A landlord is threatening to evict a tenant who has stopped paying rent for more that nine months.

The non-payment of rent is not the only problem the landlord is facing. The tenant has locked up the apartment and the landlord has not seen him for the last six months.

"I can't even find this man to serve him notice to get out of my place," the landlord said.

He explained that the tenant had stopped paying him rent and he does not know where to get in touch with him.

not seen him

"I live at the same premises as the tenant but I have not seen or heard from him for the last six months. He stopped coming to the premises and I just don't know where to find him.

"He told me he was a businessman but he did not tell me where his business was and he only gave me a cellphone number. I called the number many times but all I get is voice mail. I left messages for him but he does not respond to them.

refuse to pay rent

"My patience is running out with this tenant and I tell my neighbours that I am going to put his things on the back veranda of my premises and they are telling me I cannot do that. It is unfair for this man to lock up my place and refuse to pay me rent and I cannot take out his furniture and rent my place.

"I cannot find him to serve him with the notice and I just cannot have my place locked up like that. People in my area told me they have seen the tenant so I know he is alive. I am really thinking of packing his furniture on my back porch so that whenever he turns up he can collect them."

Dear Landlord:

Although you cannot find the tenant to serve him with the notice that does not prevent you from evicting him from the premises. The law makes provision for you to go to court and get an eviction order against the tenant.

put a notice

You must first go to the court's office and you will be advised how to deal with the situation. The clerk of the courts will instruct you to put a notice on the front door of the tenant's apartment for a month and you will be told when to return to the court's office so that you can get a date to have the issue dealt with by the judge.

Once the judge grants an eviction order, the bailiff will assist you to have the furniture removed from the premises.