What increase can I expect after the three years?
goodfind properties has not determined what rentals or increases will be 3 years in the future. There are many things we are unable to predict which will affect the rentals and increases. Some examples include the cost of water, sewerage, electricity, building materials, petrol etc..
I plan on moving out in the next year, what are my options?
For those tenants who can only commit to a one year lease period, goodfind is prepared to enter into a one year agreement with them without any penalties applying. In this event the tenant needs to be aware that there is no guarantee that goodfind will renew the lease after one year, which will be at the sole discretion of the landlord. Furthermore in the event that goodfind decide to renew the lease with the tenant after one year, then leasing administration fees will apply.
What are the differences between this new contract and our old contract?
The main differences between the old and new contract are that the parties are protected under the Consumer Protection Act, the period of the lease is clearly defined and the notice period works differently.
| Old contract | New contract |
|---|---|
| Communicare is the landlord | goodfind properties will become the landlord |
| Lengthy and tenant unfriendly | Shorter and easier to understand |
| No protection under the Consumer Protection Act | Protection under the Consumer Protection Act |
| Month to month lease | Three year fixed term lease |
| No certainty regarding of the end date of the lease | Certainty regarding period of the lease |
| One calendar month written notice by either party | At any time, the tenant can give 20 business days written notice of cancellation, but penalties will apply. After one year, the tenant can give the landlord three calendar months written notice without any penalties applicable. Likewise, after one year of staying there the landlord could give the tenant three calendar months written notice. |
Has goodfind been acquired from another company?
goodfind is a newly formed company started by Communicare to manage your rentals. It has not been acquired from another company.
When will we receive the new lease?
You can download a generic copy of the new lease terms here via the Call Centre on 0800 266 737 or callcentre@goodfindproperties.co.za
Your particular lease will be prepared as soon as you inform our Call Centre that you accept the new terms and rental and submit the documents we requested. You will have the option of being sent the lease electronically (and to return the signed lease via email or fax) or you can arrange with our Call Centre to sign your lease in person.
Can I give notice if I don’t want to stay with goodfind for the full three year period?
Under the three year fixed term lease agreement, after a one year period of stay, the tenant can give three calendar months notice to terminate the lease without any penalty. This provides the landlord with sufficient time to find a suitable replacement tenant. You are also still allowed to give shorter notice because The Consumer Protection Act allows the tenant to cancel the lease at any time prior to the termination date by giving the landlord 20 business days notice. In these cases the landlord is allowed to claim a cancellation penalty. From the tenant which can vary between one month or two months rental depending on how long the landlord will take to find a suitable replacement tenant. The Consumer Protection Act allows for this penalty because the landlord loses revenue when you move out on short notice.
What will happen after the 3 years? Is there a guarantee that the lease will be renewed?
After the three year lease terminates. You can indicate whether you want to continue renting with goodfind Properties. goodfind will have sole discretion to enter into a lease renewal agreement with you. The decision to do this is assessed on a case by case basis. Some of the factors that will be considered at that point in time are the tenant’s payment track record, tenant’s history of attending to maintenance items that he or she is responsible for, tenant’s history of providing the landlord with access when required, tenant’s ability to continue living independently and whether the landlord-tenant relationship has generally been healthy.
Is the existing lease still valid if I don’t sign the new fixed term lease?
Your existing lease will still be valid. However, the landlord is able to legally give you one calendar month notice in order to leave because the existing lease is a month to month lease and you do not have the protection of the Consumer Protection Act.
Those who have not entered into a lease with goodfind will be given one calendar month notice in terms of their current lease agreement that their lease will be terminating on 31 July 2018.
If I am given notice, by which date would I need to vacate the flat?
Those who do not want to enter into a lease with goodfind will be given one calendar month notice on 1 July 2018 and will have to leave by 31 July 2018.
Is the moving of my lease from Communicare to goodfind legal?
Yes it is legal. All of the leases previously held by Communicare shifts over to goodfind when the property transfers between the two companies.
If I cannot afford the new rental, is there any way Communicare can offer alternative accommodation that is within my price range?
We have other vacancies and we can see if your income qualifies you for any of these units. You will have to enter into a new fixed term lease for this new rental as well. If you want to do this, you can report this to our call centre and someone will make contact with you to discuss your options.
The rent increase is high, what about the old people/pensioners?
We considered this and different increases have been calculated for the pensioners in goodfind properties.
If I accept the offer, does that mean I have to top up the deposit?
To lessen the financial burden on tenants, goodfind Properties has decided that there will not be any deposit top up required.
If I refuse to accept the offer, when will my deposit be refunded?
Your deposit will be refunded within 7 days of having vacated the unit if there were no damages and within 14 days if there was a damages amount that needed to be calculated and deducted from the deposit.
Will the deposit I gave Communicare still gain interest in the same interest bearing accounts?
Your deposit remains as is, and gains interest in exactly the same way as before.
In the past my lease has been month-to-month, why is the new lease a three year lease?
The Consumer Protection Act encourages us to have at least a 2 year lease but we do have the option to make it longer, so we have chosen 3 years. The 3 year lease provides tenants security of knowing what their rental increases will be for the next three years. After the three years, the tenants may have the opportunity to renew the lease if they agree to the terms and conditions at the time of renewal.
What if I a tenant decide not to sign the new lease?
Each tenant has the choice of whether or not to sign the new lease contract. While we would like our tenants to sign we do also understand that some tenants may not decide to.
Why is it necessary to sign a new lease?
The new lease is compliant with the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and provides tenants with all the protection, rights and benefits of the Act. The lease also provides the tenant with security, assurance and comfort by making clear what they can expect over the 3 year period.
Why are the rental increases different between me and my neighbour or people at other complexes?
Each tenant and complex has a completely unique situation, their rent may differ from yours for a variety of reasons or their unit may be valued differently from yours. Another example, is that if the leaseholder is over 60 years of age, they may be treated differently to a tenant who is younger.
Why is my rental increase not what I expected?
The discount on your unit – compared to the rest of the market – has fallen away. Your increase is based on the gap between the rent you were paying and the market rental for the unit you are in. The percentage increase each year is to close this gap. The market rentals are based on the rents being charged for other comparable rental property in the area. We understand that some people may not be able to cope with this change in one go. We have gone to extraordinary lengths to reduce the impact on you by spreading the increase over several years in order to ease the burden on the tenant.
Will I still deal with the same building supervisor and portfolio manager?
If your property is in goodfind Properties, it is now managed by Jerome Harry. Your building supervisors have also changed. However for your convenience, if you have a query that you log with the Call Centre, they will dispatch it to the correct person to solve.
How do we log calls with the call centre. Who is responsible for all of our queries, emergencies and problems?
There is a dedicated email address for goodfind Properties:callcentre@goodfindproperties.co.za
You can also call the call centre on: 0800 266 737 – Mon – Fri 8am to 4:30pm
When you call the call centre, select the option for goodfind Properties’ tenants or let the call centre agent know you are calling for goodfind Properties.
Why did Communicare start goodfind Properties?
Communicare is transferring certain properties into different legal entities so that we can improve the way we manage these properties and so that we can achieve our purpose, which is to help address the dire need for housing. We do this by providing more rental accommodation to people who fall outside of the mortgage bond market. Communicare subsidises some rentals in our properties – in these properties we have to operate on a very tight budget. By placing our properties that pay market rentals in goodfind Properties, we can ensure that we provide our tenants with the services and service levels they expect. This includes enabling more investment into the maintenance and upkeep of our properties.
Is goodfind Properties a leasing agent/administrator like Trafalgar?
goodfind Properties is not a leasing agent and property management agent acting on behalf of Communicare. goodfind Properties is a separate company owned by Communicare.
Has Communicare been sold?
Communicare has not been sold. Communicare created a new entity to improve the way we manage some of our properties. This company is called goodfind Properties.