Major Kim major problem if you are just a tenant

<p>I viewed the property I am currently renting, wooden cottage attached to main house, alomg with the elderly landlady and agent, but was not informed that some of the windows cannot open due to structural problems to the house, foundation is sinking, fireplace has no chimney, alarm system does not work, and an inter leading door into my side of the house to which the landlady has keys and I am not allowed to lock the door from my side or block it. Only after I paid the deposit, double deposit, and started moving in, did the landlady's 7 month pregnant adult daughter appear and inform me about the alarm, fireplace and that I am not allowed to lock or block the inter leading door. She also told me the house is sagging and the windows cannot open. The fact that the alarm system does not work, there are no burglar bars, and the access from their house to mine, means that I am unable to get insurance for my belongings. At first the mother and daughter took turns to cry on my shoulder about their personal problems and would constantly seek me out to chat, however, whenever I asked them to please sort out some of the problems they would plead poverty. They also have 2 dogs that they lock on my side of the house during the day, causing great stress to my cats and the dogs also defecate on my side of the garden. After numerous verbal requests to please not allow the dogs on my side and to pick up the excrement, I eventually e-mailed the agent. Her response was, I waited too long (5 months) to come to her and the landlady scratched out the inspection and maintenance clause. Therefore no inspection was ever done ! The maintenance is to be done by the landlady, however, in the past they would always insist on doing repairs on weekends, but the gardener who is supposed to help them would never arrive and then the process would be delayed. This time I arranged through the agent for repairs to be done and I took off from work to be at home, they were supposed to start at 12 in the afternoon, the electrician then informed me that the parts for the elctricity meter was incompatible and he could not fit the electricity meter. I waited for 30 minutes and then asked the daughter of the elderly landlady when she would start the repairs and she told me she has the whole afternoon to do the repairs and will take her time. Unfortunately I am a single professional lady and sole breadwinner and cannot sit at home the whole day, so after informing the agent via sms, as she refused to answer her phone, I had to go back to work. The agent then came back to me the next day saying the landlady wants to give me 2 months notice, but I have to pay a cancellation fee R 1300 and may lose my R 13 000 deposit if they do not find a suitable replacement. Unfortunately I cannot afford R 1300 or to lose my deposit as I obviously need it for new accomodation. I pay my rent on 20th of every month, twice earlier than that. I have installed at my own cost DSTV dish and cabling, i gave the landlady my old decoder and paid for another point to her TV, because she could only receive one SABC channel on her rusted aerials. I pay for the full DSTV package and they only pay R 85 per month for the extra view connection. I added blinds to the entire downstairs windows and have thus gone out of my way to improve their property, but it seems that I have no rights as a tenant ? According to the agent, the owner is her client. So in short because the landlady wants to do her own maintenance and inspections, but does'nt, the agent is washing her hands off it. The landlady told me she has no e-mail so I could only take things up with her verbally, therefore i have no written proof of any complaints to her. </p> <p> </p> <p>I came home today to find that the interleading door had been opened and they had tried to access my side of the house, I know this as the metal screens I placed in front of the door as a warning system to myself, had been moved by the door opening to my side. I placed a dead bolt on the door, thereby locking it from my side, however, they tried to come into my side again, then realised it was locked and started sending me messages and also getting the agent to message me to immediately remove the dead bolt. </p> <p> </p> <p>But how do I safeguard myself and possessions when they have access to my house ?</p> <p> </p> <p>I am extremely distressed, the daughter had the baby and is constantly fighting with her mother about the baby's constant crying, I can hear this all through the very thin dry wall, and it is causing me a great deal of stress and fear. I fear for my own safety, my 2 cats safety and my belongings. i cannot afford an attorney, I have already contacted one who advised me to not interact with the landladies and to have everything in writing, but that is all he can help me with, unless I can afford his fees.</p> <p> </p> <p>My house is supposed to be a place where I can be safe and have peace, but I am afraid to come home and was it not for my 2 cats, I would have moved in with friends for the remainder of the contract. My contract expires 31 July 2017 But why should I be penalised for non disclosure of the above ?</p>