2010/08/11 11:09:49 AM lwilliams01 Posts: 2	Hi All, i have a bit of an issue with one of our current tenants. he is a refugee and their lease has just expired. the owner does not want them in the apartment anymore, as they have refugee status. we have extended their contract by one month. however they have paid on time for the last year that they have occupied the premises and we have not had any problems with them. i've had the tenant in tears as he says he has no where to go. i now feel that if we dont accomodate them, they might just refuse to leave the apartment and not pay us.where would i get help should they just up and leave. could i not check their details with home affairs? will it be better to just have them vacate? or should we extend their lease.
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2010/08/12 08:03:01 PM Marc Lunau Posts: 169	I fail to understand. Please explain. They are good paying tenants and they are legally in the country. Why would anybody not want to have such a tenant risking vacancy on top? -- Investor and Property Manager with value add solutions www.houses4rent.co.za
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2010/08/13 09:47:25 AM Michelle Posts: 142	The Rental Housing Act prohibits landlords (or their estate agents) from discriminating against the tenant on the grounds of race, gender, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, colour, age, disability, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth. If the tenant's visa/papers and status in South Africa is still valid and they are quality tenants and the landlord is not renewing with them on the grounds of the refugee status - then the tenant would have a case to log at the Rental Housing Tribunal for discrimination.
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2010/08/13 10:16:32 AM lwilliams01 Posts: 2	Well, the owners are wanting to renovate the property as well. the tenants are good tenants, but i think the owner is worried that should they just up and leave one day, we will have no way to track them and recover any costs.is one able to take refugees to the tribunal should they default on payment. i've done a full check on them and there are no details anywhere.
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