RE: Legal Assistance

We have family staying with us for almost 8 years. They live in a wendy house at the back. We've never charged them rent as they are family. Lately we've been experiencing a lot of challenges with them.

1. Do I as the owner have the right to prohibit anyone access to my property that comes to visit them?

2. Do I as the owner have the right to change the locks, that only I have a key to ensure access control to my property?

3. They've been told in June 2021 that they need to find alternative space. I've asked them again now that they need to move at the end of January. Their answer - I can't tell them to move. They have two alternatives with family.

4. Do I have the right to refuse them electricity in an attempt to get them to move?

Please assist me as to my rights as property owner in this regard.

Hi there,

I see that you haven't made a payment for the question, but I'm going to assist you a little. If you want to ask a follow-up question, please make the required payment, even if it is R150 or R200.

Re 1) no, not really, if they are visiting the wendy house because you can't deny your family (in the wendy house) the right to have visitors. 

Re 2) No.

Re 3) You can tell them to move. What you need to do is to terminate their lease agreement, by giving them reasonable notice. In your situation reasonable notice might be 3 or 4 months. Otherwise, if they refuse to move, then you will need to evict them through the magistrates court. 

Re 4) No.

Att. Patrick 

Please remember this is a dialog if you have follow-up questions please make the required deposit, then use the REPLY button and ask your further question. I would like to continue assisting you, but I need to concentrate on people who make deposits for their questions - they get serviced first!