Every renter has wondered what is hiding behind a locked door or a boarded up wall, and one couple says they found out. The woman behind @monica_mcmanus shared on social media that she and her husband discovered a secret room in their rented house, reached through their daughter’s bedroom. Her opening line is a cheerful disclaimer: if you are the landlord, they are not going in, so you can keep scrolling.
@monica_mcmanus
A Crawl Space That Was Not a Crawl Space
According to her, it all begins in the daughter’s room, where there is a little pathway. At first the couple assumed it was only a crawl space. Then a hatch opens, and behind it sits what she calls a weird thing that, by her account, should have been locked but was not. Up above, she describes a whole other room, a small closet and then another space beyond it. “How cool is this?” she asks as she shows it off.
She and her husband have a theory about what they are looking at. Straight down from the opening there is a laundry closet that is boarded up, so they think the space once had a spiral staircase connecting the levels. They also suspect the upper rooms may once have been a kids’ bedroom or a playroom. She says the house is owned by a man who was a carpenter, and she imagines his children probably lived up there, though she assumes they were older.
Why They Are Staying Out, for Now
The woman is open about the fact that she is not planning a renovation. She lists three reasons. First, they would need to bring back the spiral staircase. Second, they would have to unhatch and pull up the opening, and she says she and her husband are not handy. Third, they have young kids, and she does not feel comfortable with them up there, so it would not become a children’s room.
She also offers a guess about why the space is off limits: she says it is probably an insane fire hazard. That is her own speculation, not something she says the landlord told her. Still, she says the idea tempts her. She would like to turn the area into a studio or workspace, in part because the family is trying to squeeze the most out of their two bedroom home with another child on the way. She ends by asking her followers what they think.
What Renters Should Do If They Find a Hidden Space
Stories like this one are fun, but a hidden room in a rental raises real questions. If you ever find something similar, a few sensible steps can protect both your family and your deposit.
Tell the landlord in writing. Even a short, friendly note creates a record that you found the space, did not damage anything and are asking how to treat it. Include a date and a few photos showing its condition.
Do not assume it is yours to use. A space that was boarded up or kept closed may not meet current building rules. Rooms used for sleeping or living generally need safe exits, working smoke alarms and proper structure, and a rented home is not the place to guess.
Never alter the structure. Removing boards, cutting hatches or rebuilding stairs without written permission can violate a lease and could cost you your deposit. Even small changes like fastening shelves to framing should be cleared first.
Ask about permission and liability. If you hope to use extra space, ask the landlord politely whether it is allowed, what safety work would be needed and who pays for it. Some owners will agree to a written arrangement. Others will want it left closed, and that is within their rights.
Check your insurance. A renters policy generally covers your belongings and liability in the space you are allowed to use. If something happened in an area you were told to stay out of, coverage could become complicated.
Keep children away. If a space has uncertain floors, steep openings or missing railings, the safest rule is that nobody goes in until a professional or the owner confirms it is safe.
Why an Owner Might Keep Such a Space Closed
There are plenty of ordinary reasons a landlord might seal an upper room or leave a hatch shut. Building codes generally expect any room used for living or sleeping to have a safe way out, often a proper stairway or an escape window, and a room reached only by a crawl opening would not qualify. Old wiring, missing guardrails and weak flooring are other common concerns in spaces that have not been used for years. None of that is known about this particular house, and she does not say what the owner has said, but it explains why a closed off room in a rental is usually closed for a reason.
If you are curious about a similar space in your own rental, the polite route works best. Ask what the room is, whether it is safe to enter and whether the owner would ever consider making it usable. A calm conversation costs nothing, and it can turn a nervous secret into an agreed plan.
Why a Secret Room Captures the Imagination
Old houses are full of odd corners. Attics converted and sealed off, staircases removed during a remodel and closets that connect to nothing are common in homes that have been changed over several generations. A house owned by a carpenter, as she describes this one, may well hold the kind of clever nooks that later residents never fully explain.
For a family in a small rental, the thought of unused floor space is a powerful lure. Another child is on the way, and every extra room feels precious. That tension, between a space that seems perfect and a rule that keeps them out, is what makes the story relatable. It also shows how a little curiosity, handled with respect for the owner and a clear head about safety, can turn into a fun mystery rather than a problem.
She does not say whether the landlord knows about the room or what the answer might be if she asks. For now, her promise stands. If the landlord is reading, they are not going in.
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