I would disagree with your interpretation of her "I assumed it was going toward the mortgage". I think she meant that she assumed that the landlord was using her rent to pay (or help pay) his/her mortgage on the property, not that she herself was paying the mortgage.
>
>I think the tenants biggest mistake was that she ASSUMED she was actually investing in the eventual ownership of the house and put down a lot of money.
>I don't how she got that assumption, but it's gonna cost her big money.
>
>I still feel bad for her.