Fraser Coast Chronicle (Maryborough) 4/7/06
Daily Examiner (Grafton) 4/7/06
Mail (Bundaberg) 4/7/06
More landlords reap murder, drugs and malicious damage
SYDNEY: Murder, malicious damage and the cultivation of drug crops are among the leading causes of damage to rental properties, an insurance company says. The number, and cost of insurance claims on rental property damage are going up, according to Terri Scheer Insurance.
The company's figures over the past 12 months showed malicious property damage caused by tenants was on the rise. Some of the most common causes of rental property damage were murder, suicide and, and the installation of hydroponics to grow illicit drugs.
"With the hydroponics, strangely enough most inspections on properties are done 12 weekly and a tenant can put a crop in and grow it to its maturity and reap it in exactly 12 weeks," chief executive Terri Scheer said.
"We've never had this high a trend in malicious damage claims – it's really exceptional.
She said the company would respond to a number of those sorts of claims each year, in addition to other 'agricultural' activities.
"We've even had a sunken lounge filled in with soil and people growing vegetables in it." Ms Scheer said.
But she said unfortunately even more common was damage as a result of murder, suicide and assault.
"Although it's sad, it's a fact of life and it's a fact of our business that we do have to be able to protect landlords from that, " Ms Scheer said. "If it's a body that's not discovered for some time then it's a terrible smell."
Fire, broken windows, graffiti and holes kicked or punched into walls and doors also made it onto the list. On average the claims made by landlords were more expensive than they were five years ago.
"Five years ago, the average claim for malicious damage on our landlord insurance was $800." She said. Today the average is $3000."
She said with the greater numbers of people renting, landlords needed to be more vigilant than ever when choosing tenants. - AAP
