DR. Majapa vs Slim A. Slim (Civil Appeal No. 3 of 2000) [2000] TZHC 133 (16 November 2000)
Judgment
I
CIVIL ItPP:CtL NOo 3 OF 2000
. i.PPELL/.NT
v0rsus
SLIM ;-,_. SLIM • • o C O O ~ O o O O IITiSPONDLNT
The appellant and the res::;:,ondont are landlord and tenant respectively.
The appellant Dr~ M0japa is the owner of a house situated on plot 63 Dlock
N house number 15 alons Nya.mwezi street, Kariakoo oree. in the _city of·
Dor es Salaam. It is 3 two etcry tuildini:so Whereas the c;rouncl an:1 first
floors -i.-Je-.ce· aJ.ioady comrletecl and ocCU}"iG·d by 1995, the 2nd floor was
not yet cor:1:;::lded. It needed finishine; touches. HovJcvGr, the res1:,ondent
wqs interested in renting it, and conduct the finishinc; touches. Ile then
entered into a lernse agreerxnt with the appellant on 2.9/9/1W5 :for a. three
y;eGrs term renewa.ble.
f,s the respondent 1:,os doinc the so called finishing touches, he mde
structural alterc1tions which led to beinr: c;iven n. notice to stop the
nlter0tions or else terrriinotc his tem.ncy ogreeracnt. Tb.Gt was on 4/5/96.
tfo rlid not comply with it, insteod l1e; rushed to the Ret;ioml Housing Tri.- 0
bunal where ho filed an npplico tion number 365/96 where, o,monc; other
thi:ncs, ho l)rayed for perform nee of tho, contr1ct, perm:mcnt injunction
restrniY.d.ng the roopon::Icnt or his 8cents or workmon or cr:1r,loyee from
cvictinn; or locld."-""lo out the o.r;-licant/respondont from tho demised r,remises
or cornpen.sstion of money spent for thv constructin oncl loss of business.;::, ..
In their temncy a8reemcnt, the ::::ppcll.::rn.t end thG respondent hxl
covenonted thJ.t the ten.::nt/rcsp::mclent should r,oy 8. rent of shs.;100,000/:
per month for the first th.rer;,) yor1rs D.hd thcit the costs of fin1.shins the
entcrior parts of tho house should be deducted frorn the rent for the
first throe yec..1rs. That the c0sts of finishinc should be at the maximum
of shs.3,000
1
000/:z: ,::md thorefor0
1
the landlord ·was paid one yeor rent!
shs.1,2OO,O00/::: on anticipr:tion that the shs.2 ,600
1
000/::, \could cover.
the costs of finishins th0 interior :port of the second floor.;;
, . ..,
~ ,: 'r!i ~· .,,, ..
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;,fter the three yocirs leose l:Griod, new rent could be O[:,";t'Ced, probably
an upward i11cr02se. l-1oy, 1997 tho ni:it,Gllont ii.ii.ititcd a vnlu:ition of tho
house to bo conducted fGr tho purrosG of fixinc a stondarcl rent. From
this v2lu::i.tion re1,ort, the ,sfondnrcl rent was fixed for tho flat a.nd the
store .::it shs.5,580,850/=• 1. .1~
with effect frcril Hoy, 1997 to the do tc of v::i cont possession with coots.
From thot ,:ociL::;ion, tho res:;:-,on:.lont fol t trot the; decision of the
Region IIousin? TribuntJl wos not correct. Ho oppeole,l to tho Housinc
.i:ppool 1Irihm.:::l .-.:mcl on 3Ff:•G~,1, thu :·11iper.1l ,.r.:,s )or mmur.'l or sh,s.1+56,404-/c per r,1ont11. 11.'he
d'."1t 1 ~ bnth F:irties cane to the decision th'..;t the
rosrondo;:1t/opJ_,licrmt heel, ty nr!l:inc nltcn•'!otions to the flot, ho kt::1
b!'o::?c):1e;c; the covonrrnt, so his tomncy be t0rrrdnat0d forth \dth os pvr
C
.·,1,·doptd. ,::is o voluotion cbte H:rn 7/5/1997. (Noto here trot thC:
tenoncy o.groe,nont wa5 1.1i th effect fro □ 28/)/1995) • Hence tho firot thrc;,e_
yorJrs term was to encl 1 1n 28/)/1'.)')D.
;:Lfter the DJ:>llic:--:tion h1s b0en filod :::t th0 h2gioru:1l dousing '.l'ribunEll,
tho 'l'ribuml after heorin;::t 0 ~ cl· 1 1·,,, l·y +1,--.- .• ,,..,.,c,ll---,nt/e1·1··1 "'"'COll'i]y +'r,.,t ·P1, •c,-1-..,nr1'1rrl o--nt 1,c, , ... Al.1. i.:.:;J. _ ,:.... •! ,J v .......... ·-·'J . .t.,..,. ,,, :....,J. t.., 01,,;,, ... t.. - v ... ,. vl I....: .u t,,.,J. ,_.l,, '-.llowed with co,ts. The
,r:-:,o-'.)l 'l'ribunol in its clecr-::o wDs spocific by sayinr th::1t:
2. 'I'he judc;r.icnt of the trio.l Tri'oun::il is qucish0cl and
3. 'l'he st-i nclnrd rc:nt ire, o ssessocl t:md fix•.cd n t
·n 4' -o ocv---
1
thl f+· t · +· J ry 2000-. s s., ) , , Ai/:::, non -· y o .1.0c ive ... rom o_nμo.
l1-o ':'he renewable le::iso ar,reeccnt is, if the p::irtics
wic-,h, extend for nnothor Hi.roe yoors up to f·brch, 2002
at a monthly rc,nt of the fixed cbnr1ard rent,.
5o I
1
h2 :.::tE_>::11:mt s.houlcl -;7J.y D. tot:.,l ::ir:1ount of rent
.:irrer1rs in suD of shs.'-1,550,ooc/ .. forthwith.
'I'l:1:1t dccroo is dotocl 29th L'.)_rch, 2C00 •
. \t this tin.::, it was Dr. I':tjcipo, who wc.s dissatisfied by the ju . .-:crn0nt
of the ilot,sinc i;:peal '1:rihmnl, so he- arpeolc::"i. to this court, in which I am
deli vorinc; the jucl:_;mont toc1.c,y •
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.,, ,,,,.,,)/.
i,
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/i.s it 1,0 s in the lower Tri buruls, the rorties :)re repre/3<.mtcd by
le3rned counsels, \vhcreos the -:ippell:mt w.'?!s, and i,-:; represented by
Isrllcl,il & Co. l;dvocatcs while the ros:pon1cnt is represented by Hyer:i fy:
Co. ;clvocot<:iSe Then the a:i_:·pellant through his counuels filed four crouncls
of oppeol thot ~
1.. '£he Hou.sin jppcols Tribunnl erred in low in
arbitrnrily rcducins stom1ord rent to shs.450,ood/=:
2 • The ,.'.
1
,pooh, 'l'ribunol erred in low oncl foct in orderinr:;
st.:::ndord rent to be ef:i:'octive from Jam.wry, 2000.
3. The 1\rpeols Tribumi err0c: in low Dn:1. in foct in providinc
for on .:ilt,)rnotive rencual cf lcose to H::irch, 2000.
4~ ;.~ peols Tribunal erred in L:iw ::mll fcict in mmrdinG ccsts
to the rresent resrondent.
Therefore, they rroyv:' thi~; court to set aside the juclr,x:mt nnl decree
of the, Eousinc; clp}:OOls Tribunnl. with costs to the ar1x:llont. The lc:irnccl
cutmsels rndc detnil8c.1_. written sutmissions in Emn)ort nnc~ or,posine; the
aprea 1 rospccti v8ly.
I shall dispo1:oo of c::ich ;;round' of :,i·peol in tho cronclocicnl order
t
1 ..)'': .n.., , f · 1· 1
-1 s aeJ . t:orc 1. ec,.
In the first r;rouncl of :i::;:,pcDl, the leornul coun,scl for the: nrpcih.lont
ubmitted trot the Ilousinc •"lil:,eah; Tribunol was wrong in rcclucinc the
standorcl rent frot'!l th:it one suu_;estcd by the vr.:luer on.cl accepted by the
11esioml Housinf~ Tribuml, th:::t in fr,)m shs.456,oooj; .. per month to shs.450,000/:-::
(In actu,'.>l f.-,.c:t;, the r0nt has b0en rcclucc:d from shs.Lr5G,Lr04/::: to shs.
450,COO/::.:~ o difference of shs.6,
1
+o¥/~ :r,,e:r uonth ond not r0cluccd to only
shs.L,5G,ooo/::; os subr:d. ttcd). The re::ison for trot contention i,s trr:1 t the
rent V✓D.s fixed b.ncl ncceptcd by the respon'.lcnt ns :,:.er su;:;missions of his
le:,rhed counsel Hhcn he so icl:
but the 1,roble1:1 is tho retrospective n_'}ture of the
rent the tenant h:1s no rroblern nbout tho stnnd::i.rcl rent,
Tho co·._msel then ccmcluJecl by sayinc tm t the l,f,p0als 'l1ribuml ei,:;;•cd
in r0ducinc the ston(lc:.rcl rci1t without oven 1::;i vine reasons or even vi,si'cinr,
the locu,s in quo. On tho othor hJ.nJ t Mr., IIyero , l0c1rncd cuun:: cl for the
rcsi:,onr:ent 8U1)mi ttcd tlmt the :.ppealc 'l'ribuml ,:ns cnti tlcd onJ 1 :'., '.-:':ly
vai :.od the standard con<:: fixed l; th0 Ibusing TribuDEil un:er tr · :•·;·.,c. ,
4
conferocl upon it by1rule 43 of the Housinc .:'ippeal Tribuool U,ppeal)
Rules, soverment notice No. 249. It is true that under'rule ·42 of
the Housii1c ;ii,:i.:;oal Tribunal (;t::::,r,eal :iiules, the Tribunal hos powers to
confirm, VDry or r0vcrse the Jocree from which an ar,peal has boon
prefcrr0c.l. Rao.ding lwtween lines this rule 42, I come to Dn opinion
that in or.' er that the :-,i:,pcnl Tri buml could confirm, very or rovers~
the decree, there should be an Dii:reol on that c;roum.1, contcstinG the
standard rent fixed. If in tho a;;:poal there ic; no such contcot in th,..:: s
,stanck1rcl rent fixed, then it is illego.l for thu !,p 1 :eal Tribu..11.al to vn.ry
or revers:e : thu sbncbrd rent fixed by the Housing TribuMl. I have
looked at the memornndu1;1 of DJ.'pe:::il filod .:it the Housinc hppeal Tribunal
•
on 21/1/2000 one: I diJ.n
1
t Gee o..ny c;round challcnc;inc; the stanclord rent
fixed. The C•:)trplnint wos only to the retrospective eprlication of the
stanc1ord rent of .shs.456,L:-04/ 0 • On this crouncl of arpoal, I rule th,.,t the
Housin[; "\j.Jpeol Tribunal erred in law in rcclucihc the standord rent from
the one fix(ld by the Hou.sine Tribunol, Hithout c;iving ren,sons and
1minly en .::i point not su1Jj(:;ct of a~::;'.;eDl before it. Thus the stanclard
rent fi:;cc:1 by the: Ii,msinc Tribunal biJt:d.r,,;-; its J.ecif,ion on the VDluotion
ro1:.,t.5rt ir:3 rec,torf,d c1s tho proper stnnJarJ. rent ar;plice1blc.
For the scccm'-1
0
r,J1.md of n:;;pecil, Hr. K':1lolo, le<-1rned counsel for
the nppell:mt suhri.ttcd th:1t the
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ocionnl Housing Tribunal ':JDS correct
to fix the sta.nd.:m:.1. rent un,-.:er sc:::ction 12 (i) (b) of the Rent l1estriction
;ict, 19L14, an:l therefore the Housinr; .;;pec-ils Tribuna.l vias ·.:n:o~s nn al terinc;
the cor:lEKmcin[; ;:oto of the stoncbrd rent. 'l
1
he Re_r;:irn::il Ilcusinc Tribmm.l
iG 01.lccc::J to be correct in fixinr; the stond,:1rcl rent c:.1s en the dote the
volucJtion re)ort w;,;s !1l':l:1e, th.-::t is M:iy, 1997. On the other h:.·-iri.d., Jvlr. Hyera
loc,rncd v: '".Stl for the rosJ_)onr::1ent cubrrii tted thot it i,s not the V8luer
Nho fi:x.0d the stondorcl rent, but the tribunol and he cited tho provisions
of .section 17 ( 1) of the Ticnt Ucstrictfrn .!ct, 19040 Ho insistccl thot
the stoE(;::1r:J rent r:m,st 11c oss0,ss0d by the Tribunal. He fimlly concurcd
v!i th the rulinc of tho .. ',rpcol.s 'I'ribunnl th.at the stondci:r{i rent should commence
6n Jonunry, 2000 oncl nc,t eorlior.
•·,s fror.1 tho sul:missionc; of tho lo::,rneJ c01mscls, Mr Kalolo for
the o:; ,peJ.lr:int rolfo,,: in his subr1issions o section 12 ( 1) (b). Mr. llyer:i,
to roprcduce the :::,:::iid sections for cosy of follmmr>
5 . ;
Section "12(1)(b} - Tho 'l'ribunol s:b.oll, in relation
to ovory ront redriction ::ireci \·1ithin its jurisdiction,
h'.lve powcr to cl0 c1ll thincs which it is re:quire::icl ore
ernprowervcl to cto by or un,kr the provisions of this
:-,ct, ::incl without pre ju.dice to the c;cnern.li ty of the
(b) to detcri:1in0 or o.,ssoss from time: to tir:10 the
sbnd£ird rent of ony promises ei thcr on the
0.1,plicr:ition of :my person intorcstt:id or o:i: its
own r.10tLm;
s. 17 (1) ,.s frcr;1 the effective :1.::ite, the sbndorcl
rent in
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, res1iect of .:my premise:,::, shall l;.e :m onnu.:11
runt to be os,seu..::-cx
1
by thG 'lribun::il which .sh::111 not
exceed tl10 tobl of m1 :Juount oqml to fourteen pcrcehturn
in the co sG of rE.:clid:::mt bl r,re:mises ~ c:mc1 d .. chtcon
1c:rcenturn ip. tho c;J e <:)f cornr:1ci'cial prer:1ise,s, of the
repb ccuent cost or , voluo of Hw premiGos.
UnJ0r l:Yc:ction 12 ( 1) (b) at,;.;ve, the .Jor cc J..:1or.1 i,op .. cn Ifousinc
Tril.iunDl h:.s the 1Jo1:1ers to detcr:nine or osce:sc from t1m0 to tiDc the
sbnlord rent <;if ony prernis.sos ct the ,:replication of any person or on
its own r1otio11. In this o
1, 1
;;1icotioni ncd.ther the: ni:plicant/rcspon,1-:mt
nor the orpcllnnt did ,:,:-ply fo1~ the nsse,ssraent of the st,mcbrd 1ent •
The iscuo :.;roc;c du:rinz; the heoring Qf the o:,J?liotion D.s th0 Cl}·Pel.bnt
'.
h:tcl en[;cii:Ed Ct V.JluG to ½:thi& the suit prer:ri.ses or the puri)ose of house
rent, whi:cl1 wuuld be effective .-:iftcr the fir.st three yc::'.rs of the ngrcer::Jont
i-:oulcl hove 011 21/12/1999.
D ·,;;r •·ct;,., 1" (1) -,-t:' tl1c '"-:,::.:.'0cl. S0condly+ tho court on its ·ovm r;1otion clid not assess
tho btc:nc1c:rd runt until uhcn it delivered its rulin[-1- "lr,0,Li t',, ct11··
1
--r 1 ' r11t. th t h"
1
., .; ,Jt.i -ioi. , ( c.L .. ,,c.,, )C·,, 1 • .__ , "' ,.,• -L ·". 1.s • .J w 1cn is
fixcc.l by the tri:m11Dl 1ft0r its ossessr:1ent. Fron the record the Tribunol
o.sscssecl the ,3h,mbrd 'rent on 21/12/99 ,'lhcn it delivered its judcmcnt •
but the Tritu11.:,l for no kno\Jn roosons, it ordered th.:,t thu rent be with
effect frc-rn May, 19')7 1;1hcn th0 v.:-1lu:::1tion wos mode. 'l
1
h,'.Jt \K'lS wr(m{_s• I scty
so bc·c:.mse tho ::irpellont ho,1 not .:;::·,r-liccl for the: nssessi:1ent of the new
rent J:.:isinc: 0n the valuotion report IL::cl he done so, then it would lie
r,r·oi;e·r for the 11cc;ionol Eousinr.; 'lribunnl to ,'.JDsess :rnc.l ~;.rJer th::it thG
r 6
Tribuml on its own riotion o,:s.sessed the .stor;dard rent, then the
cffoctivo ,:late should h:we been thot of •thq second. tern of ten:,ncy
:1,r_reerJcnt. Thnt is to SJY 29/9/99. I my so becnuse the pDrtics htd.
oc:r,::ed in their tenancy ocreer:ient th:::t thstdurinc the fir.st three years
of tenancy
1
tho rent should be shs.100
1
O00/: fi.-x:ed. Thus it could not
be eh,.:mcecl to hwe it cor:irxmce e,::irlier them 29/9/2000. It could be
loe;ic<1lly be ordered to ccrnr.mnce on the second terr:i of the temncy
ocreenont v;hich is 30/9/99 anJ not Moy, 1997 wheri. the first three years
term of the first h,rn wos in proc;ress. For this reason therefore, Loth
th0 iieciotwl IIousin;; 'l:ribunol r.mJ 'tho .i..:~ wls Tribuml ordc.•recl the
revised r(.;nt to ccr,1r.1encc in Eay, 19')7 Qnd the ;<:pe:::ils TribunnJ by
orJerin::: tho now rent to cor:r,,1(-.mce l.?n Jd1uory, 2000. lifter sayin
0
so, I
rule th.-:1 t the now stondnrd rent should commence on 1st October, 1999.
The npp0llont hod suLr:tlttod in. the third crouncl of o.gle.'11 thot the
},pp2als Tril:unn1 err<::d in law nncl in L1ct in proviclinc for on oltcr11c,tivc
rc-newol of le.::,sc to h:::rch, 2002 while the loncllorJ h0cl ismwd notice to
the res:L:ondent for thu lotter to vaca.te thu zui t r:ri.;nri.sos c,,s it ht!S 1x,en
h:id octu:.·,lly ch:rnccd or prer::iisec hence a
l;reoch cf tho covenant. The ref.,ronclent wo,s · just a.llow0d to finish the
unfinishod ports -::ut not to nr,lrn any structur2.l altcr:itions. 'l'he
end choncecl :._l1c0,'..:; set for fi'x:ine,: toilets; somo orisin.-'Jl w:::J.ls h:1c.l boca
c1imolishcxl. ,ctu:clly, the interior are:::i never looke,l n.s pC:r oricLwl
plons or structures. On this :;oint, Lr. IIyero., leorncd coum;;el submitted
thot thc1, 1,,-JE:r• no :r-0::isons for evictinc the recpon:'.ent os th0rc wos no
12vi::}ence o:f:' cl1C1n;::0 of c; tructur.::11 or desie:n of tho : romises • H•i bo.sod
his ,:x,:;inion on the volu:1tion ro
1
ort where it i3 soid tho.t the :)rer;iiA.eG
\·Jero good .st:;:-uctur,;l and ckcorativo state or repairs. I o.m sorry, I
clont ,-:icrce ui th the subr.:1i1:.,sions of th,: loorncd cou.'1.Sels. The evidonce
lu.s shown th:::it ,sorJ8 oricin::il ;,,ollr, h'.:lc: been dci:1,ilished, ,somo doors blocked
nnd chc.,nces in i'lnces sot for toilets. 'rhose ore true r.:lterotions onu
nut fini,shinr. This view Hou tho vic'w Gf thiE: com·t in Umojn. ikitel
( '1 '.)7f)
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• ••• /7
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(1) In controctual tencincy, the terr.1 'rei:cirj
does not include structur,::l alterntions
to the premises but meens r;cin t.:::ininc,
the promises in tho same Gtc\ te in which they
tiC:l'G' ot the comrnencemont of the tono.ncy •
(2) 3ectior~ 29 of tho Rent :Jestriction ,\ct, 1962,
(h()W section 35 ( 1) of tho ffont l{estriction
,.ct, -17 /198?) clrcnm o •Jisti11ction between
'
1
ke0: in[; oud nc,intnininc r<ecr;1iscs in n atote
of ,structural rclx::iira ond m,,re t:r;oint::m,::mce;; •
•
•
..
Dy orinlocy, this c-:,Ge relates to the D.;:-r,eol 1,0fore ma, only thc,t
in the forr.1er, the ctfatinctic:n is thcit of re1;::iir while in th(J ccise
1:e fore this court, tho issue is ,; finishinc': c:rn ..:.pp:coecl to koepinc tho
structurol co:n 1 :lition of tho houco in the form it v,1;::s 'before the oltorr:itions
Tho r0spondont in o.lter.3tin~: tlw structure of the promises by demolishinc
some ,-1311,s nnd blockin::: somo doors omountetl into o.l teration of the structure
of tk· premiGos cove11011t, from the 12ndlord~ ft ctmounts to hreoch of the
Thcveluer comrxmtod tl:nt the prcrdsos wos in rood structurol Dmd
decorntivu conditic-n. It is true. Dut he to.lkod of wlut ho sm-1 aml not
on how tho oricinol 1::L:ns of the: preraises were before the alterations.
ccision, I come to "the conclusion thot subject
to the variotions in tl1c, dDte of the C<..l'hus his orinion doc;:, not mean th:,t thero wos no chon3c::s structur-?lly '.
and decor,'.)tive.
On this issue I ncrt,c with tho :1ucicmol Eom;inc 'l'ribunol thot the
trctions b;:i · '. - res:cm.:knt to nl tor tho structure of the premises amounted
to brc,c1ch of tho tenoncy DJLl he; Vias r:i.ch'cly or.:lerecl to V,Jcote th0 suit
prcr.1iscs forth,·.Ji th.
11:ivinc rec.checl thnt cmmencornent of the ·n: '._\ rent to
be pid
1
the d0cision .,f the ,'.rpeols Trihun::i1. is qut1shed cmd the
o:.;.;eol i::, :}llowod with costs to the on:iollont both in thin ccu.rt 2nd the
() () " . I . The tcsrcnd<:;nt i.s to v,:1cate tho suit premises ond is ci ven up to 30th Ifoveni'..:·cr, 20CO to r;i ve v::i cont r·osGession nnc.1 to 1 _:oy oll the arre,::is .::,f the r(mt if he hod n,:;t pGid te; the last doy h0 v,:..,cc1tes, thnt is on or bofore 30th Novem1x,r, 200J• It it, so ordered. 16/11/200C Coror:i: E··.mento, J • '~:; :;,, •: .r ·;t.-·. :; 1:0;{.o Moncmto ,Tl.JDC[! 16?,1"1'/2000 Nr. Kololo ... ]tor the :"rpelbnt Vir. I0loJ.o/IIycra - :F\ir th0 rccyonclent Court: 'rhe jucl1J1cnt hn(, b0en re,:id in the 1:;resence of the r,.::irties. ·/'\.,:· t .. oI{. ftJn011.to JffilGE 1G/11/2000 ••