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The Herald, 8 April,1983
TENANTS beware! If your landlord lets you his property through lawyers instead of estate agents, you could be in for some hefty legal fees.
The Herald received a complaint recently that a Harare firm of legal practitioners charged $150 to draw up a standard lease agreement – $75 each to be paid by the tenant and landlord.
The tenants’ guide of the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe states that a landlord can only charge 5 percent of the first month’s rent, with a maximum of $10 for drawing up a lease agreement.
Three dollars is the maximum charge for renewal.
A spokesman for the Consumer Council said it had a similar complaint recently from a tenant who had been charged more than $100 for a lease agreement produced by lawyers rather than estate agents.
A spokesman for the Law Society said there were no standard lease agreements, and, therefore, no standard fees.
Costs were assessed on a number of factors, including the lawyer’s time – at $36 an hour – the difficulty of the task, its urgency and importance to a client, as well as a folio rate for typing – about $2 per 200 words.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
- It is important to treat each other fairly when you are involved in any transaction so that there is a win-win for all.
- The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe should take a proactive role to safeguarding the interests of clients, especially using the new Consumer Protection Act.-
- Tenants should always take a proactive approach when drawing up agreements or signing any agreements.
Online Reporter