South African Tenants May Pay Extra Costs on Top of Their Monthly Rent

• Property24 reports that South African tenants could pay extra costs on top of rent, depending on what their lease agreement says
• A Roodepoort property agent explained that landlords may only charge for actual utility consumption and cannot add markups or hidden fees
• Tenants have the right to see the original municipal invoice before paying any utility bill

Many South African tenants are unaware that their monthly rent may not be the only amount they owe their landlord.

Speaking to Property24, Morné Prinsloo, a local agent with RE/MAX Town and Country in Roodepoort and Krugersdorp, explains that most municipal accounts remain registered in the landlord's name because municipalities rarely allow tenants to open their own utility accounts at rental properties. The landlord therefore receives the bill and may pass the relevant costs on to the tenant.

What extra costs could tenants pay?

Depending on the lease, tenants may be responsible for:

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• Electricity — Charges based on electricity used at the property.
• Water — Costs linked to the property's water consumption.
• Sewerage — Municipal charges for wastewater and sewer services.
• Refuse removal — Fees for municipal waste collection.
• Other municipal charges — Any additional costs specifically provided for in the lease.

What landlords can and cannot charge

Prinsloo says landlords may recover the actual cost of consumption but should not add a markup, profit margin, or administration fee to the municipal charge. Tenants can request the original consolidated municipal invoice to verify the amount being charged.

Utilities may either be included in the rent or billed separately through meter readings or prepaid systems. The arrangement should be agreed upon in the lease before the tenancy begins. A landlord cannot simply introduce new charges or change the billing arrangement without the tenant's consent.

Prinsloo also warns that landlords cannot use the disconnection of electricity or water to force payment of outstanding utility bills. Disconnecting essential services without a court order is unlawful and could expose the landlord to a damages claim.

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Read the full Property24 breakdown here.

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Source: Briefly News