Plus Group Properties

I moved into Fernel Park, Olympus Pretoria, on 1 May 2025 through Plus Group Rentals, despite the negative reviews I had seen on TikTok. I chose not to let other people’s experiences influence mine, as I generally consider myself a reasonable and non-problematic tenant.

At the end of April 2026, I renewed my lease for a further 12 months. During the renewal process, I successfully negotiated a 5% rental increase instead of the proposed 10%, after discovering that some tenants within the same complex had reportedly been paying approximately R7,400 for the past two years, while my rental had already increased to R8,000.

Shortly thereafter, an opportunity arose for me to relocate back to Nelspruit. In terms of my lease agreement, I am required to provide 40 working days’ notice unless a replacement tenant is secured to occupy the unit from 1 June 2026.

Initially, I intended to honour the full notice period in good faith. However, matters escalated when I was allegedly pressured to pay an additional R400 on the basis that my lease had reverted to a month-to-month agreement at the original proposed 10% increase. I was further informed that if I failed to pay this amount, I would become liable for an agent’s commission penalty for the remaining 9 months of the lease, amounting to R2,086.56.

This came as a surprise, particularly because I have written communication confirming that I would not be liable for the agent’s commission penalty, allegedly because the agent had not yet received commission.

Despite this, I have actively tried assisting in finding a replacement tenant, especially considering how many units in the complex appear vacant and the concern that my unit may not be prioritised for remarketing. Unfortunately, communication has been inconsistent, with some emails ignored or overlooked entirely.

As a result, I have decided to proceed with moving out at the end of May 2026, regardless of whether a replacement tenant is found. In my view, if agreements can easily be changed or reversed after the fact, it undermines the validity of the agreement itself.

As a precautionary measure, I have also started engaging with the Gauteng Rental Housing Tribunal should there be any dispute regarding the return of my deposit or the legality of the charges being imposed.

This review is not intended maliciously, but rather to document my experience and ongoing concerns regarding communication, transparency, and the handling of this matter.