‘Skiving’ China butler jailed for sleeping in luxury flat of woman tenant 30 times while she was away on business trips
- Tenant returns home unexpectedly and catches man scurrying out of her home
- Butler tries to convince tenant he had been in property to check plumbing but she discovered sofa and toilet showed signs of use
A male butler at a block of luxury flats in China has been jailed after he was caught sleeping in a female tenant’s home nearly 30 times over a three-month period.
Details have emerged of what has become a trending story on mainland social media in which the tenant, surnamed Zhong, returned home to Shanghai from a business trip and caught the butler, surnamed Tu, hurrying out of her flat.
Zhong had lived in the rented property since the previous November but regularly spent time away travelling for work.
She was attracted to the property because it was run by a professional management company that provided services, such as butlers, who would do housekeeping and carry out repairs.
She had been happy living at the premises and thought it was secure, so she was shocked when she found Tu scurrying out of her home.
Tu tried to convince Zhong he had been in the property to check on the plumbing but she was suspicious, especially after she discovered the sofa and toilet showed signs of use.
Certain he had gained access to her flat without his company’s permission, Zhong immediately reported it to Tu’s manager and the police.
Three days later at the police station, Tu admitted he had used the spare key card to break into Zhong’s home.
Before Zhong rented the flat, the landlord had asked the property management’s office to keep the card, which it did not return even after Zhong moved in.
This meant Tu had access to it and could use it to sneak into the flat, knowing that Zhong frequently took long business trips.
When asked about his motive, he said that he wanted to skive off work.
“Within three months after joining the company, I broke into the flat about 30 times,” Tu admitted.
Police found he was also using other tenants’ homes without permission.
He was jailed for five months and given a further five month’s probation.
The story sparked widespread discussion on mainland social media, with one person commenting: “It’s really scary.”
“Skiving off work? Does anyone believe that?” another asked.
Alarming reports of rental property disputes in China are not uncommon.
Earlier this month, a landlord in Shanghai, demanded 800,000 yuan (US$110,000) in compensation long after his former tenant’s mother had committed suicide by jumping from the flat’s balcony.
In May this year, a Shanghai court ordered a landlord to pay her tenant 8,000 yuan (US$1,100) in compensation after she turned her home into a funeral hall while she was at work.
