Messy rental causes waves on socials, places spotlight on property listings

Tenants called up on living standards

11 September 2024 - 14:32
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A recent listing on a Midrand apartment has divided the public over the untidy 'virtual showing'. File photo.
A recent listing on a Midrand apartment has divided the public over the untidy 'virtual showing'. File photo.
Image: Sebabatso Mosamo

An apartment listed for rental with an untidy incumbent tenant is shining the spotlight on the importance of ensuring a property on the market is “picture ready”.

The rental caught the attention of social media users about a week ago after it was spotted on a property portal. 

According to the listing, which has since been since been taken down, the two-bedroom apartment in Carlswald, Midrand, was available to rent for R7,500 a month.

Images accompanying the listing show a cluttered kitchen full of unwashed dishes, open drawers, utensils and appliances.

The barely furnished sitting room also has an assortment of items, from piles of laundry to a cluttered desk, while the living room also features a similar scene. Only the bedrooms appear to have been tidied up before the pictures were taken.

More than 800 comments were posted under the short clip shared on TikTok, with some users asking if an estate agent ought to be liable to “prepare the tenant or even go so far as cleaning the place” before listing the property.

TimesLIVE asked two agents for their insights into the issue.

Nandipha Hashe, of Real Estate Services, expressed doubt that an agency would list the property in that state. Usually owners looking to sell ensure the property is picture-ready before the photo shoot while tenants tended to be blasé as they are not as concerned with the upkeep of the unit.

“Most times when we come across such properties that are untidy, it's tenants who do these things in other people's properties. It's tenants you cannot tell what to do because they'll tell you you can't tell them what to do and how to live,” she said.

“If it was the owner or seller of the property that was leasing it and you tell them on this specific day you'll be coming to take pictures, believe me you will see the work. They will tidy up and make sure the place is tidied up.”

Hashe said if she came across such a property, she'd try to alert the owner or tenant about the upcoming photo shoot to ensure they arrange a tidy-up.

It's amazing with tenants, when they come to view properties for themselves, they want the property to be clean and yet they don't have that consideration for the next person coming. It's a huge challenge and they don't want to be told
Nandipha Hashe, estate agent 

If this brings no joy, Hashe said she'd opt to rather schedule another appointment when the property looks better or once the tenant vacates the rental.

“It's amazing with tenants, when they come to view properties for themselves, they want the property to be clean and yet they don't have that consideration for the next person coming. It's a huge challenge and they don't want to be told.

“I once had a similar incident where the property was untidy. The landlord contacted the tenant to ask them to tidy up and the tenant said, 'You're not going to tell me when to wash my dishes. I'm not vandalising or causing damage to your property, I'm just leaving my things the way I want.'”

Anita Griesel, who works as a sales consultant with Jawitz Properties in the Durbanville area, said dealing with such a scenario was challenge as the agent handling the property didn't want to come across as “disrespectful or too straightforward” by commenting on an occupant's tidiness.

“What I usually do is send a checklist upfront alerting them [of the photo shoot] and I ask them to pack stuff away that would put them off when they look at other houses. That's usually a nice way to start the conversation.

“If I see they're not willing to do a lot, I make sure I'm there before the photographer to take certain stuff away and place them back after the photo shoot. Otherwise the photo can look very cluttered.”

Griesel echoed Hashe's sentiments that in most cases the challenging cases often involved recalcitrant tenants. In that case, she stressed the importance of having a good relationship with those renters and, where necessary, offering to help arrange for the property to be clean for the photo shoot. 

“That's where the agent comes in, they must look after the seller's interest and get the property presentable in the best possible way. I'll never take photos of a house where it's a mess.”

TimesLIVE


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