MyRoof advertised a property it could not sell, and held my R50,000 for 3 months

MyRoof advertised a Standard Bank Pre Hammer property (***) that could not be sold through the Pre Hammer programme. From July my agent reported to MyRoof that the owner could not be reached. Under the bank's new rule, no offer can proceed without the owner's signature. MyRoof kept advertising it for Pre Hammer offers anyway, and I was invited to offer more on a deal that could not happen.

I paid a R50,000 deposit on 22 July 2026. I offered the full asking price.

Then nothing. For 82 days I got no answer from the bank. On 7 September MyRoof told me my offer was still pending. No warning, no problem raised.

On 12 October the bank declined my full price offer as "too low" and invited me to offer more. I did, the very next day. MyRoof's reply: the bank "no longer accepts buyer signed only offers". The rules had changed while they were holding my money, and nobody told me. The offer form I signed expressly allows buyer signed offers.

Through all of this, my MyRoof contact did not take my calls and did not call me back. I told them this was causing me serious anxiety and asked to speak to a person. Email only. I asked to meet face to face. Told they have no walk in offices. For a company holding R50,000 of my money, there was nobody I could talk to.

MyRoof has since updated its listings to say buyer only offers are not accepted. If you paid a deposit before that change, ask them in writing what has happened to your offer. They will not tell you unless you ask.

In my view, changing the rules on someone whose deposit you are holding, and leaving them in the dark for nearly three months, is not how any business should treat its customers. Think very carefully before you hand MyRoof a deposit.