Windhoek tenants trapped in rental nightmare

Windhoek’s rental market is under immense pressure, with tenants increasingly struggling to find affordable accommodation amid skyrocketing rents and deposits.

In an interview with Namibian Sun, a prospective tenant said he recently viewed a two-bedroom apartment listed at N$9 500 per month.

According to the landlord, the unit had already received more than 30 applications, as it was considered “reasonably priced".

Some landlords, the landlord added, now prefer not to advertise their properties widely to avoid overwhelming interest and the inevitable disappointment that follows for prospective tenants.

Windhoek real estate agent Carl van der Merwe described the situation as “an absolute nightmare”.

“You wouldn’t believe how many calls I get every day from people looking for a place costing between N$6 000 and N$15 000 per month. There simply isn’t enough rental accommodation available, there’s a huge shortage,” Van der Merwe said.

According to him, the basic principles of supply and demand are directly driving the rising prices. “Demand far exceeds supply, which pushes prices up. Unfortunately, some landlords are also taking advantage of the situation.”

Ruthless squeeze

Van der Merwe gave an example of a tenant currently paying N$9 750, who was recently informed that her rent would increase to N$13 500 when her contract is renewed.

If she cannot afford the hike, her lease will not be renewed and she will be given two months’ notice to vacate.

Meanwhile, a 26-year-old teacher, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of being blacklisted, said she was forced to move back in with her parents due to the “absurd rental prices” in Windhoek.

She had been searching in Kleine Kuppe, Eros and Suiderhof, and found unfurnished one-bedroom apartments for up to N$15 000 per month. She eventually secured a one-bedroom unit for N$7 500 per month, located at the back of someone’s yard. In addition to her first month’s rent, she had to pay a deposit of N$7 500.

A young man who recently moved into an unfurnished apartment at N$13 000 per month told Namibian Sun he had little choice, as the unit was pet-friendly. His landlord also demanded a full deposit, meaning he had to pay N$26 000 in his first month.

According to Van der Merwe, this is standard practice. “I don’t know a single landlord who asks for 50% of the deposit. Everyone asks for 100%. They simply say, 'If you don’t want to pay it, there’s someone else who will'”.

Laws ignored

Although existing legislation stipulates that deposits cannot exceed 50% of the monthly rent, market practice shows that full deposits are commonly demanded. Some landlords refer to these as a “security and damage deposit.”

The proposed rental control bill, still in draft form, aims to bring greater regulation to the rental market. In the meantime, tenants are facing steep increases in monthly rents, high upfront costs in the first month, and a market where demand far exceeds supply.