step towards improving the quality of housing accessible to the most vulnerable in our society ,” Dippenaar says .
While these obligations for the landlords sound heavy , there is room for the protection of their properties . And while the legislation Act makes certain that tenants are also on their best behavior , this will make it slightly easier for landlords to distinguish the ‘ good ’ tenants from the ‘ bad ’.
Here are some of the requirements of the legislation shared by SDLaw attorney , Simon Dippenaar among many others .
New Rental Housing Act Requirement :
• Landlords to provide tenants with written lease agreement and not verbal agreements
• Properties must be habitable .
• Property owners to ensure that their property is treated with respect
• The landlord to replace tenant ’ s deposit in an interest-bearing account and repay the deposit plus interest within seven days of the lease expiring .
• The landlord to inspect the property with the tenant at the start of the lease .
• Defects or damages unrectified must be listed and attached to the lease agreement .
• The landlord cannot cut off utilities and services due to nonpayment . Only the municipality has the right to do so .
• A landlord cannot lock a tenant out of the property without a court order .
• Sufficient advance notice is required , unannounced ‘ spot ’ inspections are not permissible .
Well , it seems like most of what is coming to be the new law is threatening to some landlords . It should not be that way ; the law could never be enacted to make life between such critical parties in the real estate industry difficult but created to improve landlord / tenant relationships . The provisions of the legislation should be quickly enacted in the lease agreements , so that the relationship is built a short while before the enforcement of this amendment .
SOURCES SDLaw , REI Masterclass & WeconnectU
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine JULY 2021 17