Hi everyone,

I’m not sure exactly why I’m writing this — maybe to vent, maybe in hopes that someone out there understands — but I’m at the end of my rope as a small landlord in Philadelphia.

I own just one duplex. I live in one unit and rent out the other. I remember when my first tenants moved in — I was excited and proud. I felt like I was contributing to society in a new way by becoming a housing provider.

The first tenants weren’t perfect, but things were manageable… until they stopped paying rent and ghosted me completely. After I posted a 10-day notice, one of them finally reached out and told me he had been laid off. I empathized and worked with them as best I could, but I didn’t renew the lease. Lesson learned: tenant screening is critical.

So next time around, I decided to stay anonymous (for safety, since I live alone), and I hired a property manager hoping they’d screen better. On paper, the new tenant looked great — worked for a major healthcare provider, decent credit, stable income, low debt.

Two months in: late rent. From month three onward: no rent at all.

In Philly, eviction starts with the Eviction Diversion Program (EDP), which delays things by about a month. My tenant ignored the assistance option. So we moved on to court, which had a 2.5-month wait. The night before the court hearing, she suddenly started panicking and applied for aid — far too late to matter.

The judge pushed for “pay and stay,” and I got a Judgment by Agreement. She agreed to resume rent payments and repay the arrears in installments. Then… nothing.

So I filed for lockout — and in Philly, sheriff lockouts are 2–3 months behind. In the meantime, I have to live under the same roof with a tenant who doesn’t pay, doesn’t care, and regularly invites people over, being loud and disruptive like she has nothing to lose.

I’ve been depressed. I’ve felt trapped and powerless in my own home. At one point, I honestly felt so low that I had thoughts I never thought I’d have. It’s hard. Really hard.

Philadelphia’s tenant-friendly laws are important in protecting people from bad landlords — I get that — but there’s no protection for small landlords like me who are just trying to provide decent housing and live peacefully in our own homes. I have no rights to comfort, peace, or timely justice. I feel punished for trying to do the right thing.

I used to think being a landlord was a way to build wealth and help others. Now, all I want is to get out of this business as soon as I can.

Thanks for reading.