Tenant Discovers Deceased Landlord Bequeathed Long-Term Rental Property in Her Name

For more than two decades, 75-year-old Jane Sayner has called St. Albans, Melbourne, Australia, her home.

Her landlord, the late multimillionaire John Perrett, received a weekly rent of AUD$250 for the two-bedroom apartment Jane had been occupying since the beginning of her tenancy.

In September 2020, with John Perrett’s passing, uncertainty loomed for Jane. She grappled with questions about the inheritance of the property and the identity of her potential new landlord. Concerns mounted as she worried about the possibility of a new landlord terminating her lease or requesting a higher rent.

Contrary to expectations, Jane, along with another long-term tenant of Perrett’s property, ended up acquiring the apartments after his demise. In an unexpected turn of events, Jane transitioned from being a tenant to a property owner, a scenario she had never even fathomed in her wildest dreams.

Perrett, an elderly gentleman who had undergone a kidney transplant years before his passing, directed a significant portion of his substantial wealth—approximately AUD$18.6 million—to the Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Nephrology Department. Furthermore, he bequeathed one of his flats to the hospital, which was later sold for AUD$400,000.

Being unmarried and childless, the millionaire had no siblings or close relatives. Reflecting on this benevolent gesture, Jane recounted, “One day, out of the blue, he called me and said, ‘My solicitor’s here; could you please provide your full name? I’m bequeathing you your unit.’ I couldn’t believe my ears. It seemed too improbable. Throughout our acquaintance, his intention to leave his wealth to charity had always been evident.”