Renters under pressure
Windhoek’s rental market is under immense pressure, with tenants increasingly struggling to find affordable accommodation while deposits and monthly rents continue to rise.
An anonymous prospective tenant told Network Media Hub how he recently went to view a two-bedroom apartment priced at N$9 500 per month. According to the landlord, he has already received more than 30 applications for the unit simply because it is considered “reasonably priced”. The landlord has reportedly indicated that some owners are choosing not to advertise their properties widely to limit the overwhelming response and disappointment of prospective tenants.
Windhoek real estate agent Carl van der Merwe describes the situation as “an absolute nightmare”.
“You wouldn’t believe how many calls I get every day from people looking for a place between N$6 000 and N$15 000. There is simply not enough rental stock; there is a huge shortage,” Van der Merwe said.
According to him, the basic principles of supply and demand directly contribute to the rising prices. “Demand far exceeds supply, and that pushes prices up. But unfortunately, there are also owners who exploit that.”
Van der Merwe cited an example of a tenant who is currently paying N$9 750, but was recently notified that her rent will be increased to N$13 500 at contract renewal. If she cannot afford it, her contract will not be renewed, and she will be given two months’ notice.
As for furnished units, Van der Merwe says this is not necessarily a new phenomenon. “I can’t say it is directly related to the proposed rent control bill. Furnished places have always generated significantly higher rental income.” He adds, however, that only about 10% of tenants are looking for furnished accommodation, while about 90% prefer unfurnished units.
Despite this, certain furnished units are being advertised for up to N$13 000 per month for a single-room apartment in Olympia.
Meanwhile, a 26-year-old teacher, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of being blacklisted, says she was recently forced to move in with her parents due to the “absurd” rent prices in Windhoek. She specifically searched Kleine Kuppe, Eros and Suiderhof and says she saw unfurnished one-bedroom apartments for up to N$15 000 per month.
Finally, through a friend, she found a backyard cottage with a one-bedroom unit for N$7 500 per month. However, she had to pay a 100% deposit, on top of the first month’s rent.
A young man who recently moved into an unfurnished apartment for N$13 000 per month told NMH he didn’t have much choice, especially since he needed a pet-friendly unit. His landlord also demanded a full deposit, which meant he had to fork out N$26 000 in his first month.
According to Van der Merwe, this is common practice. “I don’t know a single landlord who asks for a 50% deposit. Everyone asks for 100%. They simply say: if you don’t want to pay it, there’s someone else who will.”
Although existing legislation stipulates that deposits may not exceed 50% of the monthly rent, market practices indicate that full deposits are commonly demanded. Some landlords refer to it as a “security and damage deposit”, which may leave room for interpretation.
The proposed Rent Control Bill, which is still in draft form, aims to bring greater regulation to the rental market. In the meantime, however, tenants remain exposed to sharp rent increases, high entry costs and a market where demand far exceeds supply.
