Imagine moving into an apartment, but you’re never given a contract to sign that states how much rent you pay and when. Would you be okay with a verbal agreement?

In this story, one renter is pretty frustrated when he finds himself in this situation, but he quickly realizes that it could actually work in his favor.

Keep reading to see how the story plays out.

No rentbook? No rent then.

A very long time ago when a week’s rent was closer to what you’d pay for lunch now I was recently returned to my home country with my new partner, and near broke.

We were trying to save money to buy our first house and as a first rental we took a small basement for a few months … and soon outgrew it as we acquired more furniture for our hoped-for new home.

Since we needed a bigger space we found a flat that was twice as big, twice as old, and 50% more rent.

Our budget was going to take a hit, but we were young & happy, and the new flat had a lot more sunshine than our previous basement deal.

Now we get to the problem.

There was one minor problem though – our landlord.

It’s not like he was getting in our faces or making unreasonable demands … or whatever it is other bad landlords do.

This guy was just not bothering to supply us with a rent book or any sort of agreement or contract.

I didn’t think it was really his fault, as he seemed to be henpecked and under the thumb of his wife who had him running their businesses while she … spent the money and dodged the taxman, presumably.

The landlord wasn’t concerned about the lack of rentbook.

I asked him for a contract and rentbook when we signed up, and when I collected the keys a few days later, but I always got the same story – “I’ll have them for you next time”.

Next time I asked the same question was two weeks later when I paid the next fortnight’s rent, and again after we’d been there for four weeks.

So, I get it … we’re never getting a rent book, so I’ll stop asking.

Another two weeks roll by, and for some reason (presumably because of not having a rent book) I just forgot to go to his shop to pay him. Late the next week I realise I’ve screwed up, and have a minor panic about losing my non-contracted tenancy.

He didn’t need to be worried.

I get to the landlord’s shop to pay our late rent, and I’m about to offer my apologies for being seven days late, but before I can say anything the landlord starts …,

“Oh, it’s you. I didn’t realise it was rent day so soon.”

I quickly pass it off with something lame like, “Oh you know me, regular as clockwork”, reckoning he either gets the joke – or doesn’t.

Yea – he doesn’t.

That gave him an idea.

I walk out of the shop thinking about how I’ve just got away with a week’s free rent, and by the time I get home to my partner I’d decided this could work in our favour.

From that day on, until we’re moving into our own place (about seven months later) I only pay the landlord two weeks rent every three weeks.

Technically he was stealing, but since he never had a contract, it’s hard to know exactly what was expected. I’ve always just paid rent once a month, so paying every two weeks also seems odd.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

Here’s another story about a landlord.

This person makes OP out to be a villain.

Another person thinks OP is a thief.

Perhaps.

The landlord really lost out.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.