Tenant vanishes with Rowcor Property's lease leaving R85 686 unpaid bill. Rowcor Properties (Edenvale) shuns responsibilty

Last year this time, I signed a lease with an incoming family in my home in Jhb, through Rowcor Properties. The agency took a full month's rent as their fee and I had to sign a lease placing them at the centre of the agreement. Just a matter of weeks into the lease, contract dual stipulations on the tenants part were continuously violated.

I have registered my concerns of non-payment, numerous times to both tenant and agent. Unfortunately payment shortfalls accrued monthly. After consistent poor payment, Rowcor via a debt collector (only in September) issued letter of demand. Twenty days later, still no funds were recovered. The agent assured me they would assist in recovering outstanding monies.

All my concerns have been clear violations by the tenant of our (12 month) lease agreement, yet they were not replaced, due to what you called 'process'. The tenants have sub-let my house, vacated without notice on 5th Nov and owing a staggering R85,686. I have been more than patient and obliging to both tenant and agency, but that has not yielded positive results. I was assured a few months ago by the Agent that attempts will be made to recover these costs, yet nothing has materialised. The tenants should have been replaced long ago, but weren't. Rowcors Principal, Eleanor has not taken my calls nor rep**** to emails or voice messages. Only after a sharp message last week was I contacted by Rowvor who says they are trying to replace the tenant as per the lease but are not responsible for my lost costs. It's the 27th November and my home has been vacant for three weeks. The so-called vetting process of tenants has further failed me because there's only a cell no of the workplace, which has never been on.

CoJ shockingly allowed the electricity bill to accrue, sitting at roughly R60,000 without disconnection. Being in another city from the leased premises has been challenging and now CoJ expects me and only me to pay that bill whilst the runaway tenant is scott free and Rowcor washes their hands off any responsibility.

No words could capture the depths of my disappointment.