I’m telling you this story out of sheer desperation and am in need of your help! In 2013 my husband bought a cluster from developer Matla Construction. We bought the property thinking it was sound and all was okay as our bond was approved.
We lived there till 15 December 2015 then rented it out to the owner of the Alberton branch of Just Letting. Without our knowledge and no invitation, the complex and our tenants, who do not have proxy, had a meeting – they discussed all the meters being mixed up and not allocated to the right houses.
The municipality was called to check the meters and test them again without our knowledge. So Ekurhuleni did a swapped meter correction and attached all the meters to the correct houses. They then refunded four units where their consumption has been low.
To our dismay a week ago we received a bill in the mail for R25 867.00. I enquired about this matter and they told me that was my correct water usage from date for transfer, even though we had been paying the bill they sent to us every month. I then went to the water billing dept. They said that we do have to pay.
On doing more investigation I found out this bill is not for us to pay, but we have been told if we don’t pay we will be cut off. On March 24 my husband and I went to the billing department to see if there was a way to get out of this. We were taken down to Legal. I explained the whole story to a gentleman called Tebogo in Legal. He said the fault lies with the municipality and Matla Construction. He then told us we still have to pay the amount and we can do it over 36 months and they have given us an extension of three months.
Now, in my mind, first of all, my tenant signing on our behalf without proxy or our knowledge is fraud. They should in actual fact be liable for R25 867.00 and they signed for it, not us. Then, Tebogo saying the fault lies with them or Matla Construction is an admission of guilt. So I am asking for your help. We are not liable for this money; we don’t have the money and I find the situation wrong – that everyone involved knows they are wrong, but we must pay. Please, please, please!
Deone Trojanowski
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