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Weekender Reporter
A LANDLORD-TENANT duel has erupted between former business partners, with the tenant standing accused of not paying rentals, while the landlord is accused of not paying for services rendered to his five-year-old daughter.
The matter spilled into the Small Claims Court at the Mutare Civil Court where George Manyemwe had made a US$490 claim for three months rental arrears for his Chikanga home which was being used by one Kurai as a pre-school.
Manyemwe said the rent for his property was US$150 a month.
He also factored in an interest of US$40 for the three months.
Kurai, however, made a US$250 counter-claim application claiming that Manyemwe did not pay for his daughter’s fees at the pre-school.
Mr Xavier Chipato presided over the matter and adjourned it today (Friday) to allow the pair to bring their witnesses.
Manyemwe said he was Kurai’s business partner at the pre-school until the latter started sidelining him and his wife.
He said this happened when enrolment peaked at the pre-school.
“We were business partners and opened the pre-school together. My wife was an employee at the pre-school and would take our child along with her to work. She was not on the payroll as we were operating the business together. No rentals were being paid as well. I was offering the premises, while Kurai offered furniture and management services.
“When business started to peak, Kurai and his wife started sidelining us. I asked them to pay us US$70 as rentals every month as it was evident that they no longer wanted us to be part of the pre-school,” said Manyemwe.
For some time, Kurai is said to have continued operating the pre-school at the said premises while religiously paying rentals.
However, Manyemwe increased the rentals to US$150 in January this year and Kurai defaulted in paying for the next three months.
He went on to move his pre-school to a neighbour’s house.
“His daughter was enrolled at my pre-school for two years. He owes me US$250 as fees. When I asked him pay the fees, he argued that we were using his property, so his daughter should have free education,” said Kurai.
He also denied that Manyemwe was ever his business partner or the fact that Manyemwe’s wife used to work at the school.
“We have always had the tenant-landlord relationship, nothing more. I never employed his wife and we did not start this pre-school together. I have been paying my rentals all along, but during the national lockdown, we were closed and therefore l could not pay anything. This is the money he is now claiming, disguised as 2022 arrears,” he said.
Kurai also produced a school register that included the name of Manyemwe’s child.
In response, Manyemwe said his daughter was never enrolled at Kurai’s pre-school.
“I have since taken my child to a better pre-school. She was never enrolled at his pre-school anyway, so his counterclaim is unjustified. If this is the route that he wants to take, then my wife should also claim her salary as she worked at that pre-school last year without receiving anything,” he said.
He said Kurai’s unexpected move of relocating to a neighbour’s place without giving any notice irked him.
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