A Necessary Warning to Landlords and Tenants

I am writing this review from my unique perspective as Ofentse Segone, a former Rental Manager at Dreamville Properties. My intent is not to complain, but to provide a necessary caution to both landlords and tenants considering engaging with this company.

I worked closely with the owner from January 2020 and witnessed the company's growth. A core principle I always upheld was ensuring tenants received their deposits back promptly and fairly, based on legitimate inspection reports.

However, in January 2024, I discovered a serious issue after being contacted by numerous former tenants who had not received their deposits. Upon investigating the trust account, I found that over R100,000 belonging to my former tenants was missing. When I confronted the owner, Mr. Nkabinde, he admitted to using these deposit funds to cover company debts, acknowledging he was aware this constitutes *****. Trust account funds are legally required to be held in trust for tenants and cannot be used for operational expenses.

I agreed to remain with the company on the condition that all affected tenants be repaid in full and that he take full responsibility. Despite this agreement, I was retrenched three months later, citing financial strain—a puzzling claim given the commission-based remuneration structure.

Since my departure, I have learned that the company's practices have not improved. Landlords were not informed of the management change, and my former portfolios were redistributed internally. I continue to receive messages from tenants as recent as this week who moved out over a year ago and have still not received their deposits. Landlords are, from my understanding, given misleading information and can experience late rental payments, as funds appear to be mismanaged.

Potential clients should also be aware that key administrative contacts, such as the purported admin person Zama Mdluli, seem to be inaccessible by phone and may not exist, creating a serious lack of transparency.

Based on my direct experience, I cannot in good conscience recommend Dreamville Properties. I advise all potential landlords and tenants to exercise extreme caution and ensure they receive absolute clarity on how their funds will be handled before entering into any agreement.

Sincerely, Ofentse Segone Former Dreamville Properties Rental Manager