Residential Guidebook Residential Guide 2017/2018 | Page 28

ADVERTORIAL Lease in Peace When property processes get uncomfortable you can trust Xpello to step into your shoes M ore often than not, property investors and rental agents take precautions to ensure the tenant signing the lease is reliable and capable of meeting their obligations. But despite screening and confirmation of references, it still happens that the tenant defaults. As an agent or landlord, one can issue a Letter of Demand and cancel the lease... But then what? Imagine trying to serve notice on a tenant yourself and unwittingly making a mistake in your paperwork. Well and good if the tenant leaves and nobody knows there was an error - but if the tenant doesn't leave, your documentation needs to be used in court. That's when a tiny mistake can cause some very expensive problems. Rental agents don't have the authority, systems or specialist knowledge to evict a tenant - and landlords or property investors don't have time to attend to the litigation process. When an attorney is approached, a deposit is required and legal fees in the region of R30,000 will need to be paid. The owner must decide what steps to take and where to find an attorney to attend to the matter. Once the process begins, it needs to be managed - but how does one know if the correct procedures are being followed? This is why Xpello has brought together a team of experienced professionals who have developed an innovative, affordable, legal solution for landlords and rental agents, created to simplify eviction process management in particular, as well as various other property investment issues in general. The company is the brainchild of specialist property attorneys Elize Le Roux and Cilna Steyn who, as a result of their extensive experience in dealing with evictions, decided to bring Xpello's unique eviction 28 THE ULTIMATE PROPERTY INVESTMENT RESIDENTIAL GUIDEBOOK process management and property investment solutions to the market. Because many problems in dealing with delinquent tenants can be exacerbated by an incomplete or unprofessional lease agreement, Xpello's work often begins by guiding the client with regard to lease agreements that have been accepted by the courts, and assessing whether the client's lease can be legally cancelled if a breach occurs. Xpello's solutions are available to letting agents as well as directly to property owners and investors - from individual landlords renting out a single unit - to large organisations managing multiple properties. The maximum fee at present is R140.00 per lease per month, which may be reduced if more than one property is registered or the property is managed by agents. A client may sign up at any time in the duration of a lease - with the understanding that if an eviction is required within the first 6 months of joining Xpello, the client will need to contribute an amount between R2,500 and R6,000 towards the eviction costs. From month 7 onwards, the client will be entitled to all services provided by Xpello with no additional cost. To simplify things even further, and to expedite the matter should the need arise, Xpello manages the eviction process by means of a power of attorney, which means the client does not even have to sign any Court documents. "Since Xpello was launched early in 2017, the concept has caught on very quickly with agents and landlords alike" says Elize Le Roux. "We believe that working with Xpello is the safest way to minimise legal costs and damages - because an eviction that isn't handled correctly from the start, can become an immensely frustrating, time consuming and financially draining experience."