Woman Pays $1,850 A Month With Heat Included. Then She Gets An Unhinged Email From Her Landlord: ‘Well That’s Strange’
For many renters, “utilities included” means exactly what it sounds like. So when one TikTok creator shared an email from her landlord asking tenants to cut back on their heat usage and limit hot showers because heating oil had become too expensive, viewers immediately questioned where the line is between a reasonable request and changing the terms of the deal.
TikTok creator belluhh (@annabelluhhhhhhh) posted a video explaining that her landlord had emailed everyone in the building asking residents to turn off the heat during the day and avoid taking long hot showers in an effort to conserve heating oil. According to the on-screen text, the landlord said the request would help to keep housing affordable.
Belluhh added another detail that quickly became the center of the discussion; she pays $1,850 per month, and her rent agreement includes heat, water, trash, and parking.
The Conversation Quickly Became About More Than The Landlord’s Email
Instead of focusing solely on the landlord’s request, commenters immediately began debating whether $1,850 is actually expensive. Some argued the price sounded like a bargain, especially with multiple utilities included. “Ngl that’s EXTREMELY affordable if all those utilities are included,” one commenter wrote.
Others pointed out that rent varies dramatically depending on where someone lives and said comparing rural Maine to cities like Boston or New York misses the point entirely.
Belluhh later clarified in the comments that she lives in a rural part of Maine, where she considers $1,850 expensive for the local market.
She also expressed frustration with how quickly people dismissed her concerns.
“Guys why has high rent become so normal!” she wrote. “Imagine living in the same small town your entire life and seeing an apartment that used to cost $700/month with everything included, now charges over $1,000 more than what it cost six years ago? That’s not normal.”
She went on to note that wages in her area haven’t kept pace with housing costs, adding that many people shouldn’t have to work multiple jobs simply to afford rent.Others steered the conversation back to the landlord’s original request. “If heat is included… why is she telling u what to do with it,” one person asked. Another commenter questioned why some people seemed willing to defend the landlord simply because utility costs had increased.
Belluhh says the request contradicts her lease
After the first video gained traction, Belluhh posted a follow-up joking about the situation. The video features the viral “I’mma do what I want” audio alongside text saying she was “sending this to my landlord in response to her telling me we can’t take long hot showers anymore because oil prices are getting higher for her.” Some commenters questioned whether the landlord could legally impose those kinds of restrictions after advertising heat as an included utility.
“I feel like this cannot be legal,” one viewer wrote.Belluhh responded, “Cus it’s not!!”In another reply, she explained why the request bothered her beyond the inconvenience. According to Belluhh, the issue is that the email appears to conflict with her lease agreement. She also noted that the landlord sent the message at the beginning of May, when tenants would soon start paying for air conditioning themselves because the rent does not include electricity.
She later clarified that she meant the follow-up video as a joke and said she has no intention of jeopardizing her housing because finding an apartment is already difficult.
The Internet Couldn’t Agree On What The Real Problem Was
The viral video ultimately became less about one landlord’s email and more about the realities of renting in 2026. Some viewers argued that nearly $2,000 a month (with heat included or not) has become an unavoidable reality in many parts of the country. Others insisted that accepting those prices as “normal” only makes the housing affordability crisis worse, especially in smaller communities where wages haven’t risen alongside rent.
Belluhh’s posts tapped into a growing frustration among younger renters. While commenters never reached a consensus, many said rising housing costs force tenants to pay more while questioning whether they’re still getting what their lease promises.
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