'We are living in a dump'

The desperate tenants of a Laudium block of flats have threatened their landlord with legal action in a bid to improve their living conditions.

About 54 families living in the 30-year-old Laudium Hotel - a former hotel converted into offices and flats several years ago - say they have tried unsuccessfully to get Louis Pasteur Investments to install kitchens and fix geysers, leaking roofs, rusted bathtubs and broken light fittings in the one- and two-bedroom units. Some of the flats don't have ablution facilities.

Last week, tenants approached attorneys Faheem Gani and Naeem Essop, who agreed to represent them pro bono.

The attorneys this week appointed advocates to meet with the landlords over a number of issues including the living conditions and outstanding rents.

Advocate Anne-Lize Lourens said they had been assured by the lawyers for the Laudium Hotel that tenants would not be evicted and that the landlord would address tenants' concerns.

Their requests included lease agreements for all tenants, a zoning certificate, a compassionate property manager who would treat tenants with respect, the repair and maintenance of the property to make it fit for human habitation, a breakdown of how the water and electricity account is calculated for each tenant, uniformity in terms of the rental and a kitchenette for each room .

Four tenants were this week locked out of their units and Lourens said they had been briefed to secure an urgent interdict.

Following the threat of legal action, the landlords backed down.

Johannes du Plessis, the legal adviser for Louis Pasteur Investments, who are leasing the property, confirmed that an agreement had been reached between the legal teams.

"The legal reps for the tenants forwarded us a list of demands regarding the upkeep of the building. We have agreed to see their list of problem areas and, at this stage, the matter is resolved.

"We are still in negotiations with attorneys of the tenants as to time frames, when we are going to do what and how we would accommodate tenants while construction is taking place in their rooms."

Rentals vary from R880 for a single room without a bathroom to R2800 for a unit with a bathroom.

A tenant, Sarah Mohamed, 38, who lives in a two-bed unit with her 15-year-old son and brother, said the conditions were deplorable and that they were forced to use the bathroom for all their water.

Mohamed, a receptionist, added there was an unbearable stench on entering the building.

"Everyone living here is poor and we are being exploited. Some people have to use public toilets because they have no toilets in their rooms," she said.

"We recently had a 10% rent increase, yet nothing was done in the year. When people ask for things to be fixed, they are told if you can afford better, then move.

"We are living in a dump. If we could afford better, we would move."

She said if rentals were late, tenants' rooms were locked and they had to pay a late-payment penalty.

"We want the rent stabilised," said Mohamed.