Tenant Rights Violated - Complaint Against Central Development

I am writing to lodge a formal complaint regarding your unacceptable and frankly exploitative demand that I pay two full months of rent as a penalty for the cancellation of my lease.

I signed a one-year lease just a short time ago (approximately one to two months). Due to a legitimate and unavoidable job relocation across the province, I have had no choice but to end the lease early. As required, I have given a full calendar month’s notice, which is in line with the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), Section 14. According to this law, I am entitled to cancel the lease early by providing 20 business days’ notice — which I have exceeded.

You are not entitled to charge arbitrary penalties. The CPA allows landlords to charge a reasonable cancellation fee — not a blanket demand of two months’ rent, regardless of the circumstances. Your demand clearly exceeds what could be considered reasonable and appears to be nothing more than an attempt to profit off my situation.

I remind you of your legal obligation to mitigate damages by making a reasonable effort to re-let the unit — not to punish me with an excessive penalty for acting within my rights.

Unless this demand is revised and brought into compliance with South African tenancy law, I will escalate the matter to the Rental Housing Tribunal in Gauteng and lodge a formal complaint with the Consumer Commission. I will also seek legal advice on pursuing damages should you continue to press this baseless charge.

You have seven (7) business days to respond and resolve this matter reasonably. I suggest you take that opportunity.

Sincerely, [Ngoako Ramafalo