daniel chigunwe
Edward Zvemisha
Herald Correspondent
The Government should be applauded for launching Operation Tame Traffic Jungle which has brought to book about 50 000 transgressors and has seen an almost similar number of cars impounded or various defects.
A similar operation is required in the housing sector where many registered and bogus estate agents, alike, are fleecing desperate home seekers.
Like the rot in the traffic sector, the rot in the accommodation sector is nauseating and has become a menace and indeed the Government would do a great favour to a big chunk of its populace that is desperate to put a roof over its head.
Day in day out, home seekers are fleeced of their hard earned cash through conventional or traditional media, as well as social media where exorbitant consultation fees are paid up upfront.
For example, a recent post on Facebook had a scam alert with a US$500 ransom on two of these so-called agents who keep duping house hunters of their money while using fake documentation such as identification cards.
“Reward US$500 to anyone with information leading to the arrest of Facebook user, Shuvai Chimedza and Chuchu Momoe uses fake IDs with names Sharon Kaseke, Charmaine Namatirai and Susan C . . . They get their victims on Facebook market . . .” said the post.
Some of the agents, present fake but lucrative places to rent. One resident who requested his name to be hidden said there is an agent on Facebook who goes silent after receiving the agent fee which ranges from 20-50 percent of the rental.
“I want to tell you about an agent with the username Nathan Properties on Facebook, that person scammed me of my money after they ghosted me when I had paid the required agent fee via transfer, he or she went silent and till now I have not managed to get a hold of them,” said the infuriated resident.
Another resident said that these accommodation agents are running money making schemes whether the houses they advertise are real or fake and advised house seekers to find ways to get to the landlord instead.
“True this has turned out to be a scheme to dupe house seekers off their hard-earned money, most of them are fake and target high density and I don’t think talking to these people is better, rather look and speak with the landlord, than losing money to these runners,” said Patrick Maisvoreva.
The dire situation seems to have taken over the landlords who are said to be making deals with accommodation agents on tenants’ rents as well as getting a portion of the agent fee.
“Some agents do not even know the landlords, but as soon as they know there is a vacant room, they rush to make a deal with the landlord who will be looking for a tenant, the people who will suffer are the lodgers who have to pay the rent plus the extra agent fees,” said Elizabeth Bamu.
Another resident said most of these agents exhibit rowdy behaviour and their impression management leaves a lot to be desired.
“In as much as some people are eking out a living out of being informal agents, personally I perceive a lot of unhygienic factors associated with this development for example, a lot of the guys associated with this kind of hustling whom I know are not upright characters,” said Nevison Farai Tekere.
A Chitungwiza resident said that the accommodation agents in his area usually rejoice when a tenant vacates a place as that means more money into their pockets.
“Agents in my hood of Chitungwiza actually celebrate if a tenant is made to vacate by the landlord as they quickly look for another tenant,” said Mrs Vongai Gutsa, a resident.
Harare Residents Trust (HRT) director, Mr. Precious Shumba said accommodation agents are known members in communities and that lot of tenants have raised their concerns, but never seek justice.
“A lot of residents have normalised this scam by accepting their losses without raising a finger. People have remained private and do not want these fights for social justice.
“The agents are known people within communities. Dozens of residents have however come forward to the HRT to raise their concerns but never to seek justice,” he said.
Mr Shumba blamed the recent hikes in rentals on the agents who behave like touts by setting the rental fees and updating the landlords on the current events.
“Of course, the agents are like your kombi touts. They determine the transport fares because they want to pocket more commission equivalent to one or two passengers.
“These agents are the ones who set the house rentals and take their commission. They take money from prospective tenants and then approach property owners advising them on the trends in rentals. That way they cause the rentals to rise without any economic logic,” said Shumba.
HRT board chairperson agreed with his director saying he once required a reasonable price for an area, but an agent advised him to charge higher.
“I had a case where my son wanted me to find somebody to rent his cottage. I placed an advert in WhatApp groups I am in and somehow they got to know and offered to help me find a tenant.
“They suggested that the rental I was demanding was too low for that area and the type of cottage I was offering. Instead of the $150 I was requesting they suggested I charge $220. Little did I know that some would demand as much as 40 percent of the $220 proposed from the prospective tenant,” said Mazula.
Mr Shumba said some private property owners are even entrusting their homes to unregistered agents.
“Private property owners have surrendered their properties to be managed by registered agents.
“However, the majority of agents within the communities are your ordinary airtime and vegetable vendors, including shop assistants who know the goings on in the neighbourhood. The agents are known people and you get to know about them through community referrals,” he said.
Attempts to get a comment from City of Harare were unfruitful.
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