Landlord Association of South Africa

Check Your Rental Property Compliance Before Problems Arise

Managing a residential rental property in South Africa involves considerably more than collecting rent and maintaining the property.

Landlords should have appropriate tenancy documentation, deposit records, inspection evidence, property records and compliance procedures in place throughout the tenancy.

The Landlord Association of South Africa (LASA) Landlord Compliance Health Check helps members review key areas of their residential letting arrangements and identify potential gaps, weaknesses or areas requiring attention.

Our aim is simple: identify potential compliance problems before they become tenant disputes, financial losses or more serious legal issues.

The Landlord Compliance Health Check is exclusively available to LASA members.

Not currently a member? You can join LASA and gain access to this service together with our wider range of landlord support, documents and member benefits.

What Is a Landlord Compliance Health Check?

The Landlord Compliance Health Check is a structured review of the key documents, records and procedures a residential landlord should consider when managing a tenancy.

Depending on your circumstances, the review may cover:

• Residential lease documentation
• Tenant and property records
• Rental deposit documentation
• Incoming and outgoing inspections
• Property inventories
• Rental payment records
• Maintenance and repair procedures
• Tenant correspondence
• Breach records
• Property access procedures
• Notices and landlord correspondence
• Record keeping
• Supporting evidence
• Other tenancy compliance matters

The purpose is to identify potential weaknesses and areas where your landlord procedures could be improved.

Why Landlord Compliance Matters

Small documentation problems can become significant when a landlord and tenant disagree.

A missing inspection report may make a property damage claim more difficult.

Poor deposit records can create problems at the end of the tenancy.

An unclear lease provision can lead to disagreement about responsibility for repairs, utilities or other obligations.

Missing correspondence may make it difficult to demonstrate what was agreed.

A compliance health check gives landlords an opportunity to examine these issues before a dispute arises.

What Does the Compliance Health Check Cover?

Residential Lease Agreement

Your lease agreement is the foundation of the landlord and tenant relationship.

We can consider whether important areas of the tenancy appear to be properly documented, including matters such as:

• Parties to the agreement
• Property details
• Rent and payment provisions
• Rental deposit
• Duration of the tenancy
• Tenant obligations
• Landlord obligations
• Maintenance responsibilities
• Property access
• Additional occupants
• Subletting
• Pets
• Breach provisions
• Cancellation and termination provisions

Where more detailed examination of the lease is required, members may also use our separate Free Lease Review / Compliance Check service.

Rental Deposit Records

Rental deposits are a frequent source of disputes between landlords and tenants.

The health check can consider whether you have appropriate records relating to:

• Amount of deposit received
• Date received
• Deposit documentation
• Records relating to how the deposit is held
• Relevant interest records
• Inspection documentation
• Proposed deductions
• Supporting invoices or quotations
• Deposit repayment records

Good deposit administration should begin when the deposit is received, not when the tenant is preparing to leave.

Incoming and Outgoing Inspections

Property condition evidence can become extremely important when there is a dispute over damage or deposit deductions.

We review whether your procedures include appropriate:

• Incoming inspections
• Outgoing inspections
• Inspection reports
• Property inventories
• Dated photographs
• Video evidence where appropriate
• Meter readings
• Records of keys and access devices
• Records of defects or existing damage

The objective is to create a reliable record of the property’s condition at the relevant stages of the tenancy.

Property Inventory

Where a property contains furniture, appliances, fixtures or other items, an appropriate inventory can provide important evidence.

A good inventory should make it possible to establish what was provided and its condition at the beginning of the tenancy.

The health check can identify whether your current inventory and supporting evidence may need improvement.

Rent and Payment Records

Landlords should maintain clear records showing rent due and payments received.

We can review whether your record-keeping system adequately records:

• Rental amount
• Due dates
• Payments received
• Partial payments
• Late payments
• Outstanding amounts
• Rental increases
• Repayment arrangements
• Other amounts payable under the lease

Good records are particularly important if a tenant later falls into arrears.

Maintenance and Repair Records

Disputes can arise over when a defect was reported, what the landlord did about it and whether access was made available.

Landlords should consider retaining:

• Tenant repair requests
• Inspection reports
• Photographs
• Contractor instructions
• Quotations
• Invoices
• Evidence of completed work
• Access requests
• Tenant responses
• Follow-up correspondence

The health check can help identify whether your maintenance records provide a clear chronology.

Landlord Access Procedures

Landlords may occasionally need access for legitimate purposes such as inspections, maintenance or repairs.

Your procedures should provide an appropriate record of:

• Why access was required
• When access was requested
• Notice provided to the tenant
• Tenant’s response
• Appointment arrangements
• Any refusal of access
• Contractor attendance
• Inspection findings

Good records can be particularly valuable where a tenant later alleges that the landlord acted improperly or where necessary repairs were delayed because access was unavailable.

Tenant Breach Records

If a tenant breaches the lease, landlords should document what happened and how they responded.

This may include:

• Nature of the breach
• Date of breach
• Supporting evidence
• Relevant lease provision
• Correspondence with the tenant
• Warnings
• Breach notices
• Demands
• Tenant responses
• Evidence that the breach was remedied or continued

LASA members who are currently dealing with a breach can also use our Tenant Breach Notice Service.

Tenant Communications

Important discussions with tenants should not exist solely as telephone conversations.

Where a matter could later become disputed, landlords should consider maintaining appropriate written records.

Relevant communications may include:

• Emails
• Letters
• WhatsApp messages
• Notices
• Inspection arrangements
• Repair requests
• Payment arrangements
• Complaints
• Breach correspondence
• Agreements concerning changes to the tenancy

Good communication records can help establish what was said, agreed and done.

Record Keeping and Evidence

A landlord may have complied with an obligation but still encounter difficulty if there is no reliable evidence showing what happened.

The Compliance Health Check therefore considers whether important documents are being retained, organised and capable of being retrieved when needed.

Consider maintaining a tenancy file containing:

Lease → Deposit Records → Inspections → Inventory → Rent Records → Maintenance → Correspondence → Notices → Supporting Evidence

Good record keeping can make managing a future dispute considerably easier.

Is Your Landlord Documentation Up to Date?

You may benefit from a Landlord Compliance Health Check if:

• You have not reviewed your tenancy procedures recently
• You use an old lease agreement
• Your documents have been collected from different sources
• You do not have a formal inspection procedure
• Your deposit records are incomplete
• You are unsure what tenancy records should be retained
• You have several rental properties but no standard compliance system
• You have recently experienced a tenant dispute
• You want to improve your procedures before taking on another tenant

You do not need to wait until something goes wrong.

Compliance is easier to improve before a dispute begins.

Suitable for Portfolio Landlords

The service can be particularly useful for landlords with multiple properties.

When several properties are being managed, inconsistent procedures can develop. One tenancy may have a detailed inventory while another has none. Inspection records may be excellent for one property but incomplete for another.

A standard compliance procedure can help landlords manage their portfolio more consistently.

The objective should be that each property has a clear and organised tenancy record.

How the Landlord Compliance Health Check Works

Request Your Health Check

Tell us about your rental property and the tenancy arrangements you currently have in place.

Provide the Relevant Documents

Depending on the review, we may ask for documents such as your lease, deposit records, inspection documentation, inventory and other tenancy records.

We Review Key Compliance Areas

We consider the documentation and procedures relevant to the health check.

Identify Potential Gaps

Where appropriate, we highlight areas that may require attention, additional documentation or improved procedures.

Improve Your Landlord Records

You can then address identified issues and improve your tenancy management procedures going forward.

Already a LASA Member?

If you are already a member, request your Landlord Compliance Health Check and find out whether there are gaps in your current tenancy documentation and procedures.

Not a Member? Join LASA

The Landlord Compliance Health Check is a members-only service.

If you are not currently a member, why not join the Landlord Association of South Africa?

LASA membership provides landlords with access to practical support, landlord resources and specialist member services covering different stages of the landlord and tenant relationship.

Rather than waiting until you have a tenant dispute, join LASA and start improving your landlord compliance procedures now.

View LASA Membership Options and Join

Join today and gain access to the Landlord Compliance Health Check together with our other landlord member services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Landlord Compliance Health Check?

It is a structured review of important areas of your residential tenancy documentation, records and landlord procedures to help identify potential gaps or weaknesses.

What documents will I need to provide?

This depends on the tenancy, but documents may include your lease agreement, deposit records, inspection reports, inventory, rent records and relevant landlord and tenant correspondence.

Can you check my lease agreement?

Yes. Lease documentation can form part of the overall health check. Members can also use our dedicated Free Lease Review / Compliance Check service where a more focused lease review is required.

Can you check my deposit procedures?

Deposit documentation and record keeping are important areas of the health check, including relevant records concerning receipt, administration, inspections, deductions and repayment.

Can you review my inspection records?

Yes. We can consider whether your existing inspection and inventory records provide an appropriate evidential record of the property’s condition.

I own several rental properties. Can the service help me?

Yes. Portfolio landlords may particularly benefit from reviewing whether consistent documentation and procedures are being used across their properties.

Does passing a health check guarantee that I am legally compliant?

No. The service is designed to help identify potential gaps, risks and areas requiring attention. It is not a certification or guarantee of compliance, and individual circumstances may require specialist legal advice.

Is the service available to non-members?

No. The Landlord Compliance Health Check is a LASA member service. If you are not currently a member, you can join LASA and then request the service subject to the applicable membership terms.

Give Your Landlord Compliance a Health Check

Good landlord compliance is not just about having documents.

It is about having the right documentation, good records, and consistent procedures in place before they are needed.

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