Star - Standing up for your rights

Star - Standing up for your rights:

Students who feel their accommodation is inadequate or that their landlords are contravening lease agreements have as much right to complain as any other tenant, says Gauteng Rental Housing Tribunal chairman Trevor Bailey.

Bailey urged unhappy students to come to the tribunal's offices to lodge a complaint. Once the case is set up, an inspector from the tribunal would visit the house to verify the claims.

'There is no cost attached to complainants or the pending case. The bottom line is a student is still a tenant. They have the same rights as anyone else governed by the Rental Housing Act.'

He said the Gauteng MEC for Housing Nomvula Mokonyane had established a list of unfair practices, which stipulated best practices for landlords.

This includes that the landlord must maintain the common property in good order and repair, maintain electrical, plumbing, sanitation, heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems and elevator systems. The landlord must also maintain the outside, the walls and the roof.

'The landlord must let a dwelling reasonably fit for human habitation, which does not contravene the provision of unfair practices regulation, the (Rental Housing) act or any other law.'

Bailey said there were case clerks and case managers who would advise them on their matters.

'Students need to become activists about their accommodation.

'There is nothing we can do about it until a complaint is laid.'

Rulings at the tribunal have the power of a magistrate court judgment.