Do not adhere to POPIA act

My experience renting from this business approximately two years ago left me with serious concerns about electricity arrangements, my deposit and the privacy of my correspondence.

We rented a house on a property with multiple units sharing an electricity supply. We were told we would manage the prepaid meter and keep a record of everyone's electricity purchases. Our contract stated that each person on the property would contribute R500. Despite what we considered low usage on our part, we repeatedly had to buy more electricity. Additional money was also demanded when my mother stayed with us temporarily.

After giving notice and moving out, I requested my deposit back. They refused, and I received responses that I found threatening.

Two years later, a third party read aloud emails exchanged privately between me and the landlord during that tenancy. I have video footage of this happening. I did not give permission for those emails to be shared, and discovering that someone else had access to them has raised serious concerns for me about how my personal information was handled.

Based on my experience, prospective tenants should get clear written terms about shared electricity costs, deposit refunds and the handling of personal information before committing.