Zero: 82 Kafue Street, Lynnwood Glen, Pretoria, Gauteng.

Zero professionalism. Zero responsibility. Zero accountability. Zero competence. Zero building quality and compliance standards.

There’s a straight forward reason CivBuild Properties block the “review” functionality on GoogleMaps for all of their properties, including in Tshwane and Hartebee****rt - they cannot face the real consequences of the facts of the sub-standard quality of their properties, and the non-compliant “management” of their properties, being revealed.

Handover of unit with huge leaks in windows, window-frames, and window-sills. No gutters or roof flash boards on building. “Construction manager”, Hendriaan, confidently states that the building “does not require gutters”. This may be so; however, they have put in absolutely zero contingency plans for rain water drainage and management, otherwise. Only 4 days into my move here into a brand new apartment, in a brand new development, my unit has already been flooded with rain water 3 times, which I have had to manage and contain (once, accompanied by a lack of electricity for 6 hours, albeit an area-outage, which I had to establish on my own). Even on a completely rain-free day and night (when it’s quieter and CivBuild is not making a noise racket with their chaos, like they do every single day here), one hears water running and dripping literally continually.

When you solely report a major issue such as these huge and constant/continual window leaks (with water actively continuously leaking from the frames even when it’s not currently raining - so one can imagine the extent when it actually is pouring with rain), they turn around and ask you, “But how’s the braai?”. When you kindly respond by requesting them to please simply sort out the reported major leaks which you’ve been waiting for days on being fixed during the extreme downpours in Tshwane and which are a risk not only for flooding and mould, etc. particularly if one is not at home to constantly wring out towels which get drenched in a matter of a few hours only due to the intensity of the leaks, they again simply insist on their question, “But how’s the braai? Is it nice?” Do you truly think that a person whose priorities are that of a functional and habitable living environment, has time for a braai or for testing your braai equipment, when they are sitting around dedicating all of their time waiting on you fixing (and each and every day stating that you are coming to fix, but only coming into my home to shout, “There’s nothing to do today; we will do it tomorrow”, in a pattern which never actually materializes) major construction issues in the unit, as well as constantly sending you emails and messages which you intentionally ignore, as well as having to ultimately take it upon oneself to sort out and fix your own major issues which you refuse to do, even though you are on-site causing chaos and havoc, including directly at one’s vehicle, all the time, after I’ve paid rent?

The only thing they did indeed express worry and concern over literally, in regard to the leak was, “Oh, I’m very worried about the curtains getting wet, the curtains must not get wet!” This is only because each of the units came pre-fitted with curtains which they own. You will literally be shouted at, and degraded by Hendriaan, who each day will tell you that he “told” you something, which he in fact never did. He states that the “window guy” is coming to sort out the windows “tomorrow”, but can never provide you with a time. Due to the serious nature of the matter, and you needing the matter resolved, you are left with no choice but to wait for that to materialize (wasting your entire work-days and weeks); yet it never actually happens.

There is a total lack of coordinated communication, and in fact complete miscommunications, between their rental agent/office worker, Charlene, and Hendriaan on-site, with the 2 of them communicating with each other and then each of them communicating completely contradictory information to you as a client/tenant, and then literally blaming you for their miscommunications, with each of them taking zero responsibility or accountability for their actions and behaviors. Expect Hendriaan to shout at you and give you attitude for Charlene’s communications to you, and question you - when he should in fact be questioning her; and expect Charlene to tell you things that apparently Hendriaan has “confirmed and committed to doing”, yet he pitches up cluelessness, and does zero but shout at you, give you attitude, and take careful visual inventory of the contents of each and every room of your unit that you have moved into, with all of these pre-existing issues still persisting, but which they care naught about resolving.

Fix my windows, window-frames, and opening-window-frame sealants. Install gutters for drainage. They work complementarily. Both are vitally necessary. The components of a building cannot be separated from the building as a whole. The building cannot be separated from nature. It’s appalling that a “construction manager”, developers, and owners do not understand and implement basic principles. But yes, it’s all about cost-cutting (aka blatant greed).

Once they receive their rent money, you are on your own; do not expect them to fix major issues such as voluminous water leaks, etc. which are due solely to poor construction on their part. Yet, they simultaneously consistently waste your entire work-days and work-week on end even, coming into your already-occupied unit and scanning every nook and cranny of your personal contents (to the extent of Hendriaan even snatching your personal belongings off the counter-top on multiple occassions), but resolving absolutely nothing!

On top of it all, Hendriaan behaves like he is doing you huge favors and he even tells you “I am doing everything to accommodate you”, when he in fact blatantly resolves nothing whatsoever with the leaks actually worsening every day, while he displays blatant attitude and derogatory behavior towards you - on an issue that you never should be experiencing or having to be raising in the first instance.

It is wholly evident that one’s rental money is all that matters to CivBuild and the owners of 82 Kafue. How can the sole issue (amongst countless unsatisfactory issues being experienced, that one could in fact raise for attention) that one raises with them - being that of the intensive window leaks resulting in an uninhabitable living environment which is a material breach of contract, be met with such a blatant refusal to fix and simply professionally and efficiently resolve same?

It is mind-boggling. Zero care. Zero efficiency. Zero basic humanity. Definitely zero integrity. Definitely zero business ethics.