Lack of Service

I am a tenant in a block of flats, Number 3 Vida Feliz, 65 Club Street, Turffontein through Boost Property Management CC.

Their telephone numbers are: ********** (Administration) and ********** (Maintenance).

I have experienced a number of issues at the abovementioned premises to which the agents don’t pay any attention to.

The meter is of the main concern. When I first complained, they came out and replaced the meter. The person at the time said that not only my meter was faulty, but also that someone had bypassed it and was using my electricity, hence; I was using a lot more electricity, more than what I should have utilised and I was paying for it.

A couple of months later, the meter started giving problems again, I advised them of the problem and nothing was done, eventually after about two months (could be more though) of complaining, I was told by Jake Steele that if the meter is not faulty when someone goes there to look at it, I would be charged R500.00 for the call out fee. I told them to hang on a bit as I don't have that kind of money to play around with.

Eventually I could not accept that my electricity was costing me in the region of almost R2000.00 in a two bedroom flat, I told them to come and have a look.

Needless to say, I purchased R150.00 unipin from Ideal Prepaid (which just by the way) that if I deposited the money into their account via EFT, I would qualify for a 4% discount on the electricity. The token numbers they sent me was rejected by the prepaid meter. I then liaised with someone by the name of Mark and Arnold at Ideal Prepaid. They were unable to assist me as well with the issue and said they cannot give me any refund back; until Boost Property Management advised them on what to do. Boost Property Management then sent someone out about three weeks back to come and look at the meter. Stephen from Boost Property Management, provided me with another meter number and said he would return the next day with another meter, to date; he still has not done this. I still have not received the 30 units that I had on the old meter number either, Jake Steele advised (once the new number was issued), that he would refund the 30 units within half an hour, to this also still has not been done. The issue with the R150.00 unused voucher numbers has also, to date; not been allocated to me. As far as I am concerned, this is theft, especially because Ideal Prepaid does not want to even refund me the money.

On the 30th of September 2017, I gave notice and advised them that I will vacate the premises on the 31st of October 2017. I explained that I paid my rent money to secure other premises for me to stay in at the end of October as I am fighting a loosing battle with them and I most certainly don’t have extra fund to flash around for a deposit on other premises; hence I used my deposit that I had paid them to live out.

Jake Steele advised me that I was not allowed and that and that I needed to pay the rental as the deposit does not cover the rent especially with the new rental increase to which; I never even consented. They don't have a signed acceptance from me at all.

Yesterday, the 11th of October 2017, Boost Property Management took it upon themselves to disconnect my power. As I don't intend asking for my deposit back, I think living my deposit in is the right thing to do as I have been grossly taken for granted especially by the building Manager, Wilson Siaga. This man has absolutely no building management s****s whatsoever. He lies to cover up for himself and just does not bother to respond to e-mails or SMS’s. He is a ruthless person altogether.

On numerous occasions, the water has been disconnected by Jo’burg Water as they owe the council money and when the agents are notified that the water has been disconnected, they send out some of their own people to reconnect the water. Even if it meant breaking the water meter box. The other issue is, when I first moved in three to four years ago, I complained about my toilet that was too low, every time it was flushed, the water would splash onto the floor. After a year of complaining, they replaced the toilet. They replaced the bath earlier this year but then did not complete tiling around the bath and also said they would come do the tiling the next day once the cement was dry and as a result, the bath started to become hollow because it kept sinking as there were no tiles to keep the bath in place, they only replaced the tiles three weeks back together with the wall tiles which took four days to complete a small bathroom.

I have served notice to the agents due to the lack of service provided to me during my residence in the building.

The moral of the story is, I gave notice due to the lack of service I have received from the agents and their terrible Building Manager they have amongst other reasons. Why would I not want to live in my deposit if I know that they are going to hold me responsible for this, that and the next thing if I was trying to get the flat into order - why would I have to bear the brunt and loose my deposit.