05/05/2025
MY LANDLORD RAISED MY RENT BECAUSE I GOT A PROMOTION—BIG MISTAKE MESSING WITH A SINGLE WORKING MOM OF THREE
I'm a single mom of three—4, 7, and 11—and work full-time in logistics. We live in a modest two-bedroom rental. My kids share a room; I sleep on a pull-out couch. Not ideal, but it's safe and close to school and work.
Our landlord, Frank, thinks owning property makes him a genius. Ignores texts, delays repairs, and once said, "You should be grateful you've got a place at all with all those kids."
Still, I stayed. The rent kept creeping up, but it was manageable—until my promotion. After eight years of showing up early and never using sick days, I became operations manager. The raise wasn't huge, but it meant I could finally say yes to little things for kids—field trips, cereal that isn't store brand, shoes that fit.
I posted a small LinkedIn update:
"Proud to say I've been promoted to Operations Manager. Hard work pays off."
Two days later, I got this email: "Rental Adjustment Notice."
Frank was raising my rent by $500. No improvements. No reason. Just:
"Saw your little promotion post—congrats! Figured now's the perfect time to squeeze a bit more out of you."
I called him. "Why now?"
His response: "You wanted a career and a bunch of kids—that comes with bills. You're not broke anymore, so don't expect charity. This is business, not a daycare."
Now, I could've gone to housing services. I could've called a lawyer.
But I had a better idea. One that would cost me nothing… and teach Frank everything.
I knew two things about Frank:
1. He was lazy. ⬇️
