Land'Lady' from Hell

[supersunbird]

My last tenant got all her deposit and the interest within a week of leaving.

 

[demon angel]

I doubt you will get your deposit back without legal action.
Also its funny that the document gives you 2 months to leave, because the law clearly states its 3 months notice.
I would refuse to pay rent in turn for the deposit but that's a big no no ethically.
However look how badly she screwed you over.

 

[Slootvreter]

This landlady, today has assaulted my mother in law (while she was babysitting my 2 yr old daughter) by slamming the door on her arm. If we lay a charge of assault, she'll be put in jail for the weekend and consequently miss her flight back to never never land.

Also there's the question of getting our substantial deposit back...

None of this will happen. She won't sit in jail and miss a flight, and you won't get your deposit back. At least, not without some expenses from your side, making the fight pretty much a waste of time. When you move out, leave the place looking like a drug den and whorehouse.

 

[Flowerhat]

I'd advise you against vindictiveness. It only embitters you and produces more contention and strife in your life. Forget about reporting her alterations -- it's a stupid intrusive law in any case, so why play into it. Rather, see the positive side (your situation is clarified, and you can act to improve it). I have so many times seen these sorts of situations tie people into all sorts of emotional and legal knots, and in 99.999% of cases the whole thing falls flat and goes nowhere. So, don't stress. Don't get all knotted. Calmly find another place. Resolve not to raise the subject again with your family and friends (only respond when they ask). Show your family you can take this in your stride. You're capable, competent, in control, unruffled, a reliable dad and husband who's unruffled by these triflings. Don't pick this petty fight which you can't easily and definitively win, making you feel even more disempowered. I mean all this quite seriously.

good advice

I had similar situation recently and am not happy by the way I succumbed to aggression.

But some people are so aggravating that you do not want to let it slide

 

[Hamster]

When you move out, leave the place looking like a drug den and whorehouse.

With tenants like these...

 

[Slootvreter]

With tenants like these...

I have spent money and time cleaning a place, making it look better than it did, had the grass growing nicely, the garage windows repaired, etc etc, and they have the nerve to come and look for other things that are wrong, and withhold my deposit, claiming carpets needs to be deep cleaned at R1300 per room, ceiling needs paint due to "neglect" (yeah right). Looking for reasons NOT to return my deposit, knowing full well that going the legal route will cost more. I

 

[Devill]

Quick history, in december when our landlady came back from overseas visited and worked on the property, my wife and I were her best Tenants ever.. ( we always pay rent on time, don't make noise and cause *** etc.. )

January comes, we get a 'new lease' to sign and within a day, otherwise she's taking it as notice, after reading the new lease I started fuming at the stupidity of how one sided (in her favour) it was. Also it was drawn up by her lawyer, so obviously we refused to sign.

So anyway, hurray for good friends, my wife and daughter and me have a nice 3 bedroom house to rent..

Unfortunate part is the lease was 2 months notice, and we can't vacate until the end of the month, and therein lay the rub. There's been threats and fights, when people don't do what this bitch from hell says then she gets stupidly immature and threatens e.g. that my bakkie will disappear, she'll turn off our water. There's been yelling matches at our front door.

This landlady, today has assaulted my mother in law (while she was babysitting my 2 yr old daughter) by slamming the door on her arm. If we lay a charge of assault, she'll be put in jail for the weekend and consequently miss her flight back to never never land.

Also there's the question of getting our substantial deposit back...

So what am I asking/saying?

Immediate satisfaction: I seriously want to throw a brick through her car and wait for her to come fighting and then send my fist through her nasty little face. How much *** would I be in for doing that?

Long Term: Our lawyer has basically said she's ****ed up so much that we can get all of our rental payments back since we've been here..

Which way would you go?

IIRC CPA has it that a notice period of one month is sufficient. Just double check that.

 

[Dolby]

I've posted one or two queries about my rental issues and I've realised that the majority on MyBB will blame you, label you a tyrant, expect you to give the house for free, buy food and look after/pay for tenants.

I'm looking forward to the day I can rent from the guys that gave me advise and get them to look after me!

 

[ToxicBunny]

I've posted one or two queries about my rental issues and I've realised that the majority on MyBB will blame you, label you a tyrant, expect you to give the house for free, buy food and look after/pay for tenants.

I'm looking forward to the day I can rent from the guys that gave me advise and get them to look after me!

I wouldn't say the vast majority, but there is a vocal crowd who instantly will blame the landlord regardless of the situation.

My case, I had a tenant for nearly a year, who paid me in cash.... the payments started getting later and later... it got to the point where I just wanted them out, I would rather make no rent for a few months than have unreliable rent....Even made a plan with the last months rent and their deposit just to get them out earlier... in the end of it, I was accomodating, but I'm still going to have to spend nearly R5000 fixing up the flat with all the crap that they didn't look after.

 

[Ancalagon]

The problem is that there are idiots on both sides - unreliable tenants and greedy landlords.

Considering how few landlords there are to how many tenants there, it seems like the population of landlords contains a large amount of greedy landlords. When I say greedy landlords, I mean people who treat your deposit as a 13th cheque and will do anything to keep it - including lying. But yes, I have also had some pleasant landlords who are quite reasonable, the last lady that I rented from was very nice and totally fair.

 

[supersunbird]

Look how a tenant left my place:

http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/showgallery.php?cat=847

Yes, he was always late with payment and stuff.

 

[ToxicBunny]

That looks similar to the state mine was left in...

I knew it would be in that state though, so I just ignored it for a day or two because I was already fuming about how long they took to move out.

 

[killerbyte]

And here my dad is loving his tenants. He raised the rent by R67 just to cover the increase in the rates and taxes. My dad actually just put a new kitchen into the place. And the only thing he has asked the tenants to do is get the carpets cleaned once a year. They are great tenants and my dad is a nice guy, very fair.

So not all tenants are ******* and not all landlords are greedy buggers.

 

[bgotapen]

Immediate satisfaction: I seriously want to throw a brick through her car and wait for her to come fighting and then send my fist through her nasty little face. How much *** would I be in for doing that?

Long Term: Our lawyer has basically said she's ****ed up so much that we can get all of our rental payments back since we've been here..

Which way would you go?

You want some good advice? Leave, get you deposit back (after they subtract damage, they will always find damage) and forget about it.

We have had tenants that just don't listen... No dogs? they get dogs... Maintain the pool? They pump out all the water and let it crack.

You don't seem at fault but still, it isn't your property just let it go.. they probably want you gone by the way they made that contact change.

 

[satanboy]

Get your lawyer to smoke her. Press the assault charge.

You'll get far more satisfaction this way.

This

 

[Nicodeamus]

never wait for your deposit, that never works. Ask her during the last month to send you a final account, therefore deduct the last month's rent from your deposit.

That is how you work with landlords. If things are really broken then settle that afterwards.

 

[mike6870]

Pour cement down the drains & toilets etc. Leave . Small claims court for deposit back-R12500 max. Good luck.

 

[Grubscrew]

Pour cement down the drains & toilets etc. Leave . Small claims court for deposit back-R12500 max. Good luck.

Wat?

 

[tRoN]

Pour cement down the drains & toilets etc. Leave . Small claims court for deposit back-R12500 max. Good luck.

You are trailer trash.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Pour cement down the drains & toilets etc. Leave . Small claims court for deposit back-R12500 max. Good luck.

Yes... Great advice that... Esp the lawsuit for a lot more than 12500 that will come with it and the potential criminal charge as well