Renters’ Choice: Nightmare on Residents’ Street

From spider webs and creepy crawlers to scary noises and unwanted visitors, residents have had some frightening experiences in their communities. With about days to go until Halloween, MHN partnered with Kingsley Associates to bring you some renters’ most hair-raising stories—and a few popular Halloween traditions at their properties.

“I called the emergency after hours number to report a snake in my bedroom. Two men were sent to find the snake and I was advised that they had removed it. I am deathly afraid of snakes and I have not slept easy since.”—Jacksonville, Fla.

“It is a bit jarring, especially from a security standpoint, when we see a sheet of paper saying that the maintenance work was done. This means someone was in our apartment without us knowing, almost like a ghost.”—San Antonio

“The light bulbs are out, the washing machine makes a lot of knocking noises and the doorway has cobwebs and rust. These things really creep me out.”—Bowie, Md.

“The spider webs in the elevator make you feel like it’s Halloween year-round.”—Dallas

“Although my kids are grown, the Halloween party is a great activity that my community does. It is a wonderful way to meet the neighbors.”—Lexington, Mass.

“Everything has been great so far, but the ever-increasing prices frighten me.”—Pflugerville, Texas

“The requirement that dogs be kept on a leash should be enforced. I had a number of scary and dangerous incidents with dogs being off leash in hallways, outside elevators and in the parking garage.”—Atlanta

“It is concerning when random, creepy people knock on my door in the middle of the night. Is there anything the office can do to prevent this?”—Salt Lake City

“I have never lived at a complex that had shootings before. The shootings in the area are a scary occurrence and make me feel uneasy.”—Durham, N.C.

“I wish they would get rid of the cobwebs around the garage doors and inside the hallways. It is unappealing and leaves a bad impression on anyone who might consider living in this complex.”—Littleton, Colo.

“It is a significant worry having to wait alone for the extremely slow elevators in the parking garages, especially since consistent vandalism occurs in that area.”—Seattle

“My building is located next to a sprawling cemetery that is perfect for exploring and exercising in during the day.”—Portland, Ore.

“My first-floor apartment and the hallway outside my unit are infested with bugs. Spiders, earwigs, silverfish and centipedes are everywhere. Yuck.”—Broomfield, Colo.

“The only issue I had was the scary online reviews. I’m used to seeing 12- to 15 angry reviews on Google, but having 65 reviews with a two out of five-star rating made me think twice.”—Atlanta

“The door decorating contest for Halloween is a great idea! It is a great way to foster a sense of community in today’s busy world.”—Fullerton, Calif.

“Twice in one week, my toilet overflowed. Maintenance did what they could and aren’t sure what is wrong. It is scary living with a toilet that may overflow at any time.”—Toledo, Ohio

“While I enjoy having a security guard on the premise, please hire less creepy and scary-looking security guards.”—Atlanta