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The idea of a landlord who lives upstairs would send shudders down many prospective renters’ spines, but in this story, things got even worse.

One tenant moved into her apartment a week earlier, and she always knew she’d have a closer relationship with her landlord than most.

But from day one, her landlord just wouldn’t leave her alone. Anytime she stepped outside, her landlord appeared instantly, ready to chat.

Before long, any hope of quiet time began to disappear.

She soon took to Reddit, desperate for advice on how to navigate it.

My landlord/neighbor wants to talk to me literally every day and I’m starting to feel like I’m hiding in my own home

I just moved into a new apartment about a week ago, and the landlord lives upstairs.

Here’s where the drama comes in.

She’s a nice enough person, but she has messaged me or tried to talk to me every single day since I moved in.

Today I finally wanted to go outside, literally just touch some grass and enjoy being alone for a while.

But her landlord wouldn’t let her enjoy her day in peace.

The second I went outside, she immediately came over to say hi and start talking.

Now I feel like I’m starting to hide inside because I don’t want to constantly socialize every time I step outside.

The renter’s feelings are complicated.

I don’t dislike her, and I understand she’s probably just being friendly, but I moved here because I wanted peace, privacy, and the ability to just exist without interacting with someone every day.

The renter also feels like she can’t really speak up.

I’m also hesitant to be too blunt because she’s my landlord, and I obviously don’t want to create tension where I live.

Am I being unreasonable for feeling irritated by this? How would you handle it?

This sounds like every introvert’s worst nightmare.

What did Reddit have to say?

The solution here may be surprisingly simple.

This user suggests a path forward that just might work.

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Being an introvert comes with some unexpected downsides.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a couple who is sick and tired of their neighbor’s kids dumping trash on their patio.
This commenter also suggests headphones.

Wanting quiet time alone, especially in your own space, isn’t an unreasonable request — or at least it shouldn’t be.

Friendliness becomes a problem the moment it stops being optional. Daily messages and immediate appearances outside leave zero room to simply exist without performing social energy on command.

Not wanting to be blunt with a landlord is understandable, but there’s a middle ground between confrontation and quietly hiding indoors just to avoid interaction.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.