TLC, it really doesn’t pay to fight with them. YOU and I are both lucky that we had the landlords we had because it pushed us to buy our own homes B”H. When we are too comfortable with our landlords we get lazy and push that step off for too long. It is like baby birds leaving the nest. Believe it or not they did us a favor although it is not a comfortable situation. My daughter’s landlady made her nuts but she wound up in her own house as well. As much as we dislike them and are frustrated by them it is a brocha in disguise. So do the right thing for yourself and your wife. Be mentchlech because that is how the two of you were brought up and that is how you want to role model for your own children.
You are leaving after all. You are the proud owners of your own home. YOU are the winners in the end and they are the ones with the revolving tenants. They will always lose. So as I said if they get nasty you don’t have to show the apartment. If they play nice in the sandbox, why not. But if you really feel that people should know the truth about them you are in a dilemma that you should discuss with your Rav because you really can’t be motzeh shem rah, on the other hand you don’t want others to fall into the trap you feel you were in. So what do you do. You can tell the landlord if he brings anyone up you will be happy to show the apartment at your own convenience but you will not lie if you are asked any questions. Or you can do as I mentioned before and give the prospect your name and number. If asked you should only say it is not easy living with difficult people. The apartment is great, the neighbors are great. But you should know you will have to fix everything on your own, they won’t do anything for you. Know that before you sign the lease. If you are looking to be in this location and you love the apartment and that’s all that counts go for it. It is like having an absentee landlord when you need something, but he is always around when he wants something. If you are not specific and you don’t say anything nasty I think that would be alright.