NEW YORK — As the economy gets worse, more renters are falling behind and more landlords are being forced to deal with late payments. With prices up and money tight, both sides are having to get more creative. What used to be a simple talk about rent is now, in some cases, taking a more hands-on turn.
A new viral video making the rounds online shows a landlord named Karen showing up to collect rent from a tenant named Luke, who begs for more time. According to the setup, Karen tells Luke to go to the bank and bring back whatever money he can, while leaving his step-son Johnny behind. From there, the situation turns into an unusually physical payment discussion, with Karen offering more time in exchange for favors that fall well outside the standard lease terms. By the time Luke gets back from the bank empty-handed, the whole thing has turned into a wildly improper way of working out a housing problem.
While housing advocates find this approach highly controversial and generally recommend honest communication and payment plans, hard times can often push negotiations into unfamiliar positions. For renters and landlords alike, the message seems to be that in today’s economy, sometimes terms have to be stretched in new ways to make things work.
If your rent is coming due and cash is tight, this helpful video offers one highly unconventional example of how flexible the conversation can become.
