A trusted housesitter in one of Perth's most affluent suburbs has been permanently banned from a major platform after he was caught secretly renting out his clients' multi-million-dollar home to an overseas stranger while they were on holiday.
The Breach of Trust in Swanbourne
Swanbourne residents Laurain McCaughan and Jackie Bolt had arranged for their regular dog sitter, Jae Samra, to care for their groodle, Gus, during their September and October getaway. The couple had known Mr Samra for two years after finding him on Aussie House Sitters, where his profile described him as a 'holistic coach/investment banker'.
'He's taken good care of Gus and kept the place spotless – until this time,' Ms McCaughan revealed. The first indication something was wrong came when the homeowners discovered their recycling bin filled with empty beer cans, despite Mr Samra having previously told them he did not drink.
The Shocking Discovery
The situation escalated dramatically when Ms Bolt was cleaning the property's granny flat, which they normally rented out on Airbnb. There, she discovered a signed three-page lease agreement naming Kony J Samra as the lessor and a man visiting from Estonia as the tenant.
The lease stipulated $1,500 would be paid over a three-week period, with the tenant required to vacate by October 18, 2025. 'I thought oh my God, you bastard,' said Ms Bolt of her reaction to the discovery.
Investigation and Consequences
The couple successfully tracked down the tenant, who explained that Mr Samra had contacted him after he posted on Facebook seeking accommodation. 'Jae gave me the impression he was the owner of the house and that the people he rented the apartment to have gone away on holiday,' the tenant stated.
He added that Mr Samra was present on his first day but then announced he was 'going away for a week'. When Mr Samra returned, he brought three dogs with him, including Gus. The couple did not recognise the other two animals and wondered if they belonged to other clients who had entrusted their pets to Mr Samra.
Nick Fuad, Managing Director of Aussie House Sitters, confirmed that subletting or renting out a property while house sitting is strictly prohibited under their terms and conditions. 'We deactivated his account while we were following our complaints procedure,' Mr Fuad told reporters.
'This sitter didn't meet the agreed deadline to defend the allegations so he has been banned for life. We will be encouraging the owners to go to the police and hopefully have this man charged.'
Mr Fuad emphasised that while the platform facilitates approximately 50,000 housesits annually, this incident was the first of its kind in their 21 years of operation. 'Luckily we have a very savvy house sitting community that are quick to inform us when something doesn't look right,' he noted.
The Daily Mail's attempts to contact Mr Samra for comment were unsuccessful.
