Rental agency defends increases

COMMUNICARE has shot down speculation that it will be evicting its tenants if they fail to pay rent.

“Communicare is not undertaking any evictions or serving of notice to tenants who cannot afford the annual increase and the lease agreement does not state that tenants will be evicted if they cannot afford the increase.

“We have a process of engagement with a tenant to understand the reasons why a tenant may not be able to pay their rent.

“Our tenants can apply for temporary financial relief for three months if the problem is of a short-term nature. Sometimes this even extends to six months. Sometimes we are also able to offer tenants accommodation in a cheaper unit, if one is available. However, if a tenant absolutely cannot pay their rental, we do have to serve notice,” said Michelle Matthee, stakeholder relations manager and spokesperson for Communicare .

Matthee’s response comes a week after a group of tenants marched to the rental tribunal to hand over 300 forms objecting the 9%-15% rent increase.

She said Communicare was not informed of the protest.

United Tenants association spokesperson Neville Petersen said: “It’s the first time we the Communicare tenants hear of this and if Communicare are sincere about the well-being of our tenants, why did they not circulate a letter to the Communicare tenants?”