The high cost of living is something everyone is wrestling with, and a recent video posted by belluhh on TikTok has struck a nerve with 1.5 million renters. In the clip, the creator is seen lying on her bed, grinning at the camera, and blinking while text appears on the screen to explain the situation that triggered a debate about rental and utility costs.
“My landlord just sent an email to my whole building saying to turn the heat off during the day and don’t take long hot showers to conserve,” the TikToker wrote. “All because it’s getting too expensive, she’s said she wants to keep our housing affordable. I pay $1850- trash, water, parking and heat are included.” To highlight her frustration, she included an audio clip where a man sings, “Before you point a finger, smell it first, sis.”
The TikTok community had plenty to say about the landlord’s alleged request. The comment section argued what constitutes fair rent and who should really be responsible for utility costs. Some viewers backed the landlord, and many others supported the woman.
The big question revolved around controlling usage when something is included
On the side of the Landlord, Happy_dog noted, “Okay, she’s not wrong. She knows her utilities are going to skyrocket due to shortages. She also probably knows that she or her boss, won’t solely eat that cost. Sounds like a reasonable compromise for keeping your rent the same. Idk, am I missing something? I might be.”
Then there were the users who did not buy the landlord’s reasoning. User that.skybee commented, “for $1850 a month im keeping my heat at 80°” and evil paddington bear added, “if heat is included… why is she telling u what to do with it”
Others stumbled over the cost of rent, for good and bad reasons. User G asked, “is.. is this monthly.? Sincerely, a confused Australian who pays $800aud a WEEK for only rent – no utilities included.” Meanwhile, gwendolyn shared that she “just had to move back home bc they were increasing our rent to 2600 per month for a one bedroom, I’d be happy with that.”
Cortney Espe pushed back, stating, “PLEASE stop saying this is a good price to pay living on your own oml, it’s average in some places, unfortunately, but I’m paying 800 a month everything included besides wifi, 1850 is insane.”
Renting can be so crazy now, that a stranger was discovered living in an Oregon crawl space instead of looking for an apartment. In Ohio, a developer actually converted an old YMCA pool into a livable apartment.
That is when user Han pointed out that geography plays a huge role in these costs. “Guys why has high rent become so normal! Imagine living in the same small town your entire life and seeing an apartment that used to cost $700/ month with everything included, now charges over $1000 more than what it cost 6 years ago? Thats not normal people! And when you live in a rural, small town, with barely any job opportunities, it makes it even harder.”
They added, “On top of that, minimum wage is not high, most places do not pay a livable wage. We should not be working 2+ jobs to be able to afford a roof over our heads! I get this may seem cheap to you, but y’all have to think this country is massive and an area in Maine is not the same as an area in NYC.”
According to Nochumson P.C., deciding whether a landlord or tenant pays for utilities is a major decision that needs to be clearly outlined in a lease agreement. When a landlord decides to include utilities in the rent, it can be a great marketing strategy to attract tenants, but it comes with risks.
If a tenant isn’t directly paying the utility bill, the law firm noted that they might be less inclined to conserve water or electricity, which eats into the landlord’s profit. To manage this, some landlords choose to set a monthly cap on utility expenses, where any overusage is billed to the tenant as additional rent.
The legal experts emphasized that if the utilities are in the landlord’s name, the landlord is ultimately responsible for the bill, regardless of whether the tenant was supposed to pay them back. This is why having a comprehensive and written agreement is essential for both parties.
Published: Jun 27, 2026 01:09 pm