Pensioners threatened with eviction after steep rent increase

Pensioners at Amathole Haven retirement home in Stutterheim fear they will soon be out on the street.

They say their rent is being raised by R450 a month, an amount they cannot afford, and now management is threatening to evict them.

The pensioners believe the rent hike is to cover financial deficits at the home but that this should not be at their expense.

The Hill Street Association, which represents tenants at the home, has sought legal advice, said its chair, Michael Cloran.

Cloran said the trouble began in August 2019 when management first asked for advance levy payments.

There was another call in February for a one-off levy surcharge of R450.

The pensioners agreed to this, according to Cloran, but “this agreement was wrongly imposed” on all 50 cottages and there had been continuous debit orders from their accounts since February.

“It was reinforced with a threatening letter warning us of possible eviction should we default on our payments. This is a very delicate situation,” said Cloran. He believes management is increasing rent to pay staff and run the home.

“Because of loss of income and failure to get funding, the management has instead resorted to increasing rent. Unless they get funding from the government they will close down. That is why they are increasing the levy, but that should not be at our expense,” said Cloran.

The lawyer representing the pensioners, Brian Cutler, told the Dispatch he had written a letter of authority to Amathole

Haven demanding they stop the monthly R450 debits, pay back all money that was debited from March and stop eviction threats.

Ten days after the letter was sent to Amathole Haven, Cutler said they were “simply refusing to reply”. “Amathole are refusing to deal with me and they have refused to deal with the association representing the tenants,” said Cutler.

Amathole Haven’s board of directors chair, Verity Nicholas, acknowledged “issues at Amathole” but refused to comment further.

Lawyer has written to Amathole Haven demanding they stop the monthly R450 debits and pay back the money