Landlord doesn't care about killing people.

So, I got very sick with food poisoning one day and had to be hospitalized. When I came home I put a thermometer in my fridge and found out it was cooling to only 10 degrees (max for safety should be 5 degrees). I got a new fridge.

The problem is, my landlord wants me to keep the old fridge in the flat for the next person. I told him very directly that bacteria in food can kill someone and he would know that now. His reply was that the bacteria would kill the people not him even if he did know. I cannot stand by and watch and someone else gets sick or worse. Is there anything I can do?

Yes, turn the knob on your old fridge to 5 C°.

It's like 50 years old, it doesn't have such abilities. It's already at the max coldness of course :)

I'd assume the next tenant will check the fridge before signing the lease, and the landlord might fix any issues beforehand. So, I wouldn't worry too much about it for now. You're right that 10 degrees is too low for safe food storage, but at this point, it's probably out of your hands. I really admire your compassion - it's not something you see every day.

Hm, Alien may be right; it's possible it was done this way by accident.

Do you out a thermometer in every flat fridge you tour before you rent it?

Not before you rent it but once you use it you notice if it's too warm in there I would think