Pretor worst rental agency in SA

We had a rental contract with Resprop with a lease period from 01/04/2012 until 30/09/2012.

Resprop never sent me a renewal contract since the one expired on 30/09/2012 my husband and i then went into their offices and discuss a new contract with them and I have been informed that there is no need for one, I told them that there are also numerous issues on the place that needs get sorted out, which was never attended to. Resprop was an *********** company that did not follow the right steps on the process of renting and fixing the necessary things on the property; still paying my monthly rental amount in their account; because I am an honest person, but technically I could have squatted on the property without paying rent at all as I have no contract and the placed was falling apart, I still managed to make rental payment to the owner as I feel as long as I stay there, the owner is entitled to monthly rent.

One month I have already paid my monthly rental amount into Resprops account. I then received an sms from Pretor saying that I need to pay my monthly rent with them. I then immediately contacted the number on the sms provided and manage to speak to a Shaun Williams from Pretor and said I don’t even rent from you. I was there and then informed that my account has been handed over to Pretor. Nor Resporp or Pretor informed me of this change. I tried to get a hold of my previous rental company to confirm this, but had no luck in getting a hold of them as all their phones has been discontinued. After trying numerous times to get a hold of Resprop and driving to their offices they somehow disappeared of the face of the earth, I then went into the bank and reversed the payment and paid my monthly rental amount into Pretor’s account. I then contacted Shaun and said to send me a new contract with Pretor as they are my new rental agency and that the company I had a contract with has closed down. I also told him that in the time period I got married and I have to legally change my name and he sent me an addendum to update the system on their side, I also informed him that my new surname needs to be on the on the new contract from Pretor. Shaun Williams sent me an addendum in 2015 which I signed in the mean time for my name change. I told him telephonically again that I need to get a contract from them, which he failed to do.

I then went overseas and upon my return informed Shaun on the 7th of April 2016 that we would like to move out of the property, on the same day he sent me a contract for Pretor. I informed him that I will not sign the contract as I have informed him that we would like to move out. He then telephonically bul**** me and threatened me to sign the contract, I told him that I will not sign anything with him as I have requested a contract with them numerous times and he failed to do so. Then Shaun Williams tried another trick to get me, to sign the contract; as to saying that their offices are doing an internal “something” and noted that I don’t have a contract with them and he sent me a contract, once again I told him that we will be moving out and I will not sign the contract. I kept on getting phone calls from him where he spoke to me in an ill manner and kept on telling and bullying me to sign the contract, where he had me in tears numerous times by conducting himself in an unprofessional manner. I also feel that he is contradicting himself saying that the contract that has expired is still valid, yet he tried to force me to sign the contract with Pretor.

I have then been informed by Shaun on the 7th of April 2016 that he will hold me liable for two months’ notice against a contract that has expired in 2012. After going back and forth about the two months “notice” period, I said to him that for the 2nd month I will help him find a tenant to take occupation for the last month of our “notice” period. He then agreed to this and I manage to find a few people interested in the place which filled in the rental application provided by Shaun to me, which I did viewings of the property as well as contact them and sent through the necessary rental application documentation.

There was a lady that wanted the place and was approved on her rental application, and then informed me that she will not be taking the place as Shaun is asking for a ridiculous amount of R 17 000.00 beforehand to move into a 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom place. He then made it very difficult for other tenants to take occupation as they could not validate paying R 17 000.00 before moving in.

Pretor is the worst rental agency in the country. They are rude and scream and shout at their customers and are very unhelpful until you need to pay them.

They are a rental agency that works like lawyers where they charge you for every email sent, telephone call as well as interest on your account an interest rate of 20%.

Their staff is mean and bully you, they do not pay back your deposit. Pretor sent us a bill of R 35 000 for the last months rent with ridiculous amounts of interest charge on the account as well as sms fee, email fees etc, they then went to go get a judgement against me and the outstanding amount went from 35 000 to 60 000 due to their ridiculous interest and lawyers fees.

Needles to say we had to get our own lawyers involved to fight the case in court and they managed to get the monies down and get a settlement amount of R 25 000 as they informed us that Pretor interest charges at 20 % is not legal and can't be more then 10%. They knew that they were not allowed to charge the 20% yet they continued to add it to my monthly account.

They then tried to bully me in paying the money by screaming at me over the phone.