‘They’re always doing the most in the worst way possible’: Landlord’s botched bathroom fix defies all logic

Creativity is a lost art for many a maintenance man… said no one ever. This viral TikTok shows the everyday struggle between a renter and a repairman as a woman shows her maintenance man’s creative solution to a broken toilet paper holder.

It appears that rather than fix the one they had, he decided it would be best to simply install a new one. And rather than putting it on the wall next to or in front of the toilet, apparently placing it smack dab in the middle of the under-sink cabinet seemed like the best option.

The viral video was accompanied by dozens of commenters sharing their own renter horror stories. One person shared that after asking maintenance to fix a faulty sink, they installed it backward so that the water went onto the counter and not into the bowl. Another shared that their landlord installed a new door upside down, making it so that the tenants would often get trapped in the room.

Throughout the horror stories and general bewilderment at the toilet paper placement, the general consensus was that even though rental maintenance was rarely up to par, renters will call the landlord for just about anything. “I pay enough rent, they can send a guy to fix things,” one viewer even said.

As it turns out, a landlord may not actually be responsible for vanity repairs like a worn carpet, chipped paint, or a broken toilet paper holder. According to Nolo.com, landlords are responsible for making sure units are safe and livable. This includes keeping electrical systems operating properly, supplying cold and hot water, and getting rid of insect infestations. Landlords aren’t legally required to fix things that don’t affect the usability or safety of the unit as a whole. More often than not, specifics like that come down to a lease agreement, not an overarching legal requirement.

Regardless, if you’re having issues like a creatively installed toilet paper holder or backward sinks, give your landlord a call. As one commenter put it, they may even send, “the most random dude you’ve ever seen to do the absolute least.” Happy renting!