DEAR Editor,-
With reference to journalist Sugan Naidoo’s article ‘Tenant trouble strikes in Tweni’ (SCH February 22).
Although this letter is not aimed at all tenants, I urge landlords to investigate tenants before signing lease agreements.
ALSO READ : Tenant trouble strikes in Tweni
There are those people who want to rent premises, promising to take care of the property and pay rent on time, but once they are given the go-ahead, they promptly forget all agreements.
Rent is never paid on time, if at all, and utility bills are totally disregarded.
Yet there is always money for alcohol, drugs or cigarettes.
Sometimes premises are even used for illegal activities that are too ‘dodgy’ to mention.
There are some tenants who show little or no regard for cleanliness – keep an eye out for those lawns that haven’t been cut for months.
Even though there are many garden services available on the South Coast, maintaining the garden is just not important enough.
The lovely garden you left behind will not be the same.
Some use excuses like waiting for the ‘Road Accident Fund’ payment to delay rental payment.
They will even use the ruse that family members ‘who have been in an accident are waiting for a huge payment’ and when it comes through, rent will be paid.
Although landlords go to the trouble of drafting a lease agreement or contract, this has no legal recourse in South Africa and tenants capitalise on this.
When the date arrives for them to vacate the premises, they refuse.
Some of these people are well known in the area and some even go as far as telling friends that they ‘own’ a posh property in Umtentweni.
A word of caution to landlords – be careful what you leave behind, they will sell it and tell you it was stolen.
Landlords, current or prospective, must get together and name and shame these tenants who exploit the situation.
There are a few towns on the South Coast that have had similar problems and Umtentweni must not be allowed to become one of those towns.
These people give legitimate tenants a bad name and it is such a shame.
CARING LANDLORD
Umtentweni
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