Deposit paid to secure a rental room
i paid a deposit to secure a room for rent before i moved in. I continuously asked the landlord for the lease but I never got it because he said his lawyers are busy with it. So now that i want my deposit back, and i told him in advance about my moving out, he does not want to give it back to me as he says i breached a contract i never laid my eyes on.
Category: Consumer Protection, Fraudulent Behaviour
Region: South Africa, Gauteng
1 Answer
You are entitled to your deposit plus interests. The law requires landlords to invest deposit monies on behalf of the tenants in interest yielding investment account. The deposit plus the acummulated interest should be refunded to the tenant on the expiration of the lease. If there is any physical damage done to the apartment, landlord is entitled to deduct the reasonable cost of repair and hand over the balance. His argument is therefore ridiculous.
What you should do: call and inform him that should he fails to return your deposit and interest within 7days you will report him to the Rental Housing Tribunal. If he fails, indeed lodge your complaint with the Tribunal. Google search their contact information.