RENTAL HOUSING TRIBUNAL
Official source
Source domain: dhs.gov.za
Collected on 28 June 2026
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Request enforcement of a mediation agreement or Tribunal ruling through the Magistrates Court
If a party fails to comply with a mediation agreement or Tribunal ruling, the aggrieved party can ask the Rental Housing Tribunal to assist in enforcing the decision through the Magistrates Court.
- Who it is for
- aggrieved party who faces non-compliance with a Tribunal ruling or mediation agreement
- How to act on it
- Approach the Rental Housing Tribunal for assistance to enforce a mediation agreement or ruling through the Magistrates Court.
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Step 6 Non-compliance An aggrieved party may approach the Tribunal for assistance to enforce of a mediation agreement or ruling through the Magistrates Court.
Appeal a Tribunal ruling before the High Court
If either party is dissatisfied with the outcome of the Rental Housing Tribunal, they may take the matter for review before the High Court, as provided under the Rental Housing Amendment Act 2014.
- Who it is for
- any party dissatisfied with a Tribunal ruling
- How to act on it
- File a request for review of the Tribunal’s proceedings before the High Court.
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Step 8 If either party is dissatisfied with the proceedings of the tribunal, he/she can take the matter for review before the High Court.
Attend mediation facilitated by the Rental Housing Tribunal
If a complaint is lodged, the Tribunal will schedule a mediation session to help resolve the dispute amicably. A successful agreement can be turned into a binding order of the Tribunal.
- Who it is for
- parties to a rental dispute
- How to act on it
- Participate in a mediation session scheduled by the Rental Housing Tribunal after a complaint is registered and letters are issued to both parties.
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Step 4 Mediation is scheduled to try to resolve the matter. A mediation agreement can be made an order of the Tribunal.
Lodge a complaint with the Rental Housing Tribunal
Any tenant, landlord, group of tenants, group of landlords, or interest group may file a formal complaint with the Rental Housing Tribunal to resolve disputes related to rental housing, such as illegal evictions, unfair deposits, harassment, or failure to maintain property.
- Who it is for
- tenants, landlords, groups of tenants, groups of landlords, interest groups
- How to act on it
- Fill in a prescribed form and submit it in person at the RHT Office, electronically to the RHT or RHIO, at the RHIO under a local authority/municipality, or via another method approved by the RHT.
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Any tenant or landowner or group of tenants or landowners or interest group(s) may lodge a complaint to the Tribunal.
Facts
Parties
Magistrates Court authority
Key Takeaways
- entity: Rental Housing Tribunal (RHT)
- reference: Rental Housing Act (Act No. X) (implied)
- power: summon/subpoena; conduct hearings (in-person/virtual); issue interdicts; issue orders with Magistrates Court authority; impose fines/judgments; determinations of fair rentals; spoliation orders
- complainants: tenants or landowners or groups/interest groups
- filing_methods: in-person at RHT; electronic to RHT or RHIO; via Rental Housing Information Office; other RHT-approved methods
- process_steps: registration; preliminary investigation; letters to parties; mediation; arbitration/hearing; binding orders; enforcement via Magistrates Court; possible High Court review
- effective_date_implication: after amendments, appeal mechanism via Rental Housing Amendment Act 2014
- jurisdiction_scope: disputes in rental residential dwellings across provinces