9000 Harare residents face eviction over defaulting City Council house rentals
More than 9 000 Harare residents are at risk of losing their council homes after failing to pay monthly rentals, the City of Harare has warned.
Housing Manager Mr Edgar Dzehonye issued the stern message on the City of Harare’s official Facebook page on 30 May saying evictions are now imminent.
“City of Harare Housing Manager, Mr Edgar Dzehonye advises all tenants renting City of Harare premises to visit their nearest offices to settle their bills to avoid eviction,” reads the post.
Eviction letters already sent
According to Dzehonye, less than 10% of tenants in the 10 000 council-owned homes across the capital have been paying their rent.
“We have already issued final demand letters,” Dzehonye warned. “We are now working on evicting defaulting tenants who continue to ignore their obligations.”
The city council is seeking legal recourse to remove those who fail to settle their debts. The official stressed that it is not too late to act:
“We are encouraging all tenants to come forward and pay. If they do that, they can avoid eviction.”
‘Visit nearest council offices’
Dzehonye urged residents to take the warning seriously and act immediately by approaching council offices to clear the outstanding bills.
Though no specific deadline has been given, council insiders revealed that the eviction process has already begun in some areas.
The move comes as the City of Harare battles ballooning debts due to non-payment of municipal rentals and services. Many of the affected tenants are believed to have gone for months or even years without paying.
Tenants urged to act fast
The city is appealing for cooperation rather than confrontation.
“We are not trying to be heartless,” Dzehonye said.
“We simply want people to honour their commitments. If they don’t, the legal route is our only option.”
This development is likely to affect low-income families hardest, with many saying they are still recovering from economic shocks experienced in recent years.
Some residents have already started receiving eviction notices, while others are rushing to negotiate payment plans with council officials.
More updates are expected in the coming days as the situation unfolds.
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The post “Pay Or Lose Your Home” – Eviction Looms For Thousands In Harare Over Unpaid Rentals appeared first on iHarare News.
