Malaysian homeowner shares nightmare after tenant leaves apartment in ruins

A landlord in Malaysia had a nightmare he thought only existed on social media — but unexpectedly, it became his reality.

The homeowner, who goes by the name Marshall Tan on Facebook, shared his experience in a post on Thursday (May 7) detailing the shocking state of his apartment in Kuching, Sarawak which he had rented out.

Images accompanying the post showed the home in a severely neglected state with damaged furniture and appliances, and mould growing on sinks and in the refrigerator.

Leftover food was also left rotting in the fridge, while dead cockroaches were scattered around the home.

Tan, a property agent and investor, said he had allowed a family with two young children to continue living in his apartment out of compassion, despite initially planning not to renew the lease, reported Malaysian media outlet See Hua Daily News. 

"I was moved by their plea and wanted to help," he said. 

Tan added that the tenant had handed over a remaining deposit of RM1,200 (S$388), which he accepted. However, this act of goodwill soon turned into a prolonged challenge.

It was reported that since December last year, Tan found it a struggle to collect rent.

Restoration costs estimated at RM10,000

According to Tan, the tenant never paid rent on his own initiative, forcing him to repeatedly chase after payments, reported See Hua Daily News. 

After months of passive behavior and non-payment, Tan decided not to renew the lease on May 1 this year and ordered the tenants to vacate. 

Although they were initially defiant and threatened to involve the police, the tenants eventually complied.

When Tan went to collect the keys, he was met with the shocking scene; his apartment was in ruins.

Tan estimates that restoring the unit to a rental-ready condition — including cleaning, repainting, and replacing floor tiles — will cost around RM10,000.

Sharing his experience, Tan said he hopes to remind other homeowners to adhere to proper rental practices.

"My advice to other homeowners is not to be too soft-hearted. We pity others, but they may not necessarily appreciate it," he added.

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com