The unit I live in is on the first floor...

Asked by the Customer on 18-05-2015 18:41:21
Question posted in the Landlord Tenant Law category relating to Gauteng

The unit I live in is on the first floor in a residential area. I started occupation since October 2014 and have a 12 month contract. The issue at hand is the cheap quality of the unit's toilet system. The tank or flow of water when you flush is not heavy enough to flush everything after use. One has to repeat twice or more for soiling to disappear, even toilet paper.
On January 29 2015 I realised the toilet was blocked and reported to the agent. The response was that a plumber would be sent once they receive proof of payment. I was a month behind. On the 30th January I made the full payment through eft. It took the agent two weeks to send the plumber.

He sent his workman to sort the blockage promising to come fetch him in a few minutes. I was interested to see what might have blocked the toilet because I was warned if the cause of the blockage is me I would be billed on it. It took the man about ten minutes or less to unblock. However his tool got stuck and I had to get tools for him to make it come out. I asked him if he found anything that could cause blockage and there was nothing. I was expecting a foreign object-nothing foreign that was not supposed to be there.

His boss called three hours later for him to meet him somewhere. They were supposed to fix the second bathroom too but the boss did not bring back what was supposed to be used to fix it.

On May 16 I noticed an email sent to me that I owed for my rent R845,77c more than the rent due. I had received two sms messages in April one with the correct rental amount and the other with the excess. I never followed up because I thought it might have been a stray message till I noticed I had an email as well to which I responded to enquire what this was about. I do not read my emails often. The response today is that I caused the blockage. I have requested how I caused the blockage and the response is that they will send it to me as soon as the contractor gives them a report. There was nothing in the toilet that was not supposed to be there. The contractor did not even see the work. I am the person who was inconvenienced with staying with the worker waiting for his boss who only called three hours later. My errands for the day were disrupted because I could not leave a stranger in my house. Do I have any recourse? Today theyhave sent a further statement with interest in the bill.

Pleasehelp.
Zukiswa

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