Landlord Let a Single Dad of Three Go Four Months Without Paying Rent Instead of Evicting Him and Then Saw How He Left the Apartment

Four months without rent is the point where most landlords would have filed eviction papers long ago. A landlord who posts as @chris_gerbig never did. His tenant was a single dad raising three kids who lost his job, and the landlord says he simply could not bring himself to put that family out. When the dad finally moved out, the landlord walked into the empty apartment on camera, not sure if he would find it trashed or spotless, and asked his followers a simple question in his caption: “Should I have evicted him?”

What he found, and what he decided to do next, is the kind of story that restores a little faith in people.

A Fresh Start That Hit a Wall

“I just had a tenant move out of this apartment complex,” he says at the start. “Let’s go inside and see if they get their deposit back.”

He explains the backstory as he heads to the door. The tenant moved himself and his three kids into the apartment “to get a fresh start away from his ex-wife.” Then, unfortunately, he lost his job.

The dad did what tenants are often told to do. He called the landlord and asked if he could pay late. “I told him, of course,” the landlord says. “But then that one month turned into two, and then three and four.”

The rent was not high. “The rent’s only 750 a month,” he says. But even so, he held off on filing. “I couldn’t evict him because I knew if I kicked him out, I was also evicting his three kids as well.”

He also shares why the situation hit close to home. “There was plenty of times when I was younger, when I was broke, and I struggled to pay rent.”

What He Found Inside

As he walks through the empty unit, he admits he was not sure what he would find. “I wasn’t sure if the place would be destroyed or if it would be spotless,” he says. “But I’m really not surprised that it looks to be in pretty good shape. He was a good guy.”

Then comes the part about the deposit. Legally, he explains, he has to keep it and apply it to the unpaid rent. Four months at $750 adds up to $3,000, and the deposit goes toward that balance. But he did not want the story to end there.

“I think him and his boys definitely deserve something,” he says. “I’m going to send them an Applebee’s gift card.”

It is a small gesture, but it says a lot. After months of lost income, he chose to end things with kindness instead of resentment.

@chris_gerbig

If You Fall Behind on Rent

Not every landlord will respond the way this one did, and tenants should not count on that kind of patience. But the dad in this story did one important thing right: he called early and asked. If you, or someone you love, is struggling to pay rent, these steps can make a real difference.

Contact the landlord before the rent is late. A heads-up and an honest explanation go much further than silence.
Get any agreement in writing. If the landlord agrees to a delay or a payment plan, ask for an email or signed note that spells out the amounts and dates.
Pay what you can. Partial payments show good faith, though in some states accepting them can affect an eviction case, so keep records of everything.
Call 211. This free helpline connects people to local rental assistance, utility help, food banks, and emergency programs in most of the country.
Check local programs. Many cities, counties, and charities offer one-time emergency rent help, especially for families with children and older adults.
Leave the unit clean. As this tenant showed, leaving on good terms matters. It can protect your deposit, your reference, and your reputation with future landlords.

For Small Landlords Facing the Same Choice

Many people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s own a rental or two as part of their retirement plans, and situations like this one are among the hardest parts of the job. Compassion is admirable, but it helps to protect yourself at the same time.

Document the arrangement. Even with a tenant you trust, write down any agreement about late rent, including a date when you will revisit it.
Know your local rules. Deposit laws vary by state. Many allow deposits to be applied to unpaid rent, but most require an itemized statement within a set number of days after move-out.
Point tenants to assistance. Rental assistance programs often pay landlords directly, which can help both of you.
Set a limit you can live with. Decide in advance how many months of lost rent you can afford before you need to act.

Whether he should have filed sooner is a question every landlord answers differently. But this one seems at peace with his choice. He kept a struggling dad and three kids housed through a rough stretch, got his apartment back in good condition, and sent the family off with dinner on him. For many, that is about as good as a hard situation gets.

Willow and Hearth