I am so sorry to reach out like this. I know rent was due on the 1st. I lost my job offer before I even started...I have only $214 to my name right now. I completely understand if you need to start the process [of eviction]. I just wanted to be honest with you instead of going silent," they texted.

Mr. Kaplan responded, but not in the way the tenant had expected. "Don't worry about this month. Pay me when you're working again — no interests, no late fees, nothing in writing unless you want me to. I was 24 once, and it was brutal," the landlord said. Moreover, Mr. Kaplan informed the tenant that his wife usually makes extra soup and offered to leave some outside their door. Overwhelmed, the tenant couldn't control their tears, and the incident probably changed their perspective on kindness forever. 

Mr. Kaplan is a rare exception when it comes to landlords. He is a kind, empathetic, and truly amazing man who leads life with dignity and compassion. Unlike him, more than half of America has landlords who leave no opportunity to trouble the tenants. A LendingTree survey of over 2,000 respondents found that 58% of renters have had at least one landlord that they didn't like, and 25% reported disliking their current one.

While the majority (68%) were unhappy about the maintenance, a little more than half of the respondents (53%) complained about communication issues, and 42% reported a lack of respect for professionalism. Additionally, 31% of renters said a landlord entered their home without permission, and 21% have had a legal dispute with their landlord.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Reddit post, u/regardkick commented, "I'm so glad that you have them (the landlord and his wife) in your life. I'm also proud of you for sending that text. It had to feel really bad, and it would have been so easy to hide. That takes metaphorical balls, and not everyone could or would." Similarly, u/saltyowl2113 suggested, "What a gemstone. If you ever move out, many years from now, you need to make sure that you stay in touch and let him know how much this meant to you."

u/minimum_tomato4324 said, "Say a prayer or good thought for him, and once you get a job, make sure you pay him maybe a little extra. He is a good soul in this world, and I hope he knows it. Too many people would have pushed you out or responded coldly. He most likely knows you're a good kid and you have your head on your shoulders. Keep it that way!"

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