Skip to content
Report a wrong number

Government · Complaint & ombud

Rental Ombudsman South Africa Contact Details

Verified 27 September 2026Official source onlyIndependent directoryReport a wrong number

All complaint & ombud routesCheck this is the right body

South Africa has no rental ombudsman: residential landlord and tenant disputes go to the Rental Housing Tribunal in your province, for example the Western Cape tribunal on 0860 106 166 or the Gauteng tribunal on 011 630 5036. Each provincial Rental Housing Tribunal is an independent body appointed by the provincial MEC under the Rental Housing Act, overseen nationally by the Department of Human Settlements.

The tribunals deal with residential rentals only. They do not handle commercial property, and sectional title or homeowners’ association disputes are a different body’s work.

Rental Housing Tribunal contact details at a glance

RouteDetails
Western Cape RHT contact centre0860 106 166
Western Cape RHT Please Call Me079 769 1207
Western Cape RHT SMSSMS “Help” to 31022
Western Cape RHT general enquiriesrht.enquiries@westerncape.gov.za
Western Cape RHT disputes (submit complaint forms + lease)rht.disputes@westerncape.gov.za
Western Cape RHT dispute enquiries phone021 483 5020 / 021 483 6495 / 021 483 3283
Western Cape RHT online eServicewesterncape.gov.za (dispute resolution between tenants and landlords page)
Gauteng RHT office011 630 5036 / 5048 / 5005 / 5053
Tshwane (Pretoria Central & Central West, Region 3) housing tribunal office012 358 8852 / 4312 / 1359
KwaZulu-Natal RHT031 372 1800 / 1803 / 1804 / 1805; info.rht@kzndhs.gov.za
Eastern Cape RHT043 711 9622 / 043 711 9598
Free State RHT051 405 4965; fsrht@fshs.gov.za
Limpopo RHT015 284 5426 / 015 284 5056
Mpumalanga RHT013 757 0792; rentaltribunal@mpg.gov.za
North West RHT018 388 5529
Northern Cape RHT053 830 9572
National Department of Human Settlements call centre080 014 6873; info@dhs.gov.za

Official contact channels

Contact the tribunal in the province where the rental property is. The Western Cape details come from the provincial government’s own service pages. The other provinces’ details come from a national list of tribunal offices published by the Department of Human Settlements. That list is undated, so confirm the details when you call.

If you cannot find your province’s tribunal, the national Department of Human Settlements call centre is 080 014 6873 (weekdays 08h00 to 16h00), or email info@dhs.gov.za.

What the Rental Housing Tribunal handles

The tribunals resolve disputes between landlords and tenants of residential property. Their rulings have the same power as a Magistrates’ Court judgment. No fee is charged to the landlord or the tenant from filing through to the end of mediation or the hearing.

There are limits. The Rental Housing Act does not apply to business or commercial property, and the tribunal cannot grant eviction orders.

Complaints and escalation process

  1. Complete the prescribed complaint form at the tribunal office, electronically, or at a municipal Rental Housing Information Office.
  2. In the Western Cape, email the complaint form, annexures and a copy of your lease to rht.disputes@westerncape.gov.za, or use the eService.
  3. The complaint is registered and a preliminary investigation follows, with letters to both parties. In the Western Cape you get a reference number within up to 14 days, and the investigation can take up to 3 months.
  4. Attend mediation. If no agreement is reached, the matter goes to a formal tribunal hearing.
  5. A tribunal ruling can be taken on review to the High Court.

Address and operating information

  • Western Cape: 27 Wale Street, ISN Building, Cape Town
  • Gauteng: Ikusasa House, 4th Floor, 129 Fox Street, Johannesburg
  • Tshwane (Region 3): 1st Floor, Block B, Tshwane House, 320 Madiba Street, Pretoria
  • KwaZulu-Natal: Eagle Building, Durban
  • Eastern Cape: 31-33 Phillip Frame Road, Waverly Park, Chislehurst, East London
  • Free State: Lebogang Building, cnr Markgraaf & St Andrews Street, Bloemfontein
  • Limpopo: 20 Rabe & Lanfros Mare Street, Polokwane
  • Mpumalanga: Riverside Government Complex, Nelspruit
  • North West: University Drive Building, 2nd floor, Mafikeng
  • Northern Cape: JS Du Plooy Building, 9 Cecil Sussman Road, Kimberley
  • National Department of Human Settlements: Govan Mbeki House, 240 Justice Mahomed Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, 0002; post to Private Bag X644, Pretoria, 0001

For other government bodies, browse the government hub or the government directory P to S listings.

FAQs

Is there a rental ombudsman in South Africa?

No. Residential rental disputes go to the Rental Housing Tribunal in your province.

What is the Rental Housing Tribunal contact number?

It depends on the province. The Western Cape contact centre is 0860 106 166 and the Gauteng office is 011 630 5036. The other provinces’ numbers are in the table above.

Does it cost anything to lay a complaint?

No. No fee is charged to the landlord or the tenant from filing to the end of mediation or the hearing.

Can the Rental Housing Tribunal evict a tenant?

No. The tribunal cannot grant eviction orders.

Sources

  • Western Cape Government, Rental Housing Tribunal: westerncape.gov.za/service/rental-housing-tribunal-0, read 2026-09-27
  • Western Cape Government, Dispute resolution between tenants and landlords: westerncape.gov.za/service/dispute-resolution-between-tenants-and-landlords-residential-properties, read 2026-09-27
  • Department of Human Settlements, Rental Housing Tribunal offices (PDF): dhs.gov.za/sites/default/files/documents/Conferences/RENTAL HOUSING TRIBUNAL2.pdf, read 2026-09-27
  • Department of Human Settlements, Contact us: dhs.gov.za/node/1645, read 2026-09-27