"Universal Builders rip-off clients" - tenants

NDABA NKOMO
Correspondent | Tuesday December 7, 2010 00:00

 

Universal builders a real estate company, which owns residential flats in Block 6, Maruapula and Broadhurst Industrial, has come under fire as clients allege that they are being ripped off.

Tenants - current and former allege that from inflated rentals of a simple two-bed roomed flat going for P3,700 in Maruapula to failure to give back full security deposits and increasing rentals beyond the stipulated 10 percent per annum, United builders is ripping them off.

Mercy Radebe who used to stay at the Block 5 flats says, 'I left the flat far much better than what it was but I was told the walls were dirty as a result I had to pay part of my deposit to have it painted for the next tenants.

They deducted my deposit by over P1,000. A week later I came to the same apartment where I used to stay only to find out that it was not painted as the inspector named Raman had said.'

Tebogo Majengwa* whose lease expired recently is still struggling to get back her security deposit of P3,700.

'They had promised me that I would get my full deposit back after my lease expires but now I am being told there are fingerprints on the walls, which will require fresh paint. I will only be given back P1,500 and they will take the difference,' said Majengwa.

'When I moved in there was no fresh paint but now I am supposed to get the flat painted. My offer to get an affordable painter for less money landed on deaf ears,' she laments. She is yet to get a thebe from Universal Builders. She notes that she had budgeted the money for her baby because she is pregnant and requires the much-needed resources. She is not the only one who has been given the run around. Fox Mokgoto has not only been disadvantaged as a tenant who never got his full deposit but alleges that he did a job for United Builders, which included billboards around the city but never got a dime for it.

'Everything these interviewees have said is true. I am not surprised. They are a real estate company with the poorest product offer you can ever get. Nothing they do or say is ever straight. No matter what the condition of your flat or residential place is they will always find an excuse not to give you back your money in full,' said Mokgoto.

'I was involved with some job with them in the past. I was doing their billboards that you see around town but I never got a penny for that. Infact I made serious losses from that job,' added Mokgotho. 

Efforts to get comments from United Buliders were a challenge. A woman, Mrs Tawana refused to comment and referred comments to a man called Alfred, who said he is an accountant and does not deal with residential issues.

'I do not know why Tawana referred you to me. I am an accountant and I don't deal with residential conflicts. The only person to help you is Jamali,' Alfred said.

S.A Jamali who is in charge of the real estate said he wants to clarify the issue with his office in the morning but added that, 'These tenants should come and we can resolve the issue. In any case they know the right channels to use to settle their grievances,' said Jamali. When pressed further to comment he said. 'You can write whatever you want.'

*Tebogo Majengwa hopes by not publishing her name she will be able to get her deposit in full and on time.