A group of young renters were still dealing with a raccoon living in their ceiling when their landlord sent them a bizarre list of ‘house rules‘ – including keeping countertops clear at all times and staging the home as if it were about to be sold.

The tenants, six women who only moved into the seven-bedroom Texas house in early August, said they were stunned to be told they must keep the property ‘show ready’ less than two months into their lease.

The email, sent by the landlord after a recent visit to handle a raccoon, laid out a series of ‘requirements’ for the tenants to follow.

They included setting up the home interior in a ‘timely manner’, keeping the living area uncluttered, wiping down countertops and ensuring no small items were left out.

Tenants were also instructed to remove cardboard boxes quickly to avoid roaches, and regularly pick up debris from the yard.

The landlord also demanded that a large plastic tub of recycling in the kitchen be removed immediately, warning it might scratch the floors.

She told the tenants everything must be completed within days – threatening periodic walkthroughs to ensure the rules were being followed.

One of the tenants said she was stunned at the list, branding it ‘genuinely ridiculous and plain stupid’.

‘For context, we moved into the house on August 7th of this year,’ she explained.

‘There’s six women living in a seven-bedroom house and we’re still in the process of getting furniture and figuring out where to put personal and communal items.

‘We have boxes out because one of our roommates moved in a couple of days ago and has to unpack. Our landlady is aware of this.

‘Our house is clean, we clean regularly. But her asking to keep the house show-ready immediately after moving in – and to keep items off of the counters – is just absurd.’

The tenant said she was unsure how to respond to the email, particularly given the landlord appeared more focused on appearances than fixing the raccoon problem.

Outraged commenters on Reddit quickly sided with the renters.

‘She’s neurotic and greedy. Who is she planning to show the house to with a raccoon running around in the ceiling?’ one wrote.

Another suggested a blunt reply, ‘Hi there, I’m not sure what you mean by maintaining the property properly, as I do not see any of these stipulations in our signed lease. How long until the raccoon will be removed from our ceiling?’

Others pointed out that being asked to stage the home so soon after moving in was unusual.

‘A month and a half into your lease and she’s talking about showing. That’s insane,’ one said.

Many urged the tenants to carefully review their lease agreement, with one warning, ‘Tell her to pound sand and review your lease. She’s going to be fun. Expect her to not renew if you don’t appease her though.’

While this email came from Texas, Australian tenants were quick to point out that similar demands would likely breach local tenancy laws.

In most states, landlords are required to give reasonable notice before inspections and cannot expect tenants to keep a property in ‘display home’ condition during a lease.

Consumer advocates warn that renters in Australia should always refer back to their lease agreement, as landlords cannot impose extra rules outside of what’s been signed.

Issues like clutter, furniture placement and unpacked boxes are not grounds for breach – particularly so soon after moving in.