Man asks people to tip their landlords while paying rent, sparking a fierce debate

There are many reasons why people resent their landlords. The reasons varied, from a sudden increase in rent to poor maintenance of the property to invading their privacy, some landlords really test our patience. To top it all, some landlords also fail to maintain clear and open lines of communication with tenants, which eventually contributes to distrust and dissatisfaction. It becomes challenging for tenants to have their concerns addressed or to feel heard. Even worse, some also discriminate against their tenants based on factors such as race, gender, religion, or disability, which is not only morally wrong but also illegal in many jurisdictions. 

Disagreements over security deposit refunds can also be a source of contention between landlords and tenants. Landlords with strict policies can limit personal freedoms or inconvenience tenants in unnecessary ways. Though not all landlords do it, these are problems that are faced by many people. For this reason, when a TikTok user @twoguystakeonrealestate said that landlords must be tipped through a bizarre skit, people disagreed with him. Some claimed that tipping itself is not a good practice while some others said landlords were already making a killing in this housing market.

In the video, we see a tenant wearing a green wig as he completes his payments to his landlord. The tenant in this skit refuses to pay his landlord. “So you’ll tip a barista who pours overpriced coffee into a cup, but not the guy who’s on call 24/7 to make sure you have a safe home?” the “landlord,” asks. “You’ll tip an extra 25% for somebody to carry you a basket of chicken wings, but you won’t tip someone who responds to after-hours emergency calls?” The landlord threatens to hike the gratuity during the next rent increase. “It’s a little tip I learned from 'Two Guys Take on Real Estate,'” he concluded.

Tipping culture in the United States is deeply ingrained and considered a standard practice in many service industries. Tipping is seen as a way to acknowledge and appreciate the service provided by workers, particularly in restaurants, bars, hotels, taxis, hair salons, and other similar establishments. Critics argue that tipping practices can lead to hidden costs for consumers. The expectation of a tip on top of the listed prices can make services more expensive than initially anticipated, impacting budgeting and affordability.

As for paying a tip to the landlord, the internet disagreed completely. On TikTok, @RaptorDaddy commented, "Gratuity for a landlord doing his legal obligation is frankly absurd and likely illegal." @SamFischer commented, "I have needed three repairs on my apartment in three years, and every time my landlord has fought tooth and nail to not do it till I threatened to sue." Whereas, @ZacWRexy commented, "The hard hard life of a landlord, they have to WAIT for your rent money and believe it or not they have to take PHONE CALLS and proceed to do nothin'." While @Whoa came up with an important point, "Tipping also includes the “customer service” if this is the argument you’re starting then include how you speak to a tenant in consideration."

The same video was also uploaded on Twitter by @SaeedDiCaprio, creating outrage on the platform. . @DavidMackayy commented, "Comparing tipping at restaurants where the people make very little money is crazy compared to tipping landlords who have plenty of money from renting properties." @Iety_6_Wave wrote, "It’s funny because I'm pretty sure he decided to do this because he thought being a landlord would make him a lot of money with little knowledge." 

This video made people really furious but also highlighted the issue of how many people struggle with their landlords!