Formal Complaint and Request for Investigation into Irregular Billing and Potential ***** – Totalizator Building, Marshalltown

Dear Hello Peter,

My name is Abraham, a respectful and law-abiding tenant who has been residing at the Totalizator Building, located at 2A Harrison Street, Marshalltown, Johannesburg, for over a year. I am writing to formally raise a serious concern regarding irregular billing practices and what I believe may be an act of ***** involving a representative associated with Lightwell Property Management.

I recently renewed my lease agreement this month for a one-bedroom unit, where the agreed-upon rent is R4800 per month. However, I have consistently paid R5360 monthly, including additional unexplained fees that were not outlined in my lease agreement. Despite the discrepancy, I continued paying to avoid conflict, but what has occurred over the past few months has prompted this formal complaint.

Issue Summary: In April 2025, I received an invoice of R9405, an amount that is completely unjustified and has no clear breakdown or explanation.

Upon contacting the building manager, Mr. Oswell, I was informed that he has no authority over billing matters and directed me to the alleged creditor in charge, Mr. Emmanuel Dude.

Mr. Emmanuel Dude is reportedly the "Creditor Controller" for the Totalizator Building but has no office presence, does not answer phone calls, and only communicates via email.

When I requested a detailed statement of my account, I received a generic threatening message stating that payment was due and penalties would follow if payment wasn't made. I responded with proof of my payments, clearly showing that I had made all necessary payments, including for May and June, using the correct Nedbank account provided to me with proper reference numbers.

Furthermore, earlier in the year (December, January, and February), we suffered three weeks without electricity. Many tenants left due to the living conditions. Despite the inconvenience, I still paid in full, late only due to those issues , yet no understanding or accountability was demonstrated by management.

Most recently, I returned home to find my electricity had been switched off, while other units were unaffected, raising concerns of targeted and discriminatory treatment.

The sudden switch from an FNB account to a Nedbank account with no clear notification or proper oversight further raises red flags.

Concern: I strongly believe there is a lack of internal accountability, and possibly *****ulent behavior by the said creditor, Emmanuel Dude. This recurring issue of inflated billing, the inability to obtain a clear statement, and the absence of transparent communication is both unprofessional and *********.

Request: I kindly urge Lightwell Property Management or any regulatory body overseeing residential leasing standards to:

Investigate Mr. Emmanuel Dude’s conduct, role, and authorization in managing accounts for tenants at the Totalizator Building.

Conduct a full audit of tenant billing records to verify accuracy and integrity.

Provide clarity on the change of banking details and ensure all tenants are appropriately informed.

Prevent further unjust penalties and harassment of compliant tenants.

This matter is not only a personal concern but also a broader issue that affects the credibility of property management and the rights of tenants.

Thank you for your attention to this serious concern. I am happy to provide all proof of payment and written communication for your review.

Sincerely, Abraham Ozurumna Tenant – Totalizator Building 2A Harrison Street, Marshalltown Johannesburg ***