Blog
Research and analysis on deposit-free leasing, PropTech and institutional risk management in South Africa.
How one portfolio lifted occupancy 11 points without touching rent
A 5,000-unit residential book swapped the cash deposit for a waiver. Occupancy went from 87% to 98%, concessions dried up and bad debt halved.
The deposit myth: most tenants never get it back
The rental deposit is sold as savings a tenant gets back. Data on more than 68,000 move-outs says it is a fee they pay upfront and rarely see again.
Tenants don't want the deposit, and removing it changes nothing they do
Given a real choice, up to 7 in 10 new tenants skip the cash deposit. The worry that dropping it makes tenants behave worse does not hold up in the data.
Why South African institutional landlords are ditching cash deposits
The deposit model costs large portfolios more than it protects them. Here is what institutional landlords are replacing it with, and why they are moving now.
Lease insurance vs cash deposits: a cost-benefit analysis
What a cash deposit really costs a large portfolio once admin, held capital and disputes are counted, and how insurance-backed cover compares on each.
How PMS integration actually works with LeaseSurance
What happens when LeaseSurance connects to your property management system: how billing is raised, how tenants are enrolled and how claims are settled.
POPIA compliance in lease insurance: what landlords need to know
How tenant data is handled in a lease insurance programme, who can see it, and which parts of POPIA apply once you roll it out across a rental portfolio.
How ZD Rewards uses incentives to cut bad debt
Rewarding tenants for paying on time and leaving a property in good order is a risk tool most landlords overlook. Here is how it works and what it changes.