Tenants
Questions about:
TRANSFERS/EVICITION/UNLAWFUL OCCUPATION
JOSHCO selects suitable tenants via an allocations policy which is approved by the company’s management, its board of directors and the City of Johannesburg. Anyone can apply for rental accommodation provided that they can meet the following criteria:
- Must be a South African Resident
- Must be of contractual age
- Must have dependants (children or family member that is financially dependant on the applicant)
- Must provide proof of such dependency
- Provide proof of income i.e. latest salary advise and a 3 month bank statement
- Earn a combined income of not more than R7500,00 per house hold ( subsidized units)
- Be on the National Housing Waiting List
- The applicant must not have received a subsidy previously
Application for a housing Unit
If the applicant is able to provide all the above documentation and has been to view the confirmed available unit, they must then fill in an application form and the subsidy application form (where applicable) at the JOSHCO Head Office. The lease administrator will verify all the information on the application form and do all the credit/ affordability checks necessary to determine the risk.
Should the applicant qualify in terms of their credit and affordability history, the Lease Agreement and house rules is explained in detail before we ask the applicant to make payment. The lease administrator will ask them to make the payment into JOSHCO bank account only if they are in agree to abide with JOSHCO’s terms and conditions. The deposit which is equal to two months rental + the current month’s rental + the deposit for electricity and water connection + parking if needed, is what the applicant will need to pay in before they can sign a Lease Agreement.
At this stage the Lease Administrator will notify the Housing Supervisor of the date that the new tenant will take occupation to enable them to go in and repair or clean the unit. The tenant can only take occupation once the unit is prepared.
Deposit
The deposit which is equal to two months rental is put into an interest bearing account. The deposit can not be used to off set arrears whilst the tenant is still in unit. It can only be used when the tenant has given notice to vacate and there are arrears and or repairs that need to be affected in the unit which the tenant is responsible for.
In this case the tenant is made aware of the outstanding balance and or the cost of the repairs to be effected and they are given proof thereof. A deposit can only be refunded once the final water and electricity readings have been received and all the repairs costed. This will take a maximum of two weeks. There deposit will therefore be refunded to the lease holder within fourteen days.
Lease Agreement
The lease agreement is a legal binding document. The Lease Agreement is there to protect both the tenant and the Landlord, it is a contract whereby the tenant rents and the landlord hires out the property if either party fails to adhere to any part of the lease it is considered a breach and the necessary measures will be taken to rectify the situation. It is a very comprehensive document but the key points are listed below:
The unit must be occupied by the Lease Holder – this means that if you have signed the lease then you must live in the unit. You cannot sign a lease and live at a different address.
The unit may not be sub-let – this means that no part of the unit can be rented out to anyone. The lease holder cannot act as a landlord on behalf of JOSHCO.
Rent Due Date – the rent and all services is payable in full on or before the first day of each month.
Rent Increase / service increase- The rent will increase annually in July. This is done to cover the cost of maintenance, cleaners, gardening etc.
Alterations – No alteration or additions etc may be done unless there is written consent from JOSHCO.
Number of Occupants – The number of occupants in the unit may not be more than that which was indicated on application form.
No businesses – The unit is purely for residential use. No business activities may be conducted on the property.
Defacing the Building – No item/s may be displayed on the common property or the balconies of the property. It is unsightly and encourages theft. No washing must hang anywhere other than in the allocated washing areas.
No Loud Noise- Music must not be played loudly that it causes a disturbance to other tenants.
No Pets – No animals may be kept in the unit or on the premises of JOSHCO.
No furniture will be allowed into or off the property without prior written consent from JOSHCO.
Allocation Process
Leasing must receive written confirmation from the Housing Supervisor that the unit is prepared for occupation.
The tenant will be issued with a welcome letter which will also explain the allocation process, who the Housing Supervisor of the building is and where to find him/her.
Leasing will issue the Housing Supervisor with a letter advising them of the new tenants’ arrival and the date on which they can take occupation.. The Housing Supervisor will check that the lease holder is the person collecting the keys for the unit by checking that the Id matches the person that has come to collect the keys. The Housing Supervisor will not allow the tenant into the unit without this letter or before the occupation date.
The security will also receive notification of the arrival of a new tenant. The tenant will be required to show the security guard their lease agreement before they will be allowed to enter the building with their goods.
The tenant will be required to show the Housing Supervisor a copy their lease agreement and must be positively identified as the lease holder, without which the tenant will not be allowed to take occupation.
The tenant must complete and sign a snag list with the Housing Supervisor before his goods are moved into the unit. This is to ensure that the tenant is completely happy with the condition of the unit, if all is in order the tenant will sign a happy letter. This is then placed on the tenants file. When the tenant wishes to vacate, we refer to the first snag to compare the condition of the unit from then to present. The tenant will be responsible to restore the unit to its original state at their own cost or JOSHCO will restore the unit and deduct the cost from their deposit.
When must I pay my rent?
You must pay your rent in advance on the 1st day of the month. How must I pay my rent? Pay your rent directly into JOSHCO’s Bank account. Never pay your rent to a JOSHCO staff member or other party.
Why must I pay rent?
JOSHCO has monthly expenses to cover such as maintenance costs, Municipal rates and taxes, service charges and administrative costs. To ensure that JOSHCO can continue providing you and others with the housing service it is very important that you pay your rental on time.
What happens if I do not pay my rent?
If you do not pay your rent and you fail to make an alternative arrangement, legal action will be taken against you. If you have a financial problem, discuss your position with the JOSHCO Revenue department.
What happens if I have a query about my rent or my unit?
You can contact the JOSHCO Revenue Department who will assist you. You can do this either by phone or by visiting the JOSHCO Head between 8:00-16:30 weekdays excluding public holidays.
What is repairs & maintenance?
It is the general upkeep and cleanliness of the properties and development, preserving the physical integrity of the buildings, retaining the maximum utility of equipment and facilities, and caring for vacant units in order for future tenants.
Emergency maintenance, Routine maintenance inspections, preventative maintenance and access control should be undertaken by the JOSHCO Housing Supervisor and Maintenance unit.
What is Emergency Maintenance. It is a situation that can cause harm or danger to both property and tenant such as burst pipe, faulty electrical component etc. Maintenance reportsmust be logged with the Housing Supervisor for inspection and corrective measures.
TRANSFERS/EVICITION/UNLAWFUL OCCUPATION
Transfers
Tenants may apply for a transfer to another unit under certain circumstances. The application must be made to and approved by JOSHCO
Eviction from a unit
JOSHCO will do its best to assist tenants in arrears. However if a tenant has failed to pay rent by the 20th of the month and all other attempts to resolve the issue have failed, the case will be handed over to the attorneys. Failure to pay the rental is likely to result in eviction. A tenant may also be evicted for breach of lease conditions or unlawful occupation of a unit.
Unlawful occupation
In terms of the tenant agreement, tenants may not sublet their unit. If you wish to change occupancy, permission must be obtained from JOSHCO. Now that you have signed the lease agreement for a JOSHCO rental unit you are now a JOSHCO tenant. We hope that you will enjoy your stay and play your part in building a strong local community. Your housing service is managed by the JOSHCO Housing Department. If you have any problems or issues about your housing service you should not hesitate to contact this office where there are staff who can assist you.
Should JOSHCO have any new projects, it is usually advertised in the local newspaper. The advert will stipulate the criteria and the closing date for applications. JOSHCO always takes more applications than the available units in order to build a waiting list for future allocations. Once the application process is closed, we will not accept any more applications for the project.
Physical Address
137 Sivewright Lane
1st Floor
New Doornfontein 2094
Postal Address
P.O. Box 16021
New Doornfontein
Johannesburg
South Africa, 2028
Tel 011 406 7300
Fax 011 404 2504
Email info@joshco.co.za