One Bad Letter and Your Eviction Falls Apart
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” (George Bernard Shaw) Many landlords assume that once a tenant stops paying rent, an eviction order will inevitably follow. A recent Western Cape High Court judgment shows how wrong that assumption can be. Despite rental arrears of more than R46,000 and […]
Can You Airbnb Your House or Apartment in a Residential Complex?
“Landlords grow rich in their sleep.” (John Stuart Mill, economist) If you are thinking of buying (or already own) a house or apartment in a residential complex with the idea of renting it out as an Airbnb (whether permanently or on an “I can make a fortune this Christmas” basis), tread carefully. A recent High […]
“Pay extra for my generator or I’ll cut you off during loadshedding”. Can a landlord do that?
Loadshedding continues to plague us and our businesses, and when tenants are connected during power cuts to their landlord’s alternative power source – such as a generator – it is essential for both parties to understand their respective rights. Lights out for a shopping mall gym · An upmarket gym had relied for years on […]
Landlords: You cannot cut a defaulting tenant’s water and electricity
Many a landlord is tempted to go the “self-help” route when non-paying tenants refuse to pay up and also refuse to leave. Holding costs mount with not a cent in rental income to show for it, the landlord gets desperate and locks are changed, access codes blocked, electricity and water cut off. But what if, […]
Landlord Liable for a Tragic “Freak” Flood Drowning
A recent High Court decision dealing with the tragic drowning of a toddler highlights once again the legal dangers faced by property owners who let out accommodation to the public. This particular case related specifically to a Holiday Let on a guest farm and a natural disaster in the form of a flood, but of […]
Landlords: Can You Cut Electricity to Collect Arrears or Evict?
Landlords can be sorely tempted to force defaulting tenants to settle their arrears (or to vacate the premises altogether) with a bit of instant “self-help” by cutting electricity or water supplies, or perhaps by changing locks or disabling access codes. From the High Court comes another timely warning that you cannot resort to self-help without […]