M’sian Landlord Locks Apartment After Tenant Fails To Pay Rent, Latter Found Dead From Starvation

Tenant Allegedly Locked In Apartment Unit For 1 Month After Failing To Pay Rent

The tenant of an apartment unit in Malaysia recently lost his life, all because he failed to pay three months’ worth of rent.

His demise was reportedly due to starvation after he ended up being locked in the unit for about a month.

When neighbours found him, the tenant was allegedly all skin and bones.

Landlord locks apartment after tenant fails to pay 3 months’ rent

According to Sin Chew Daily, the landlord had locked an apartment unit in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, after the tenant failed to pay rent for three months.

Unbeknownst to him, the tenant, an e-hailing platform driver in his 40s, was inside the unit.

Having no money to top up his phone credits, the tenant was unable to call for help. Whether he tried other means to alert anyone is unclear.

Sadly, neighbours only found his lifeless body only a month later in July, appearing rather emaciated.

Photos of the tenant before his death didn’t show him looking quite as skinny.

Therefore, seeing him in such a state certainly concerned neighbours and loved ones.

Family plans to sue landlord

Following his tragic demise, the tenant’s family is engaging lawyers to sue the landlord.

One of the lawyers, Mr Peng Shunwen (name transliterated from Chinese), told Sin Chew Daily that even if the landlord didn’t know that the tenant was in the house, he shouldn’t lock the door.

Doing so is apparently dangerous and can result in the tenant’s death.

Instead, the landlord should have acted according to the law by obtaining a court order. Alternatively, he could have raised the issue in a small claims court.

Mr Peng added that this was the first time he had heard of such a case. He thus hopes to raise awareness by sharing a little more about it.

MS News extends our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased.

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Featured image adapted from Sin Chew Daily.

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