Stay away from Africrest

If there was an option to give a -100 rating, I would.

I am currently residing at The Encore Apartments in Bryanston, and moving here has been one of the worst rental experiences I have ever had. I genuinely regret the day I signed this lease.

The warning signs started early. On 16 January, I received two different cost breakdowns — one reflecting R7,890. I was told to pay R1,000 to secure a unit in the new building. I went that same weekend to view the apartment and made the payment. I was informed that the unit would only be ready on 1 February, but I still needed to pay the deposit upfront, which I did.

My lease agreement was never sent to me on time. I had to call multiple times that week because I urgently needed to sign and secure the unit. Then, on 23 January, I was sent a completely different cost breakdown reflecting R8,090. The lack of consistency and professionalism from the beginning should have been my first red flag.

From day one, the apartment was not ready for occupation. There was no proper handover process. I was told that a move-in inspection would be conducted, yet a month later, this has still not happened.

The condition of the apartment upon arrival was completely unacceptable:

• The shower was filled with cement residue from construction and had clearly never been cleaned. • I had to clean the apartment myself before I could even settle in. • The sliding door does not lock properly. • The main door knob broke on the second day of occupation. • The unit is significantly smaller than what was presented in the showroom. • Construction is still ongoing, with multiple unresolved snags that I have already reported.

It is evident that the building was not ready for occupation, yet tenants were allowed to move in regardless. This is a health and safety hazard

On 2 March, I returned home after a long and stressful day at work to find my apartment flooded. The living room and bathroom carpets were soaked, and the apartment smelled foul. No tenant should ever have to come home to such conditions.

This entire experience has been defined by poor management, lack of accountability, and complete disregard for tenant well-being. The situation is unacceptable and reflects serious operational and quality control failures.

I would not recommend this property to anyone.