Pay your rent arrears for City housing
To avoid having to pay arrears, or the risk of eviction, we highly recommend that you pay your rent on time. If you are in arrears, please follow the settlement processes below.
Visit a housing office
If you have not paid your rent you will be sent a red letter asking you to pay your rent.
Step 1: Visit your nearest
housing office and tell them the reasons for not paying.
Step 2: Make an arrangement at the housing office to pay your current rental as well as an amount towards your arrears. If you keep to this arrangement, no further action will be taken against you.
Step 3: If you have not responded to the red letter sent to you by the City, a housing staff member will visit your home to assess your situation and advise you on either making an arrangement or applying for indigent relief, depending on your financial position.
Please note
If you are earning less than R4 500 or less per month, you may qualify for
rental housing relief. If you are receiving your Indigent Grant for the first time, any debt that you owe will be written off.
Pay your legal fees
Should you not respond to the advice given and act to clear your debt, you will receive a letter of demand from the City’s attorney.
Step 1: Visit your nearest
housing office to discuss payment. Do not visit the attorney’s office.
Step 2: Make an arrangement with the housing office to pay your current rental as well as an amount towards your arrears.
Step 3: You will have to pay for legal fees.
Respond to your summons
If you do not respond to the lawyer’s letter of demand (and discuss your debt at a housing office) within 30 days, you will be sent a summons.
Step 1: Visit your nearest
housing office immediately to discuss payment of your rent and to pay an amount towards your debt. Do not visit the attorney’s office.
Step 2: You will need to pay one month’s rent, as well as the legal fees for the lawyer’s letter and the summons served.
Please note
The legal fees increase with each letter that you are sent.
Respond to the default judgement
If you do not respond to the summons that was served to you within 30 days and have not paid your arrears in full or arranged to pay your rent and an amount towards your debt, the City’s attorney will apply to the court for a default judgement to be issued against you.
This could result in you being blacklisted and you will not be allowed to make credit purchases.
Step 1: Visit your nearest
housing office immediately to arrange payment.
Step 2: Pay your debt and legal fees, which include two months’ rental plus all legal fees (for the lawyers letter, summons and default judgement).
Respond to the court order to have you evicted
Continued failure on your part to respond to the action taken against you will lead to the City applying to the court to have you evicted from your home.
The eviction will be carried out by the Sheriff of the Court and you will have to pay these legal fees as well. You can still stop the process of eviction by paying the amount you owe.
Step 1: Visit your nearest
housing office immediately to arrange payment.
Step 2: Pay your debt and legal fees, which include three months of rent plus all legal fees.
Continue paying your debt, or risk eviction
If you stop the eviction by arranging to pay your debt but then stop paying what you owe, the City will go back to court for an eviction order.
Step 1: Visit your nearest
housing office immediately to arrange payment.
Step 2: Pay your debt and legal fees, which will include 12 months of rent and the cost of the eviction order.
Please note
If you stop paying your debt again, you will have to pay for a renewed court order as well as all housing debt you owe to stop the eviction.
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