SBL Incorporated

01/11/2026

Can a Landlord Increase the Rent During a Fixed-Term Lease?

https://youtu.be/8sJAv_1DbM4?si=khUrFee9DVLJejyg

A body corporate has increased its levies by 51%, and the landlord wants to pass this additional cost on to the tenant. However, doing so would effectively result in approximately a 20% rental increase during the existing lease period, which the tenant says is unaffordable.

So, can a landlord increase the rent during a fixed-term lease? And what happens if the tenant decides to cancel the lease because of the increase?

👉 Watch this week's episode of the Property Law Alliance, where Nicholas Brodie and Bruno Simao discuss these questions.

In this episode [262/1], Bruno Miguel Simao of Bruno Simao Attorney...

30/10/2026

Can a landlord use a tenant’s deposit to cover unpaid rent or damages while the lease is still running? 👀

The short answer? No, not under normal circumstances!

This is something that often causes confusion between landlords and tenants.

The rental deposit isn't a backup fund that can simply be dipped into whenever rent isn't paid or something gets damaged.

As Cilna explains in this video, the deposit can generally only be used once the lease agreement has come to an end.

And yes, there are exceptional circumstances where both parties may agree to a different arrangement, but that's certainly not the norm!

So, before using that deposit to cover unpaid rent or damages, make sure you understand what you're legally allowed to do.

Not sure how to handle a rental deposit dispute? Our team is here to help!

📞 086 100 7757
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.sbllaw.co.za

29/10/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday, Madika! 🧡

Today, we're celebrating the wonderful person behind so many of the little things that keep our office running smoothly!

Thank you for your dedication and the warmth you bring to our team every day.

Wishing you a beautiful birthday and a year filled with happiness, love and countless blessings! 🥳

27/10/2026

When you think of protecting property, you probably think of land, buildings or physical assets.

But what about the things you've built in your business?

Your brand name. Your logo. Your software. Your original content. Even the confidential information that gives your business its competitive edge.

These can all be valuable business assets, and knowing how to protect them is just as important.

You may know SBL for our work in property law, but our services also extend to Intellectual Property (IP) Law.

We help businesses identify what needs protection and put the right legal measures in place. Because protecting what you've built shouldn't only become a priority once someone else starts using it.

Not sure whether your business assets are properly protected? Get in touch with our team at SBL. We'd be happy to help you understand your options!

📞 086 100 7757
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.sbllaw.co.za

25/10/2026

Can a Landlord Show a Property to Prospective Tenants Before the Current Tenant Moves Out?

https://youtu.be/ykeu-oisWnw?si=AfTbe8P07qelyDeE

A tenant has given proper notice and will be moving out at the end of October. However, the tenant has informed the landlord that they do not want the property shown to prospective tenants until after 12 October.

This creates a practical problem for the landlord and the estate agent, who may want to market and show the property early in order to secure a new tenant and avoid a vacancy.

Does a landlord have an automatic right to enter the property and show it to prospective tenants?

What Does the Lease Agreement Say?

Watch this week's episode for the answer. 👀

In this episode [262/2], Bruno Miguel Simao of Bruno Simao Attorney...

24/10/2026

⚖️ ONE COURT JUDGMENT IS NOT A BLANKET RULE!

The recent Western Cape High Court judgment in Costa v N.L.D.C.J and Others, involving the eviction of tenants from a Camps Bay property, applied the principles established in Els v Venter.

Read the judgment here:https://sbllaw.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Costa_v_NLDCJ_and_Others_12_October_2026.pdf

The Court found that the CPA did not apply because the landlord was not renting out the property in the ordinary course of business. Please watch the video for details.

⚠️ But this does NOT mean all private landlords or landlords using rental agents are exempt from the CPA!

Rental agents: Every landlord’s circumstances must be considered. When in doubt, the safer approach is to follow the CPA’s requirements, including the 20-business-day notice to remedy a material breach before cancelling a fixed-term lease.

Different facts can lead to different legal outcomes. Please don’t turn one judgment into an industry-wide rule!

SBL Incorporated
📞 086 100 7757
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.sbllaw.co.za

20/10/2026

LeaseConsole - "South African rental property management platform reOS has partnered with property law firm SBL Incorporated to launch LeaseConsole, an attorney-backed workflow that generates residential lease agreements built around the specific property, parties and terms of each tenancy rather than issuing a standard template."

👉 Read the full article here:

Prop-tech platform reOS and property law firm SBL Incorporated have launched LeaseConsole — attorney-backed, plain-language leases built around each individual tenancy.

18/10/2026

What Happens to a Managing Agent’s Mandate When the Landlord Dies?

https://youtu.be/Mo456iFJLRw?si=1Ah0fIuAwC2y6Q6q

We know that the death of a landlord does not automatically terminate a lease agreement. The tenant generally remains bound by the lease, and the deceased landlord's estate steps into the position of the landlord.

But what happens to the managing agent who was appointed by the landlord to manage the property?

Does the managing agent's mandate continue after the landlord's death?

🎥 Watch Episode 259 of the Property Law Alliance where we unpack what happens when a landlord dies, what happens to the managing agent's mandate, and why the appointment of an executor is so important in dealing with the deceased estate.

In this episode [259/2], Bruno Miguel Simao of Bruno Simao Attorney...

16/10/2026

We're so excited to be part of some groundbreaking developments in the property industry!

https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/the-death-of-the-one-size-fits-all-residential-lease-2026-10-14

Together with reOS, we're bringing legal expertise and smart technology together through LeaseConsole – an innovative, attorney-backed platform designed to make residential lease agreements clearer, smarter and tailored to each tenancy. 🏡⚖️

Because a lease agreement shouldn't just be another document to sign. It should protect everyone involved, make sense to the people signing it, and help prevent disputes before they even begin!

Our Managing Director, Cilna Steyn, also shares some valuable insights in the article on why getting things right from the very beginning can make all the difference.

We're incredibly proud to be part of this exciting step forward for the rental property industry! 🧡

Bulky, one-size-fits-all residential lease agreements fuel disputes - not because the law is unclear, but because the contracts are. To address this, rental property management platform Reos has partnered with SBL Incorporated, a law firm specialising in property law, to launch LeaseConsole: an atto...

16/10/2026

Today, we're celebrating our incredible management team! 💫

Thank you for always shining a light on the path ahead, guiding our team forward and helping make SBL what it is today. You always bring out the best in us!

We appreciate you! Happy Boss's Day! 🧡