Unfair Withholding of Advance for Fully Furnished Rental

We rented a fully furnished house in Randfontein, South Africa, through Airbnb for 5 months at R7,000 per month. We returned the house in excellent condition and did not have any complaints about the appliances or furniture during our stay.

Despite this, the landlord/referee refused to refund our advance, citing trivial issues such as a stain in the washing sink or minor electricity meter problems. For the record, the electricity meter was fully functional when we left.

This experience was extremely disappointing, as we respected the property and fulfilled all our responsibilities. We advise future tenants to clarify advance payment policies carefully before renting.