GODLYN RENTAL KATE GODREY

My mother, brother and I entered into a lease agreement with Godlyn Rentals, Berea, East London for a residential rental property.

The house was is a big mess, but the layout of premises suited our needs. After viewing me immediately returned to rental agent and indicated our interest to the reception desk. One of the owners, an elderly man, Mr Mike Godfrey who was in the passage way came toward us and was very happy to hear our interest. He indicated at the time that it saves him from advertising the property further and that the previous tenant had left unannounced in the middle of the night, and they had not received a deposit from him. Without any input from our side he mentioned that by the end of that month all repairs and maintenance that the property needs would be complete. At this, we had indicated that because the list of repairs was extensive, that we would just prefer for the interior issues be repaired and thereafter, as and when possible, they could repair the outside issues.

During the month we had contacted Queenie from Godlyn about 5 times to see if we still on track for our moving in at end of that month. She assured us that they were and sent us an invoice for payment prior to occupation.

We duly paid the deposit and obtained the keys on the last weekend of the month. As this was at end of day of a Friday, we only started the move on Saturday morning.

When we arrived at premises we found that NOTHING had been done to repair inside premises. Nothing had been repaired outside the house either other than the swimming pool, which was empty.

No curtain railings in the house above any windows, meaning we could not hang curtains at all. Only 1 out of 3 toilets operating, and the one working had to be used by taking the top lid off the cistern and pulling the lever in the water. The front door was still broken and not able to be locked. The double garage doors broken and unable to be locked. The back area with sliding doors had a whole sliding door kissing which meant the back lounge was unable to be locked. This meant that the front door and the back doors could not be locked. Neither could we lock anything in the garage because that also could not be locked. The above is only a drop in the ocean of how inhabitable the house was.

That same Saturday we moved in was also the same day that a new tenant moved into the premises we had occupied and given notice to move from.

We had nowhere to return to and so had no option but to stay there the weekend with our goofs. Despite numerous attempts throughout that weekend to get hold of anyone from Godlyn Rentals, we could not report our concerns until that Monday morning.

As the premises had a pre-paid electricity metre and was on 2 units when we got there on the Saturday morning, we went to purchase electricity. However the system at the vendor was telling us that there was a R23000 outstanding amount that needed to be paid before we could buy electricity. This shocked us as we could not envisage living without any electricity and clearly this was not for us to sort out.

During that weekend we then had found and secured a new premises to move into but only the following weekend (1 week later).

We reported all the issues and more to the rental agents, they came around and decided to create a snag list, which was extensive, and went into 2 A4 pages.

They had clearly seen that nothing had been done to the property at all.

Kate Godfrey one of the owners and who is Mike Godfeys daughter, took over the matter from her estate agents.

From there everything went even further sour.

Long story short... She has no witness that Mike Godfrey promised to sort issues out.

We advised that nothing had been done to sort out the main issues for anyone to stay safely at the premises and that the electricity was an issue.

Everything fell on deaf ears. We had paid R18000 deposit to move in and were to pay the R18000 monthly rent the Monday after we moved in.

Godlyn Rentals has now obtained a Default Judgement against me and my pensioner mother for the outstanding rental of R18000.

I am absolutely livid with these people and I am guessing that if I could place an advert in the newspaper to see how many similar stories other families have about this same rental company called Godlyn Rentals in Berea East London,we would all be shocked. This is a certain modus operandi that they work toward, it's where they get their money from.

I met two former employee's from Godlyn Rental and they have both admitted to me and have provided me with Stamped Affidavits that they were instructed to find problems and peoples premises in order to NOT pay out deposits to former tenants. .these guys are horrible. Kate Godfrey is an absolute money hungry wench and her minions she pays, such as Robyn Berry Attorneys, Beacon Bay, East London are the biggest sharks in the game in this area

Even the Housing Tribunal are scared to hear our matter because when approached they said that Godlym Rentals have many matters there every month and always wins her cases and advised us against going through them to resolve the issues.

Damn shocking and dirty business Godlyn Rental. Karen Godrfey and Mike Godfrey, your days of being in business will soon come to an end... You sold your soul for the thirty pieces of silver. Shame.