Load shedding is currently wreaking havoc in South Africa and is the bane of many people’s existence. Constant power outages mean we can’t watch our favorite shows, miss work and some of our most expensive appliances suffer major breakdowns. Needless to say, the hours without electricity have driven many South Africans to a new level of despair – with some tenants even beginning to wonder if they are entitled to a generator or inverter from their landlords.
Are renters entitled to generators from landlords?
Are you living in a rental property and trying to figure out if you should take advantage of a generator provided by your landlord?
Well, we have some sad news for you.
Landlords are not actually responsible for you not having the lights on during the various levels of annoying load shedding in South Africa.
“The first thing tenants need to understand about load curtailing and water shutoffs is that they are not the fault of the landlord.
“As a result, tenants cannot request a release from the lease from the landlord. Landlords are not required by law to provide generators, inverters or water tanks,” according to an IOL article on the matter.
Installing a generator and water tank in a rental property may not be a bad idea for landlords, especially if they are trying to raise rents and increase the value of their property.
In fact, rental units with backup power sources are basically taking off the market in Cape Town, reports 2OceansVibe.
READ ALSO: ‘Sick Of Losing Loads’: South Africans Express Their Frustration
Another side of the matter
Since you’ve learned that landlords aren’t actually responsible for installing generators in their rental properties, you can always add one yourself.
Just remember to work out the final details with your landlord beforehand, or you may have to leave your expensive generator or water tank behind if and when you decide to move out.
That being said, do you think landlords SHOULD be responsible for generators on their property? Let us know in the comments section below this article.
