Solar-Powered 4-Bed House in Borrowdale, Harare

No. Under Zimbabwe's Rent Regulations (Statutory Instrument 32 of 2007), it is a criminal offense for a landlord to demand a security deposit exceeding one month’s rent. Private landlords operating on informal classifieds routinely ignore this, extorting multiple months of deposit to use as personal operating cash, making it nearly impossible to recover your funds when you vacate.

By leasing through an EAC-registered agency on Propertyzone, you enforce compliance. Your deposit is capped at one month and legally ring-fenced in an audited Trust Account—meaning the landlord cannot touch your capital until a formal, documented move-out inspection is completed.

Absolutely not. Zimbabwe’s Rent Board heavily protects statutory tenants. A landlord legally cannot increase rent within the first 6 months of a new lease without your explicit consent. Furthermore, any unilateral rent increase exceeding 30% requires formal justification and approval from the Rent Board.

If you dispute an illegal rent hike, landlords are strictly prohibited from utilizing "self-help" evictions. It is a criminal offense for a landlord to change your locks, remove your belongings, or maliciously disconnect your ZESA or water supply. Legal eviction requires a minimum of 3 months' notice and a formal court order.

This is the most common financial trap in Zimbabwean rentals. Municipal debt (City of Harare water and refuse) binds the physical property, not the individual who incurred it. If you move into a house with $3,000 in historical water arrears, the city council will disconnect your water supply, and you will be forced to clear the landlord's debt to restore it.

Never sign a lease or pay a deposit without demanding the latest municipal statement. Propertyzone's verified agents require landlords to prove municipal clearance before a property is listed, ensuring you never inherit historical infrastructure debt.

You cannot be evicted simply because the property changes hands. Zimbabwe enforces the common law principle of huur gaat voor koop (hire takes precedence over sale). The new buyer legally inherits your existing lease and is bound by its exact terms, rent amount, and expiry date.

The original landlord is legally required to transfer your security deposit to the new owner. If a private landlord attempts to force you out to "facilitate a sale" without providing the formal notice period stipulated in your contract, stand your ground—they are breaking the law.

In Zimbabwe, utility infrastructure is the primary source of landlord-tenant friction. Legally, the landlord is required to maintain a "habitable" property. This means the landlord is entirely financially responsible for capital infrastructure replacements—such as burnt borehole pumps, failed solar inverters, structural plumbing, and electrical DB board faults.

The tenant is only responsible for day-to-day operational consumables, such as purchasing ZESA tokens, paying for bulk water deliveries if the local water table drops, or servicing the generator. Never sign a lease that attempts to shift capital replacement costs onto you as the tenant.

This is the most critical operational distinction in your tenancy. It determines who controls the utility infrastructure and how disputes are resolved.

Fully Managed: You pay rent directly to the agency, and the agency handles all maintenance. In Zimbabwe, this is the safest option. When a borehole pump burns out or a solar inverter fails, the agency deploys vetted contractors and deducts the cost from the landlord's rental yield. You have a professional buffer ensuring your utility infrastructure remains functional.

Introduction-Only: The agency drafts the lease and steps away. You pay rent directly to the landlord and must negotiate directly with them when infrastructure fails. If the landlord lacks the USD cash flow to fix a burst geyser or replace dead solar batteries, you are entirely reliant on their personal financial situation. Always ask the agent which arrangement applies before signing.

In Zimbabwe, security deposit disputes are the number one cause of landlord-tenant friction. Private landlords frequently treat security deposits as immediate operating cash rather than escrowed funds, making it impossible to recover your money when you vacate.

If you lease a Managed Property through an EAC-registered agency on Propertyzone, your deposit is legally ring-fenced in a regulated Trust Account. The agency cannot legally release those funds to the landlord during your tenancy. If you lease an Introduction-Only property, the deposit is transferred directly to the landlord. If you must pay a deposit directly to a landlord, ensure the lease mandates a joint move-in inspection with photographic evidence, and never agree to a lease that allows the landlord more than 14 days to refund the deposit after you vacate.

Do not assume utility responsibilities are standard; they must be explicitly defined in your lease agreement to avoid sudden operational costs.

• ZESA and City of Harare Water: Tenants are almost universally responsible for their own prepaid ZESA tokens and municipal water/refuse bills. Ask to see the municipal statement before signing to ensure you aren't inheriting thousands of dollars in arrears that will result in the council disconnecting your water.
• Boreholes and Solar Infrastructure: Landlords are responsible for capital maintenance (replacing a burnt borehole pump or dead lithium batteries). However, tenants are typically responsible for operational maintenance (paying for bulk water deliveries if the water table drops, or servicing the generator).
• Levies in Sectional Titles: If you rent a flat or townhouse, ensure the lease explicitly states whether the monthly body corporate levy is included in your rent or billed separately. Unpaid levies will result in the body corporate restricting your vehicle access or water supply.