Housing body to offer help
A FIVE-member Rental Housing Tribunal team has been appointed by human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August, with effect from April 1.
The tribunal is set up according to the Rental Housing Act of 1999 and its duty is to resolve disputes between tenants and landlords in residential dwellings. It is an alternative to costly court action and a ruling of the Tribunal has the same power as the judgment of a magistrate’s court.
Department of human settlements spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha said: “The Rental Housing Tribunal was enacted to protect both tenants and landlords from exploiting each other and against other forms of unfair rental practice. The Act informs both tenants and landlords about their rights, duties and responsibilities when they enter into a lease agreement.”
He said the tribunal provided a free service to tenants and landlords to promote stability in the residential rental housing sector throughout the province.
The tribunal members are advocate John Korkie as chairman, Nomalungelo Petela Ngcanga as deputy chairwoman, with additional members Dave Murray, Zanele Semane and Andile Badi.
“Their functions include receiving complaints lodged by landlords, tenants, property agents or interested groups. They also conduct hearings to resolve disputes, provide information to tenants and landlords about their rights and obligations in relation to dwellings,” the spokesman said. “The Rental Housing Tribunal will also form part of the consumer protection drive . . . ” .
Sicwetsha said the tribunal sometimes travelled to hear cases where they happened.
Anyone interested in the tribunal’s services can visit the department’s regional offices. —