Office Place Rentals - Unfair Treatment of Customers

Office Place helped me get a place to rent for my business last year December. I told them I was looking for a stable place and a long term lease. It happened that the first place we looked at I couldn't move into it as the tenant was extending the contract. The agent then took me to another place where there was a service provider that offered same services. I then asked if that wouldn't be an issue and in response he said that it was no issue at all as the same building was housing different law firms and besides we were using different entrance points and we were not on the same floor. It worried me and asked again before I paid my deposits and he confirmed that the landlord was OK with it. Rental offer was drafted and I signed. Actual lease agreement was only to be sent in January as the building owners were already on leave. Was given the keys 15th December and was permitted to renovate/partition the office space. This was done and we were ready to start trading 4th January.

A week later in January I got a call from rental agent to say there had been a complaint that we were poaching competitors clients. It came as a shock as with our nature of business we work with accounts and all bookings come through emails or phone calls.

I then requested for a meeting to understand what was going on of which that did not materialize.

Before end of January I got an email telling us to vacate the premises as we did not have a contract and there was conflict of interest. I told the agent I wasn't going anywhere as I had just invested in the new offices and that I had asked him prior to moving in and he was confident that all was fine.

This continued for months where the landlord would send us messages to move out or they would take our office furniture and lock us out. Mind you we are paying the rent monthly without fail as we were trading and it was business as usual. Our customers being told by competitor that we are no longer in the building etc. Security guards being told not to allow our customers in.

I then reached out to Ben at Office Place, the senior to Mladen and told him to manage his intern agent and make sure we don't get harassed as they placed us there and his response was the decision was coming from the landlord and not them.

I then told them they would pay for all the damages caused. I even mentioned if it was because I was a young black woman against Caucasians being attacked and bul**** and told to move out just because they had to support another Caucasian who felt threatened that I had the same business as hers and friends with the landlords administer for the building.

The agent distanced himself and then I had to involve a lawyer to respond on my behalf as this was very *******.

I was called in for a meeting to discuss a solution buy the landlord/family trust, agent was supposed to be there but he never came and didn't tell me he wasn't coming. Excuse from the landlord was he had a Tyre puncture and couldn't make it.

They went on to say the agent **** about everything and that I cannot be at that building because they didn't wanna lose their long term customer.

Showed them my proof/attendance registers that I have never had a competitors client in my books. Told them I had just invested and planned etc and wasn't going to move out.

They tried to offer me places that are far from central Kempton Park and I explained that I couldn't go far as I re**** on the xray department and lab at the main hospital for certain tests.

Now they have given me a fixed term contract till end year. I haven't signed yet as my agreement with agent was long term, hence renovating the place to specifications.

For this Office Place must pay all legal costs, Agent license must be revoked with Estate Agency Rental Board and I must get justice for being treated this way.

Office Place cannot even communicate with me after all the mess they put me in. They are quiet. Justice must be served. I AM NOT MOVING OUT. I will not allowed to be bul**** after working so hard to be where I am.

I have the meeting recording.

I have the recording from caretaker saying the competitor has been a problem since day 1

I have all messages/screenshots from agent confirming I could move in and that having 2 companies doing the same was not an issue at all.