When you are looking at property, there are some important questions to ask when renting a house or an apartment. These questions will equip you with some of the more important information enabling you to make a sound decision that is right for you and/or your family. We suggest asking: Have the locks been changed or are all of the keys accounted for from the previous tenant/occupant? Not all landlords change the locks to a property but rather count on previous owners turning in all the keys. You might want to ask for the locks to be changed, or ask if you can change them. This will protect you in the future if there are any extra keys unaccounted for by the property owner.   What is the likely average monthly spend on utility bill(s) to run this property? In the event that electricity and water are not covered in your rental, knowing an estimate of these costs prior to signing the lease agreement will assist you to budget thoughtfully and manage your consumption in line with these estimates. The account that you will be responsible for at the end of the month will always be based on your individual consumption, however, it is worthwhile bearing in mind that a particular property may require a higher consumption to run and maintain, say, a large garden and a swimming pool as opposed to a granny flat that does not have either of those amenities.   What is the expected rental payment date? Conventionally, rental is paid on or before the 1st of every month, however, this is a convention and not a rule. It is worthwhile knowing what the landlord's expectations are with regards to the payment date in order to assess whether you can meet this based on the date you are paid your salary or income from which you will service your rental amount.   Are there any rules relating to parking? If you are looking to rent a unit or a home that is on a shared property (for example, the Landlord has subdivided a house in to multiple living units), you may want to enquire about any rules related to parking, including how many cars your unit is able to accommodate. This will avoid any major conflict areas with other tenants on the property in future. If you are renting in a formal complex or sectional title scheme, these rules will more than likely be decided by the body corporate and therefore you should ask to see a copy of these rules.   Are pets allowed? There is no rule that suggests that pets are automatically allowed on or n the premises that you are planning to rent. Therefore, asking this question upfront will help you to know whether the property is suitable for you. You may find that some pets are more acceptable to the landlord than others or that the landlord will restrict the number of pets. These are likely to be made a term of the lease agreement so be sure to not infringe on these terms.   Can I have a copy of the complex conduct/house rules? If you plan to rent in a complex or sectional title scheme, you should obtain a copy of the complex conduct or house rules in advance of signing the lease agreement. This will guide you to understanding the rules of the complex or scheme with respect to pets, noise, parking, use of common property, maintenance, visibility of washing lines etc. It is very important to understand these rules as contravening them will likely result in a fine or some other form of recourse taken against you. Wakefields' team of professional rental property specialists are here to assist you with all your letting questions and queries. It is time to rent the #WakefieldsWay Email rentals@wakefields.co.za  

When renting a property with poor credit, you should keep a few things in mind. This does not automatically disqualify you from renting, however, there are some important pieces of information you may want to be aware of. On application to rent a property, your rental agent is obligated to run a credit check. We suggest being honest and upfront about your credit history and provide any explanations for a poor credit to the agent who can take this information to the landlord in motivation of your lease agreement.   Take action. If you do have poor credit, and you are worried that this may affect your ability to rent a property, we suggest taking immediate action to improve your credit wherever you can.   Poor credit history does not automatically mean that a landlord will not rent to you. Your lease application as well as supporting information (such as your credit history) will be presented to the landlord who will use his/her discretion in awarding you the lease agreement. The more information your agent has with regards to your credit history the better.   Poor credit history may mean that the landlord will look for more security. If the landlord chooses to award you the lease agreement in the context of your poor credit history, it is understandable that he/she may do what he can to minimise this risk. This may mean that the landlord could ask for a 2- or 3-month deposit rather than a one month's damage deposit. He/she may also call for a utilities deposit. Being able to provide these securities may make you a more attractive risk to the landlord in question. Wakefields' team of professional rental property specialists are here to assist you with all your letting questions and queries. It is time to rent the #WakefieldsWay Email rentals@wakefields.co.za  

Real Estate terms got you perplexed? See our comprehensive glossary to guide you in understanding common terms used in a real estate transaction relating to rentals.   ABANDONMENT The surrender or relinquishment of a real estate property, including a piece of land or a housing unit.   ALIENATION In the context of real estate, 'alienation' refers to the sale, exchange of donation of immovable property (or, 'land') and commonly used in some sale agreements as well as the legislation referred to as the Alienation of Land Act 68 of 1981.   AMENITIES Material and immaterial features of a given property that increase its value or make it more desirable.   APARTMENT A residential unit inside a structure built for housing.    AUCTION This refers to the method of selling a property to a person who makes the highest bid.   BODY CORPORATE The controlling body of a sectional title scheme made up of every single owner of the various units in the scheme. Until such time as the developer has sold the last unit, he remains a member of the body corporate.   BODY CORPORATE RULES Rules for the control, administration and management of a Sectional Title scheme.   BREACH OF CONTRACT If either a Landlord or Tenant does not perform according to the terms of the lease agreement they have signed, they are deemed to be "in breach". Under these circumstances, the agreement usually states what rights the other party enjoys.   CODE OF CONDUCT A set of ethical rules drawn up by the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA) to regulate property practitioners' ethical conduct. This code is enforceable by law through disciplinary committees appointed by the PPRA.   COMMON PROPERTY In a sectional title complex, common property is the land on which the buildings are built, together with those parts of the building that are not included in a particular section, i.e., stairwells, lifts, carports, swimming pools, etc   COMMISSION The professional fee (commonly expressed as a percentage of the selling price) property practitioners charge for carrying out real estate duties such as selling, letting etc.   COMPARABLES A part of a valuation technique that determines the value of a current asset by using a recently sold asset similar enough for indicating the expected sale price.   CONTRACT A legally enforceable agreement, i.e., a lease agreement.   CONTRACTUAL CAPACITY The capacity that the law recognises a contracting party enjoys in order to enter in a contract lawfully.   CURB APPEAL A concept expressing the attractiveness of the house's visual look as viewed from the street level.   DEFECTS A Patent Defect is a defect in the property that is clearly visible to the naked eye. A Latent Defect is a defect which exists but is not visible or discoverable upon a reasonable inspection of the property and which impairs its utility of effectiveness.   DOMICILE The official physical address that a party to a contract nominates as being one's place of residence and where one can receive legal process, such as receiving of summons. In a contract, this will formally be referred to as the domicillium citandi et executandi.   DEPOSIT The rental deposit is usually equal to one month's worth of rent, although it might be more. The landlord and tenant will agree on an amount. The landlord is required by law to invest the rental deposit in an interest-bearing account. A payment collected from the tenant by the landlord to secure funds for covering any property damage.   DUPLEX A sectional title unit on two levels with stairs.   EVICTION A legal process for the removal of a person from their current home. The reasons include lease agreement violations and unpaid rent.   EVICTION NOTICE A legal notice from the landlord that describes the tenant's default connected to the lease terms. Eviction notices aim to inform tenants of a pending eviction suit against them.   EXCLUSIVE USE In a sectional title property, the owner of a specific unit cannot become the exclusive owner of a portion of the common property but for his ownership of his undivided share. Certain portions can be set aside for the exclusive use of a particular owner (e.g., parking bay or garden) and this could be done either through Body Corporate Assignment or a Notarial Deed of Cession.   FREEHOLD A free standing house on a plot of ground with its own Lot or Erf no.   HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION (HOA) An organisation consisting of homeowners residing in a specific estate or complex with an aim to create and enforce guidelines and rules in the building.   INVESTMENT PROPERTY A property that is purchased by the owner to generate profit through renting the property out to tenants.   LANDLORD An owner of a property who receives payments from tenants taking residency in the owned rental unit.   LEASEE A contract outlining the terms and conditions between a landlord and tenant under which the tenant gets an exclusive right to use the home for a fixed term. In turn, the landlord receives payments for the duration of the contract.   LEASE OPTION An agreement that provides the tenant with an option to buy the property during or at the end of their tenancy. This agreement prevents the owner from selling the property to any third parties until the lease expires.   LEASE RENEWAL The continuing of the lease after its initial expiration.   LEASE TERM The time restriction regulating a tenant's right for the home's exclusive possession.   LEASING AGENT A person, namely a property practitioner, who leases real estate properties and signs them on behalf of the lessor.   LESSEE A tenant who rents the property from the landlord.   LESSOR A landlord who grants the lease to the tenant.   LEVY An amount paid monthly by the owners of a sectional title unit to the sectional scheme for the running and maintenance of the scheme and can cover costs such as insurance, maintenance, security etc.   LONG-TERM RENTAL A long-term lease is often defined as anything that is agreed-upon for more than one year.   MAINTENANCE An umbrella term for regular activities that keep the property in good condition.   MANDATE An instruction or authority given to a property practitioner to render a particular estate agency service for a client for which the agent will receive remuneration.   NOMINEE A person nominated or appointed by another person for a specific purpose.   NULL AND VOID Without any legal effect. An agreement of lease that is null and void is not valid in any respect and cannot be enforced by either party.   OCCUPATION The right to be physically present on a property. A Seller must give a purchaser occupation of a property, which means that he must remove his furniture and hand over the keys so that the Purchaser can take actual occupation.   PROPERTY A real estate asset that includes land and any accompanying permanent structures, such as houses or other buildings.   PROPERTY INSPECTION A visual inspection of a building that has to be carried out by a qualified professional in a non-invasive manner.   PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT An agreement clarifying the service, responsibilities, and payments that will be signed by the landlord and a property management company.   PROPERTY MANAGER A person managing a real estate property that belongs to someone else. Property managers get compensated for dealing with accounting, maintenance, and rent collection among other duties.   PROPERTY SHOWING (aka SHOW HOUSE) A scheduled appointment that allows prospective tenants to make a walk-through tour in the property.   REAL ESTATE A portion of land that may or may not have attached permanent structures, such as buildings.   RENT COLLECTION An activity that is undertaken by the landlord or a property management company to collect the money from each of the tenants under the terms stated in the lease agreement.   RENT-TO-OWN A lease agreement that provides the purchasing possibility to the tenant.   RENTAL DISCOUNT A discount given by the landlord to the tenant when certain previously agreed criteria are met. For example, the discount could apply on automatic lease renewal.   RENTAL PROPERTY A property occupied by tenants who pay the owner in return for utilising the living space and any permanent or temporary attached fixtures.   RENT RATE An amount of money the tenants have to pay to landlords over a fixed time period for renting a property.   REPAIRS An action to fix broken or obsolete pieces of the property, including any fixtures inside the living space.   RESOLUTIVE CONDITION A clause in an agreement of lease in terms of which the agreement will become null and void only if the event stipulated in the clause occurs. It is the opposite of a suspensive condition, (see note under Suspensive Conditions).   RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) A metric that shows how much profit an investor makes on the investment property as a percentage of the investment cost.   PROPERTY PRACTITIONER (previously REAL ESTATE AGENT  A qualified professional who leases and sells real estate properties.   SECTIONAL TITLE The Sectional Titles Act 95 of 1986 made it possible, in the case of a block of flats, for each unit to be owned by a different person.   SEMI-DETACHED Two separate homes side by side joined together, with one common dividing wall.   SERVITUDE A registered right which a person/entity has over the immovable property of another. It usually entitles the holder of the servitude to do something on the property. A common example is a registered right of way to travel over property owned by another.   SHAREBLOCK Under a shareblock scheme a person acquires a share in a company entitling him to use and occupy a specific apartment, flat or office, in a building owned by the company, which is a shareblock company. This differs from sectional title as the owner does not become the owner of the unit, but merely acquires the right to use and occupy it.   SIMPLEX A sectional title unit on one level.   STSMA Sectional Title Schemes Management Act 8 of 2011.   SUB-DIVISION When land is sub-divided, it is divided into two or more portions. A specific legal and technical procedure must be followed.   SUB-LETTING Renting a property by a tenant to a third-party tenant for a specified segment of the tenant's lease agreement.   SUSPENSIVE CONDITION A clause in an agreement of lease in terms of which the agreement would become enforceable only if the event stipulated in the clause occurs.   TENANT A person occupying or temporarily possessing a land, building, or a specified unit under an agreement with the landlord for a fixed period.   TENANT APPLICATION An application that has to be filled out by a potential tenant in case of interest for a particular rental property.   TENANT DAMAGES Any damage occurring during the lease term that isn't considered as normal wear and tear.   TENANT SCREENING A process carried out by the landlord or a property management company to verify the background of a potential tenant. The process may include a credit check, interviews, and background check.   TITLE DEED A legal document showing proof of ownership, filed in a deeds office, containing details of the property and its owners.   TOWNHOUSE A house of usually two or three stories that connects to matching houses by a shared wall.   TRUST A trust is not a legal entity as such and cannot enter into an agreement in its own name. All agreements binding a trust must be concluded by the Trustees of the Trust, authorised in writing by the Master of the High Court.   TRUST ACCOUNT A bank account in which the account holder holds money in trust for another person until occurrence of a certain event. The money in such an account is referred to as trust money. Every estate agency business must have a trust account which must be audited by an auditor every year.   TURNKEY PROPERTY A residential property that requires no urgent investments by the buyer and can immediately be rented out after purchase.   UTILITIES The services provided for people residing in a property, including electricity, refuse collection and/or water.   VACANT PROPERTY A property that lacks any people and personal property inside.   VACATION RENTAL A rental property that is fully furnished and rented out to guests for short-term periods (e.g., two-week holiday).   VIRTUAL TOUR An online means to presenting a property to prospective tenant, often in the form of videos or interactive media content.   WALK-THROUGH INSPECTION An inspection carried out by the landlord during the move-in and move-out procedures to document any damage, missing items, and other issues in the rental property.   ZONING Zoning limits the purpose for which a property may be used (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial etc.)  

Before you begin your property search, having a checklist in hand will help guide your decisions and ensure you're well-prepared for the renting process. A checklist allows you to assess a property's condition, clarify your responsibilities, and determine if it's the right fit for you. Follow this checklist to make an informed choice. Property Condition & Amenities Start by evaluating the property's condition. Check the walls, bathrooms, kitchen, and any appliances included in the lease agreement. Pay close attention to the flooring-ensure carpets are clean and wood floors are free from damage. If any issues exist, make note of them on the lease report. Next, consider your essential living requirements: How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? Do you require entertainment space or an open-plan living area? Is a swimming pool a must? If so, do you need it to be secured by a fence or net? Would you prefer a single-level property, or are stairs acceptable? Garden Space If you need a garden, consider the size and whether it needs to be secure. Will a large lawn area for children to play be necessary? Do you need the garden to flow from the living or entertainment areas, or is it acceptable for it to be located at the back of the property? Parking Facilities Consider your parking needs: How many parking spaces do you require? Do you need space for larger items like a caravan, trailer, or boat? Make sure to verify whether your specific parking needs align with the lease agreement or, if in a complex, the body corporate rules. Pets Planning to rent with pets? Your checklist should address whether pets are allowed, the number and types of pets permitted, and any conditions the landlord might impose. Additional Amenities Some properties may offer specific amenities that you'll need: Wifi, security and alarm systems, CCTV, or baby gates. Gas installations for stoves or ramps for wheelchair access. Find out if these amenities are already in place or if you can negotiate installation with the landlord, documenting any agreed-upon changes in the lease or an addendum. Important Reminder This checklist is intended to guide your search but does not replace an official property inspection. For the security of both the tenant and landlord, the property's condition must be formally documented during occupation and vacating. For professional rental assistance, the team at Wakefields Real Estate is ready to help with all your letting queries. Rent the #WakefieldsWay. 📧 Email: rentals@wakefields.co.za