We have heard a lot recently about the failure of landlords resulting in them being jailed and fined for damage caused to others. This week the shoe was on the other foot but it has to be said, the story is still not one that is likely to make landlords feel good.
Michal Kalinowski was this week jailed for life with a minimum of seventeen years after he was found guilty of murdering his landlord. The crime was a particularly brutal one and the details probably do not have a place here but suffice to say that the whole incident is an awful reminder of the fact that landlords are sometimes putting themselves in a vulnerable position.
It is believed that the victim, Peter Berkley, had agreed to meet Mr Kalinowski on the evening of the murder to discuss rental arrears. Clearly most tenants are not going to resort to this kind of drastic action over a few missed rental payments but it bears keeping in mind that for some people financial difficulties place a real strain on their mental health so particularly in these times it pays to take all precautions.
Make sure you either take someone with you when you go to see a tenant or arrange to meet in a public place, especially if the tenant is one that you have not had much dealing with.
