Not sure I would want to rent my house out, but hearing something like this makes me think its just too risky.
It's quite risky even without news like that. Once you allow someone into your house you have a problem. Large companies who speciaize in rental property can deal with this - in part by having maintenance people on site, in part by purchasing insurance, and in part by just offsetting the losses by profits from other properties. It also helps to have a few lawyers on retainer, have a convenient rental contract, and know all your rights. A lone homeowner has none of that, and a bad renter can do pretty much whatever he wants, for a long time.