Is there really a way to avoid evictions?

The best way to avoid evictions? Spent time finding the right tenant upfront!

Imagine Nolwazi’s surprise when John Derby responds to her advert within half an hour of her posting it online! Turns out John is primarily based in the UK and is looking for a comfortable 3 bed, 2 bath property to rent for his longtime girlfriend, Stacy, to live in. John returns to SA regularly and pictures himself spending long lazy summer days lounging around the pool, sipping cocktails and staring dreamily into the big blue eyes of his dearly beloved.

The best part? John is prepared to pay the deposit AND six months’ rent upfront to secure the property!

YASSSSS!

Nolwazi shows John and Stacy around the property and smiles as they oooh and aaaah at the perfection of it all. Looks like all the time and expense spent fixing it up was well worth it after all!

Leases are signed, keys are exchanged and Nolwazi dreams about what to spend the six months’ rent on…

Just kidding!

Nolwazi is smart, Nolwazi knows that money is not hers and must be saved in a property account to cover all the expenses that will keep coming her way, month after month.

The first inspection 6 months into the agreement goes off without a hitch. Well, if we can get past the sweet champagne Stacy offers Nolwazi to drink that is. I mean, who even drinks sweet champagne? But I digress…

The payments go down to monthly and John never misses a payment. Nolwazi gets really busy at work and skips the next inspection, reassuring herself that she has the rent in her account and the property is in good hands.

Finally, 10 months since the last inspection, Nolwazi has time to do an inspection. Stacy seems reserved (offish? Rude even?) and there are no champagne bottles in sight. Hmm, weird…thinks Nolwazi…what is going on? Nolwazi opens the kitchen door and peeks inside. She gasps and leaps backwards in horror, unable to believe her eyes!

The kitchen is crawling with cats, healthy cats, sick cats, fat cats, thin cats (lots of cats!) and the stench has Nolwazi running out the backdoor to throw up. The sight of a large cannabis bush towering over the washing line shocks the urge right of Nolwazi and she spins around, mouth open wide, to ask Stacy what on earth is going on.

A young heavily tattooed stud is draped over Stacy, cigarette hanging lazily out his mouth. Nolwazi shakes her head in disbelief.

“Oh, come on Honey,” drawls Stacy, “you know how lonely a girl can get. Stan here is just keeping me company until John comes back next month. Our little secret though, right?”

Tune in next week to find out what happens next in Days of Our Landlords Lives!