An Adelaide mother who torched her rental home as "revenge" because her landlord issued her with a 90-day notice to vacate the premises has been jailed.
District Court Judge Michael Durrant sentenced 37-year-old Rhiannon Sarri Watherston to four years and three months jail with a non-parole period of two years and four months.
He said the arson attack was too serious to suspend the sentence or allow her to serve it on home detention.
The court heard the woman was served with a 90-day notice to vacate her Elizabeth South home in September 2021, because the landlord planned to move back in with his family.
Judge Durrant said a week later, CCTV showed the mother-of-five drive past the house before parking and walking back into the premises.
"About three minutes later, you leave the house and get into your car. You park at a vacant piece of land nearby," he said.
He said the woman waited 10 minutes to see part of the house "brighten" before she left.
"You deliberately lit the fire inside the house. The fire caused extensive damage to most of the property," he said.
"The cost of repair was estimated at $228,000."
Judge Durrant said the woman told a psychologist that she thought her landlord was uninsured and she wanted to "hurt the family … as he had hurt yours".
"You said it felt good to be seeking revenge," he said.
"You told the psychologist the landlord had treated you poorly.
"You took an impulsive and vengeful path."
The court heard the woman had Borderline Personality Disorder which made it more difficult for her to regulate her emotions.
Judge Durrant said the disorder contributed to the crime because it meant her reaction was impulsive and disproportionate to the situation.
He said the interactions between the woman and her landlord were normal and she had not been poorly treated.
Judge Durrant said the woman had "reasonable prospects of rehabilitation" but he needed to impose a sentence that deterred others from seeking similar "unjustified revenge" against another.
"This is a serious example of this very serious crime," he said.
"Your actions were extremely dangerous, it was fortunate no-one was seriously hurt and the fire didn't spread to neighbouring properties."
