A tenant shared a story online recently that quickly caught attention for how bizarre it sounded, even by renting standards. After a routine walkthrough that was supposedly meant to check smoke detectors, the landlord instead focused on counting houseplants sitting on windowsills.
Days later, the tenant says they received a notice introducing a new charge: a $5 monthly fee per plant, labeled a “biological load fee.” The landlord claimed the plants could increase humidity and potentially cause mold damage to the property.
A Fee That Left Tenants Stunned
“Starting next month there is a mandatory five dollar monthly charge per plant,” the tenant wrote. “Apparently having a few pots of greenery is now considered a professional hazard.”
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The tenant estimated the new rule would add about $50 a month to their rent, noting that it would even apply to small potted herbs in the kitchen. But the frustration went far beyond the cost.
“It is not even about the money at this point it is just the pure audacity,” they wrote, pointing out that the building already has issues like drafty windows and loud heating. “But yeah sure, my little aloe vera plant is the real threat to the foundation of the house.”
The post sparked a strong reaction from renters in the thread, many of whom said the fee sounded not only unreasonable but likely illegal.
Several people pointed to a key issue: leases are contracts. “He can’t add this charge if it’s not in the lease you signed,” one person wrote. “He can’t change your agreement unless both parties agree to it,” Another added.
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Others encouraged the tenant to push back more formally. Suggestions included contacting a tenant rights organization, reaching out to a lawyer, or sending a written notice refusing the charge. “Check your local tenant laws because there is no way a judge looks at a spider plant as a professional hazard,” one commenter said.
Science And Sarcasm Take Over
Aside from legality, many responses focused on the logic behind the fee itself. Commenters widely rejected the idea that houseplants could meaningfully raise humidity levels enough to damage a building.
“Drafty windows cause way more humidity issues than a spider plant ever could,” the original poster replied.
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Others mentioned that some plants may actually improve indoor air quality. “Spider plants actually work like air filters purifying mold and other pollutants out of the air,” one person wrote.
Still, much of the thread leaned heavily into humor, with people mocking the situation as the latest example …
This post was originally published here
