Landlord claims tenant trashed room, cut wires out of spite just before lease ended

"Dangerous and unpredictable" - that's how this landlord referred to her tenant after he purportedly left them a 'parting gift' - cut wires, damaged furniture and a room filled with trash.

Now, this landlord, who only gave her name as Jade, has requested in a post on Instagram on Monday (May 27) that the public contact her if they happen to see her former tenant, a 35-year-old Chinese male.

According to her, she had let the room to the Singaporean, who works as an electrician, last May, with the contract ending on May 29 this year. She didn't reveal in her posts which estate she lives in. 

However, Jade's grandmother didn't want to extend the contract with him.

On Monday, the tenant had left his room, locking it behind him, and Jade's grandmother had to call a neighbour in to break open the door after he failed to return the keys, she said in her post.

They were horrified to find the room in a state of complete disarray - trash was strewn all across the floor, piling high up in corners, covering much of the room.

While the desk and mattress were relatively clear of garbage, the tenant had also left a chair lying on the bed.

Jade also later discovered that the mattress had a large tear in its side, with a hole gouged out in the sponge within.

The wooden backing of the cupboard had also been torn out, with Chinese characters, heart-shaped symbols and plus-signs doodled on the desk.

The tenant had also allegedly taken it a step further by cutting the wires to Jade's wireless router, refrigerator, washing machine and dryer, she said, posting images of the damaged electric devices.

"He had trashed the whole room when my grandmother left for her dental appointment," she wrote.

'Incredibly dangerous and unpredictable'

The relationship between tenant and landlord wasn't smooth sailing in the past, either.

Jade revealed in her Instagram post that she would occasionally "wake up early in the morning" from arguments and shouts between her grandmother and the tenant.

"I even caught him standing over her when she was sitting down," she added.

"This [man] is incredibly dangerous and unpredictable and I don't feel safe."

She also recalled how the man would always lock his door when he left his room to take a call, pick up food or even when he went to the toilet.

"That's why we had never seen the trash he had accumulated and finally [thrown all over the room]," she said.

Jade said she has since contacted the police and filed a Magistrate's Complaint. She also has plans to change the door locks as the tenant still holds their keys.

Jade added: "For now we are safe, we have a separate padlock and our door has internal locks as well."

Tenant left for JB: Jade

Jade also shared negative reviews from 2017 and 2018 of an electrician bearing the same name as her tenant.

In two separate reviews, a man bearing the same name as her tenant had allegedly overcharged for repairs while operating under a company. The business is presently shuttered.

According to Jade, the number that her tenant provided was the same as the one used in an advertisement for the business.

But it seems the tenant hasn't stopped operations just yet, as Jade also claimed that she had received mail addressed to his company after he set their home address as his current company.

Jade also posted that it's likely her former tenant has left for JB. 

AsiaOne has reached out to Jade and the tenant for more information. Calls to the tenant's phone went unanswered.

Landlords who are experiencing disputes with their tenants can contact the Singapore Mediation Centre for help. 

ALSO READ: Broken furniture, lingering cat urine odour: Tenants leave man's condo in unrentable state

khooyihang@asiaone.com

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