Complaints between tenants and landlords have been increasing in the recent past, with more and more residents, mainly tenants complaining to the Laudium Sun, concerning unfair and at times, even illegal practices carried out by landlords in the Laudium/Erasmia area.

In one of the recent complaints to the Laudium Sun, Derek Boucher who is a tenant on Garnet Street, claims that for the past three months he has been living without electricity, despite paying the monthly rental to his landlord, Ismail Tai, on time. Derek (59) who has been living at the outer building on Garnet Street in Laudium with his wife Anita (55) said, “We are having problems with our landlord, despite paying him the monthly rent of R2000. It seems that he doesn’t pay his Municipality electricity bills, resulting in us and other tenants living in the front part of the property, not having lights as the Municipality has cut off the electricity supply to the premises. We have not had electricity for three months and what is so frustrating is that we are paying him rent every month. The problem with the landlord is that when we pay him rent, he seemingly doesn’t pay his electricity account at the Municipality, for his house. We have suffered for a long time without electricity, while he was taking our rent money. He doesn’t care about us tenants, it seems that he cares only about collecting his rent money. So much of our food got rotten because we didn’t have electricity. Even while we have no electricity, the landlord told his son to collect all the rent money and put it into his account. When we complained to his son regarding how can we pay rent when we have no electricity because the electricity had been cut off by the Council for non-payment, the son assured us that his father will pay the outstanding arrears of the electricity account. But our landlord didn’t pay the electricity account resulting in us still being in the dark. It is not fair that the landlord uses our rent money to live a luxury life, while we as tenants are living in the dark for three months. Besides collecting rent from us, our landlord works as a security officer for Cops Security company and he is also getting grant money.” A frustrated Derek added, “Some of the other tenants have left this place now, saying that they are tired of the empty promises made by the landlord that he was going to pay the electricity account and that the lights would soon be reconnected by the Council. When my wife and I complain to him about the electricity problem, he swears at both my wife and I and does not seem to be interested in sorting out the electricity problem, but only seems to care about collecting the rent money. I am sick suffering from asthma and my wife is suffering from throat cancer. I don’t know why our landlord is treating us like this. I believe that our landlord is also stealing food from his tenants because he has spare keys to open the rooms which we are renting and there is often food missing. We are paying him rent but he is also asking for food from us. Our landlord also refuses to fix the rooms we are renting. When it rains the water leaks through the roof into our rooms and although we have complained to him, he has done nothing to fix the problem. We would very much like to move to another place, but we do not have the deposit money for a new place.” When the Laudium Sun contacted the landlord, Ismael Tai (54) for a comment on the allegations made by Derek, Ismail said, “I have sorted out the problem of the electricity account with the help of the Councillor who helped me to make arrangements to pay off my account with the Council. All the other allegations made against me by Derek are lies. I gave Derek and his wife a place to stay as I felt sorry for them when they were looking for a place.”

* The Garnet Street, Laudium house where Derek Boucher and his wife Anita are renting a room. *

* Landlord Ismael Tai said that he has sorted out the problem of his electricity account.*

*Derek Boucher and his wife Anita say they have been paying their rental but have not had electricity for 3 months.*

*The room which Derek Boucher says leaks every time it rains.*