Preferental: Disappointing & Unsafe Experience at 21 Belhambra Road Property (Under Preferental)

I rented a bachelor unit at 21 Belhambra Road, Primrose, a property listed under Preferental, and unfortunately, my experience was unpleasant from the day I moved in.

Upon arrival, I discovered that the padlocks didn’t work, the doors were faulty, and the gas geyser wasn’t functioning—meaning no hot water at all. Despite paying my deposit and rent in full, I had to stay with a friend for two weeks. When I returned, nothing had been resolved. I still had no gas cylinder for the geyser, and the caretaker had to bring me buckets of hot water just to bathe.

The shower head was faulty, spraying painfully, and multiple maintenance issues were reported to Ntshaki, Daniel, and via Preferental’s website—none were ever resolved timeously. Even basic things like a broken padlock on the entrance gate remained neglected until a tenant’s washing machine was ****** from the property. Items were frequently ****** off the washing lines, and unfami**** people would roam the yard, creating an unsafe environment.

To make matters worse, the shower glass cracked due to poor geyser regulation and only got fixed months later. I even found the caretaker inside my unit without permission(to fix the window handle which later broke again), which made me feel unsafe and completely violated. This was also reported to Daniel.

The final straw came on 25 February 2025, when someone fami**** with the property entered my unit and stole my 55-inch Samsung Smart TV and soundbar, newly bought in November 2024. The owner (whose identity kept changing—first it was Daniel, then Angelique, then Pilane, Smanga, and Ntshaki) showed no care or accountability.

Despite consistent follow-ups and logging maintenance issues, Preferental failed to respond. Even after emailing them outlining my serious safety concerns and asking about promised security measures (e.g., cameras, Mamba security registration, remote access, panic buttons), there was no concrete action taken. These were all discussions I had directly with Daniel and Ntshaki.

I had high hopes for this place—it looked beautiful on the outside—but the persistent neglect, thefts, safety concerns, and lack of maintenance forced me to move out. It's disheartening that tenants had to fix issues themselves, and even then, their safety wasn't guaranteed.

I cannot recommend this property or Preferental. Tenants deserve to feel safe, heard, and cared for—none of which I experienced here.