Bad Landlords, Rat infested, refused to pay for damages and making up lies to withhold deposit

Worst Landlords I have had since Moving out in 2006. Moving into the Flat we let the landlords use our R14000 as we only wanted to stay for three months due to selling our house to relocate overseas.

The landlords gave us a three month contract with the following promises

1) There is no crime (I was worried about no burglar bars on the bedroom window, this was also a lie as they later confessed they installed cameras due to criminals jumping their walls and stealing from their property) 2) there are no power failures (we sold our gas stoves then we got power failures often specially from 8pm-11pm) 3) there will be no additional charges (lies again)

Up[on moving in

1) The oven was so filthy it took us a month using oven degreaser to try clean it to be able to use it. 2) We had to re-clean everything and scrub the shower and bath as it was filthy, the shower had mosaic tiles and it was not cleaned. The shower head had such a thick build up I was unable to shower.

The landlords daughter closed the gate on my car within our first month. The mother (Alma) and daughter promised to pay. I sent my car in for repairs. They then started pretending the gate was not working correctly (again if it was faulty the fault is there’s), then started saying my mother doesn’t turn her head while reversing, I saw them pressing the gate remote through the lounge window while we were reversing to try keep up this charade. My mother eventually approached the husband with my invoice. He was extremely rude saying, “you will do this again!” as if it was our fault as well as, “I was not there as witness” yet his daughter and wife were there and he has security footage!. He refused to pay knowing small claims courts take long and my mother was leaving for overseas.

After moving in the newly painted flat started to stink of pee and the roof started to turn yellow in corners especially the bathroom. WE could not sleep at night as we found the roof was infested with rats,. As they were breeding the stench got so strong. They loved the bathroom the most as the geyser was near the ceiling and kelpt them warm. When we bathed or showered the stench got even strgonger. This hurt our lungs and made us feel sick and we had to keep the door closed at all times. We complaingd constantly. Alomas husband joked how they once ate through their cars aircon to give birth in their cubbyhole. I kept asking them to do something about the rats. He further commented how after they previous dog ate the rats would run across the lawn fighting to get to the dogs food bowl. His view on the matter was, “you kill one, more will come”.

I decided to end my contract and not renew due to the health hazard and the fact that they refused to pay for damages to my car.

I cleaned and sanitized the flat. With a witness. I called Almoma to check the flat and inspect it. She was not interested in inspecting the flat but I opened and closed all the cupboards and draws anyway to show her nothing was broken. I offered again to clean the apartment to which she declined saying she was happy.

After which, she didn’t respond to my about repaying my deposit,. It was a constant struggle to get my deposit and she sent me the following message,

“7/4/21, 1:41 PM - +27 61 415 0587: Hi ok if you read my contract state that all money would be paid in by the 7th. Ok I keep R700 back to see what it would cost to clean the place properly. Like they received it. And place was sanitized before they moved in because of the Covid protocol. She had so many people in place that was buying things that we had to sanitized it again. And we had to put 2 wooden shelfs in for Gina that cost money in the broom cabinet. Its all worked out to R360.00. I need to refund her still with R340.00”

She lied about the visitors trying to imply I was my mom (who was already in USA). She tied to charge us R340 for s**** pieces of wood her husband had lying around, he chopped up to fix the bathroom cup[board that was broken upon our first week there and now is stealing a further 360 for fake sanitizing of the flat when we got the flat filthy and rat infested. She further lied that my banking details didn’t work and many more lies,

“7/4/21, 2:07 PM - +27 61 415 0587: Please send me your father's bank details your don't work”

They Took a 14000 fridge from me and have not paid They broke my car and refused to pay They hid the rat infestation with fresh paint and tried everything in their power to take more money form us when they had R30000 upfront payment from us.

‘Extremely Petty landlords.

You have been warned