Exorbitant charges after lease termination

<p>I entered into a lease agreement with Zelri Properties in 2016 with a duration of 12 months. Upon not obtaining any assistance with issues related to the apartment such as pesticides, leaking toilets, malfunctioning stove, etc., when the lease expired, I decided not to renew.</p> <p> </p> <p>I performed all required steps before termination as far as granting a full months’ notice of termination is concerned. I was thereafter informed that my deposit of R5,700 would be reimbursed and I made peace with the fact that I might not get it in full if the agency paints the apartment and other small fixes.</p> <p> </p> <p>Yesterday, I received a mail indicating that painting the apartment had a cost close to R10,000 and I was now liable to pay the difference. This is surely an abuse of position held by the agency and I wonder how many tenants have been exploited through this unfair practice. If you are considering leasing from this Zelri Properties, please make peace with the fact that you will not see any cent of your deposit money and will definitely be taken advantage of.</p>