Woman that’s been renting same home for years finds out deceased landlord left home under her name

Jane Sayner, a 75-year-old woman in St. Albans, Melbourne, Australia, discovered a surprising turn of events when her landlord, multimillionaire John Perrett, passed away in September 2020. Having rented a two-bedroom apartment from him for over two decades at AUD$250 a week, Jane faced an unexpected revelation. John, who never married or had children, left his property to her.

Jane recalls the moment John informed her about inheriting the unit, “He rang me and said, ‘My solicitor’s here, can you please give me your full name, because I’m leaving you your unit.’ I thought I hadn’t heard it right. Surely not. For the whole time I had known him, (leaving all his money to charity) was always what he was going to do.”

Despite her initial disbelief and grief over John’s death, Jane now owns the house she called home for more than 20 years. Their connection went beyond the typical landlord-tenant relationship; they were friends. John encouraged Jane to make the place her own, even bringing pots from his father for her garden. This unexpected gift highlights the unique bond they shared.