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We say this a lot around here, but it’s time to say it again…

If you play stupid games…

You’re gonna win stupid prizes!

Those are words to live by, folks!

And it would be in your best interest to take them seriously.

Check out what this guy did when his landlord tried to pull a fast one on him.

I left a landlord and property management company with a loss because they tried to nickel and dime me.

This happened a while ago after I relocated to a new city.

I signed a new one-year lease for a townhouse in the downtown core and really enjoyed where I lived. The townhouse was okay, but a little less nice that I anticipated during my showing.

The only other relevant background is the lease said the security deposit would be used for the last month’s rent and would not be held as a damage deposit.

The year passed with very few problems. The water heater went out in the dead of winter, but I stayed in a hotel for 3 nights and offset that cost against the rent after verbally agreeing with the landlord to do so.

Sure, why not…?

At the end of the year, the landlord asked if I wanted to renew.

I said yes.

I was presented with a one-year extension for the same rent, I signed it and sent it back.

This is not the renter’s fault.

I waited about 2 weeks and hadn’t received the landlord-signed version back, so I inquired with the management company.

They said the landlord was mad because they didn’t get rent on the first of the month most of the time.

I asked what they were talking about because I always paid on or ahead of time.

And they said that while I paid the management company on time (as required by the Lease), the management company hadn’t gotten it into landlord’s hands in time.

What were these people talking about…?

I said that wasn’t my problem per the lease, but the management company requested $100 more per month on the extension to make up for the inconvenience. They said they would send me a new lease reflecting the $100 increase, which they did.

I immediately went out and found a condo in a similarly ideal location which was much nicer that rented for $75 a month less than my existing rent. I went through the background check with them and they sent me a lease to sign.

Before signing the new lease I sent a certified letter to landlord and the management company of the old location saying my previous signature on the new lease, which had not yet been counter-signed, was revoked and ineffective because of their counter-offer and no longer capable of acceptance.

I then signed the new lease.

Sorry, folks!

At that point, I had about 10 days left on the existing lease.

The management company and landlord called me freaking out because they wouldn’t be able to find a new tenant in time and would lose revenue.

I said not my problem, hired a moving company, cleaned up the old place and returned it to them in the same condition I received it.”

Readers shared their thoughts on Reddit.

This person had a lot to say.

Another Reddit user weighed in.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about annoying neighbors who end up regretting their request for a property survey.

And this individual shared their thoughts.

Now, this was satisfying!

What were these folks thinking?

Well, they messed around and they found out!

He wasn’t playing around when it came to getting out of this lease!