The Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco) has in a bid to collect rent introduced settlement discount vouchers.
The vouchers include an annual 50% Black Friday special from November 1 to 30, a 30% discount voucher on immediate settlement of arrears (1 to 30 days), a settlement discount on the outstanding balance of 90 days or more up of up to R50,000, and a settlement discount on the outstanding balance of 90 days or more, for debt exceeding R50,000.
Joshco spokesperson Nthabiseng Mphela said 2,152 tenants had already qualified and benefited from the settlement discount vouchers for the current financial year.
The housing entity’s strategies for rent collection include tenant engagements, which focused on engaging affected tenants who are unable to make rental payments to come forward to state their individual cases with the revenue department, instituted payment arrangements through signing of acknowledgement of debt based on affordability.
It has also used reversal and freezing of interest charges to assist in reducing the debts, settlement discount vouchers ranging from 5% to 50% and standardisation of rates and including pay as you go utilities system, among others.
Mphela said the accumulated rental collection percentage is 59% as of February. The company said some of its buildings are ageing and infrastructure is deteriorating causing them to have cracks. It said it has halted carrying out evictions of tenants who are not paying for now.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.