• Affordability , if the tenant ’ s proven income can ’ t comfortably cover the rent agreement .
• A poor credit score
• Poor references from a previous landlord or employer
• Nature of their work - for example , if the tenant is a freelancer or contract worker and there is uncertainty that rent will be able to be covered in full in the future .
• A foreign national who has no previous history or can not prove their right to live and work in the country .
Q5 . What legal costs can a landlord expect when it comes to evicting a tenant ? Obviously each case is different and the legal costs will vary according to a number of factors , such as the level of legal expertise , the location , and which court you end up in , be it the Magistrate Court ( which is cheaper ) or the High Court .
eviction order .
Nowadays , many eviction attorneys don ’ t charge the full fee upfront and instead charge the landlord on a stage by stage basis . Each stage of the eviction process is charged separately , beginning with the summons process and progressing from there .
Regardless of the legal process , evicting a tenant is always going to be a costly exercise , not only in money but also time and stress . This is why it is crucial that landlords pay close attention to the red flags and do their homework before offering a lease to a potential tenant .
Generally speaking , in the case of an unopposed eviction , where one ends up in court and the judge grants the eviction order , you ’ re looking at spending anywhere between R25,000-R30,000 in legal costs . This excludes the Sheriffs ’ costs , who are required to go and execute the
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