Should my landlord pay for line installation costs?

[ToxicBunny]

Landlords are all the same ... Quite happy to insist that " Fixtures" shall become part of the property even if paid for by a tenant, but not to admit that "fixtures" add value to your property!. The indoor cable reticulation becomes a fixture and cannot easily be removed when a tenant leaves, so it fits the definition of a "fixture". It is NO different to that Air conditioner or security gate system.

The only thing that will sort out the greedy property industry in SA is legislation that will make it obligatory for landlords to ensure telecoms infrastructure is installed when they develop a property, or, before they are even allowed to enter into a rental agreement with a tenant. .....

Every one was quite happy when Telkom used to do the indoor wiring at their cost. The moment new ECA came into force, property owners found out that "they" were now responsible for indoor wiring, they ducked the issue. And that is why there are now many properties with no indoor wiring facilities available, especially high rise residential complexes with weak Body Corporates ...

Aggg shame.....

Can I rant about how all tenants are the same and just don't care and have cost me as a landlord many thousands of rands because they're messy and dirty and just destroy everything in a property?

I as a landlord would be amenable to certain things, IF the tenant was worth it.. invariably I have found that tenants aren't worth investing in a property.

 

[Geoff.D]

Aggg shame.....

Can I rant about how all tenants are the same and just don't care and have cost me as a landlord many thousands of rands because they're messy and dirty and just destroy everything in a property?

I as a landlord would be amenable to certain things, IF the tenant was worth it.. invariably I have found that tenants aren't worth investing in a property.

You can do as you like as far as I care! As others have pointed out proper communication reticulation is as important these days as water and electricity and does add value to your property. So those of you who are property owners and are not doing what you need to do about the issue should find themselves gradually being pushed out of the market.

 

[Gamer]

Last year we conducted research with an estate agent and found that apartments that had fibre installed sold for between R30,000 (Bellville) and R50,000 (Somerset West) more than similar apartments that did not have fibre installed.

Estate agents will tell you whatever you want to here. I speak generally of course. An interesting article about how much they actually know of the entire market.
http://www.fin24.com/Economy/the-myth-about-sa-house-price-growth-20160214

I do find it hard to believe that two apartments (presumably identical or thereabouts) next to each other in a block, that one will sell for on average R40000.00 more because it has a fibre line installed. I can't seem to find a stand alone install cost for fibre from Telkom website, it appears that they offer a fixed monthly fee over 24 month contract. If one wants a fibre line installed, it'll cost R16776.00 over 2 years to get installed and use. Maybe I'm looking at the wrong Telkom page, I don't know.

That's fibre, very rare.

Absolutely, the suburb I live in (and also rent property in) is one of the most sought after stand alone housing (not golf estate type suburbs) suburbs in the Durban northern suburbs and there is currently zero Telkom fibre roll-out.

Aggg shame.....

I as a landlord would be amenable to certain things, IF the tenant was worth it.. invariably I have found that tenants aren't worth investing in a property.

Indeed, value of individual tenant holds a lot of weight.

 

[supersunbird]

Dont be silly Ive never met a landlord that doesn't increase the rent by the maximum allowed amount every year

Maximum + R100 in this case...

 

[FaSMaN]

Theres a maximum amount? I try to rip the ring with every tenant ----

No seriously though - there are times where I lower the rental dependent on the situation.

Your one of the few exceptions and a good person if you do

Ive found that if the contract says "rent may increase by up to 10% every year" that it will go by 10%, first place I stayed in had 15% in the contract and it never failed to increase by that , even if nothing was done to increase the value of the property I stayed in, (painting, security gates etc...) 10% might not sound like much but it does inflate the price especially if you stay somewhere for 5 years+ , it would eventually beat inflation and increase the rent to the point where its more expensive than other similar places, and I know each time when I moved out the landlord had to lower it by a good margin as no one wanted to pay those sort of prices.

That being said and back on topic, I had to pay for my fiber install but I did so with a smile ,its well worth it.

 

[Rocket-Boy]

The next tenant would have to pay for installation in any case...no?

Exactly this. Regardless of whether everything is in place or not the next personal will pay installation charges.

 

[Gamer]

Just chatted to a mate who has Telkom fibre at his home. No install costs, only the monthly contract cost that's fixed for 2 years. Modem included. Why the heck would anyone pay R40000.00 more for an apartment with a fibre line installed when they get one for less than half that and get use out of it at the same time? Makes absolutely no sense. I'd also not want to get involved with monthly contracts on behalf of a tenant.

In addition, he had to dig a trench from the road to his house and lay conduit before Telkom agreed to install.
These are his pics of that trench he had to dig and lay conduit into at his cost.

 

[yebocan]

Reminds me of a DSTV setup upgrade request. Was renting, units in building by default only had single-view setup. Made proposal to landlord, that we go 50/50 on a having the installation upgraded to a complete HD environment. Pros, he only pays 50% installation, he would be able to retain the setup, once I move out. After getting a quote, ... that was like 2500..he declined...and that was that. Singleview was not that bad...lol...Oddly down the line, he figured out that I worked for a Naspers subsidiary...and wanted to negotiate an arrangement to get a DSTV discount..he requested, I declined

 

[FaSMaN]

They had to install 3x telephone poles to do mine, Telkom is awesome, but rather go to Webafrica, you dont have to pay a installation there either but they don't lock you in a contract, just charge you a installation cost if you cancel the first year, VS the 24 Month Contract, also you get double the data from WA...

 

[Geoff.D]

Just chatted to a mate who has Telkom fibre at his home. No install costs, only the monthly contract cost that's fixed for 2 years. Modem included. Why the heck would anyone pay R40000.00 more for an apartment with a fibre line installed when they get one for less than half that and get use out of it at the same time? Makes absolutely no sense. I'd also not want to get involved with monthly contracts on behalf of a tenant.

In addition, he had to dig a trench from the road to his house and lay conduit before Telkom agreed to install.
These are his pics of that trench he had to dig and lay conduit into at his cost.

Exactly! Telkom stop at the boundary. The landowner has to provide the reticulation ( trench, duct etc) before Telkom will blow in the fibre.

BTW, A very bad job that is, trench not deep enough, pipe quality below standard, too many joints. Wait until the gardener gets hold of the that duct. He would have been better of surface mounting the pipe to the wall -----

 

[Geoff.D]

Reminds me of a DSTV setup upgrade request. Was renting, units in building by default only had single-view setup. Made proposal to landlord, that we go 50/50 on a having the installation upgraded to a complete HD environment. Pros, he only pays 50% installation, he would be able to retain the setup, once I move out. After getting a quote, ... that was like 2500..he declined...and that was that. Singleview was not that bad...lol...Oddly down the line, he figured out that I worked for a Naspers subsidiary...and wanted to negotiate an arrangement to get a DSTV discount..he requested, I declined

Good for you, tit for tat.

The only part of the antenna that is truly a fixture is the bracket ..... I have "recovered" many an antenna for persons moving out of rented accommodation ( antenna, LNB and cabling) leaving only the bracket ,after there was an argument between the owner and the tenant....

 

[Gamer]

BTW, A very bad job that is, trench not deep enough, pipe quality below standard, too many joints. Wait until the gardener gets hold of the that duct. He would have been better of surface mounting the pipe to the wall -----

Yes, they came back to install and told him the same thing. He had to go a shyte load deeper.

Point is, a tenant wants me to pay for all this? So he can have a "savvy" internet connection...no thank you.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Good for you, tit for tat.

The only part od the antenna that is truly a fixture is the bracket ..... I have "recovered" many an antenna for persons moving out of rented accommodation ( antenna, LNB and cabling) leaving only the bracket ,after there was an argument between the owner and the tenant....

Honestly, as an ex-tenant and now also an ex-landlord...

You would be welcome to remove an LNB, Cabling and dish from a property I rented out.... I would deduct the cost of having it restored from the deposit...

 

[Kerrits]

If I have a good, low maintenance tenant, I would gladly go 50/50. They are less likely to move out if they just spent R1k or something on an improvement.
You can then also increase the rent that R100 extra that year, knowing they will most likely still stay.

FYI, I usually increase rent by 5%, but went with 8% last year as I am renting out relatively cheaply. It's worth it to me, as my tenant gets stuff done herself and just sends me the bill, and always pays rent on time. A good tenant is worth a couple of hundred rand a month.

 

[Scary_Turtle]

I know in Craighall park you pay R9000 rent for a room, a small kitchen, toilet/shower and a parking (basically a maids quarters) which has Fibre.

A few Km's down the road you can get 2 bed, 1 bath, kitchen, small garden and 2 parking's but no fibre for R9000.

Probably has more to do with area the fibre but who knows.

 

[Splinter]

I'm a residential landlord. A phone or fibre line adds no value in my opinion and my next tenant may never need one. I wouldn't pay. However, new air-conditioning...

Rather odd statement. Air-con might add to resale value in a tiny measure; but I doubt it will help with rentals. Who pays for the extra electricity as well?

On the other hand, fibre and/or landline would most probably be a big thing in today's age with a tenant.

Landlords are all the same ...

The only thing that will sort out the greedy property industry in SA is legislation that will make it obligatory for landlords to ensure telecoms infrastructure is installed when they develop a property, or, before they are even allowed to enter into a rental agreement with a tenant. .....
.

Dude - if you don't like it - rent something else. I worked a long time to be a greedy landlord....

 

[Splinter]

I haven't no, I spend very little time on the forums. There's no shortage of prospective tenants, the more savvy ones can rent elsewhere or pay for their own line installation.

Got to say, this is a bit silly. I'd rather have a "more savvy" tenant than one that does not see the need for internet access at home. While there may be no shortage of tenants, there is also no shortage of bad tenants.

To get a reliable tenant is worth far more than scrooging on a few hundred bucks. Or even a few thousand over the long term.

 

[Splinter]

Aggg shame.....

I as a landlord would be amenable to certain things, IF the tenant was worth it.. invariably I have found that tenants aren't worth investing in a property.

Fortunately, I have thus far had great tenants. The latest keeps on asking me if I want to sell

 

[saturnz]

I'm a residential landlord. A phone or fibre line adds no value in my opinion and my next tenant may never need one. I wouldn't pay. However, new air-conditioning or security gates that my tenant discussed with me I was happy to pay for.

in my building our fibre line has added greatly to the building with it now being highly sort after. There have been several purchases by new owners that have bought in this building because of our fibre and there are a few very positive testimonials on airbnb about our fibre.

 

[Gamer]

Rather odd statement. Air-con might add to resale value in a tiny measure; but I doubt it will help with rentals. Who pays for the extra electricity as well?

On the other hand, fibre and/or landline would most probably be a big thing in today's age with a tenant.



Dude - if you don't like it - rent something else. I worked a long time to be a greedy landlord....

Air-conditioning in Durban is sought after. Tenant pays electricity and water over and above rental.

As pointed out in the thread, it may be a big thing in the future, but rare and expensive now.

Got to say, this is a bit silly. I'd rather have a "more savvy" tenant than one that does not see the need for internet access at home. While there may be no shortage of tenants, there is also no shortage of bad tenants.

To get a reliable tenant is worth far more than scrooging on a few hundred bucks. Or even a few thousand over the long term.

The savvy ones are the bad tenants in my opinion.