A TikTok video from @kaylendoesstuff recounting a housing dispute has drawn 6.3 million views and 4,255 comments at the time of publication. Creator Kaylen says her best friend, Marlyn, faced a smear campaign from a former roommate after deciding not to renew their apartment lease and move in with her instead.
According to Kaylen, Marlyn had been the leaseholder of the apartment she shared with a roommate for three years. About a month before the lease was due for renewal, that roommate moved out and found a subtenant, identified as Emily, to take her place. Kaylen says Marlyn had already told Emily she would not renew the lease and offered her the choice of leaving when it ended or taking over as leaseholder.
Marlyn later found a new home with Kaylen. Kaylen alleges that Emily responded to the news by starting a smear campaign, including setting up a GoFundMe to raise money for rent. Kaylen says the fundraiser portrayed Marlyn as abusive and the landlord as a slumlord. She described the landlord differently, saying he had given Emily time to meet the requirements to take over the apartment.
Kaylen also claimed Emily could not provide pay stubs because she was unemployed and mainly earned money by selling handmade clay keychains. Some commenters supported Kaylen for defending her friend, while others criticized her for mocking Emily’s work and telling her to return to Georgia.
The Daily Dot said it could not independently verify the claims in the video, which are based on Kaylen’s account.
Sources: The Daily Dot.