Scorpion Legal Protection

Unhappy couple saying they are not going to pay rent if the landlord does not fix the burst geyser

Can I refuse to pay rent?

If your landlord isn’t holding up his end of the rental agreement by maintaining the property, why should you hold up yours by paying rent? Scorpion Legal Protection explains why withholding or refusing to pay rent isn’t the best choice.

Man talking on the phone to his landlord about him not maintaining the rental property

3 things your landlord must repair & pay for

What forms part of a landlord’s maintenance responsibilities? Scorpion Legal Protection gives you 3 things your landlord must pay for when it comes to maintenance and repairs of the rental property.

Man secretly recording a disciplinary hearing

2 facts about recording a disciplinary

Scorpion Legal Protection gives you 2 facts about recording a disciplinary hearing in South Africa.

Parents arguing over visitation rights and child maintenance not being paid in South Africa

No seeing my child if I can’t pay maintenance

If you can’t pay maintenance, can you be prevented from seeing your child? Scorpion Legal Protection answers.

Tenant arguing with landlord over her rental deposit refund as per her rental agreement

6 things your deposit cannot be used for

Ever wondered if your landlord is playing fair with your deposit for a rental property? Scorpion Legal Protection gives you 6 things your rental deposit may not be used for.

Tenant arguing with landlord about landlord's maintenance responsibilities

Landlord won’t fix it, what can I do?

Sethu’s landlord is not fixing the plumbing issues with their toilet, but still insists that he pays the full rent each month. What are the landlord’s and tenant’s rights and responsibilities here? Scorpion Legal Protection explains.

Friends talking about whether or not to accept the SARS auto-assessment SMS

Don’t just accept the SARS auto-assessment

You’ve gotten a SARS auto-assessment. It’s tempting to just accept it and move on, but you shouldn’t do this. Scorpion Legal Protection explains why.

Ex-employee laughing because she thinks she got away with stealing company property

Left job, kept laptop – is it stealing?

What happens if you leave your job and don’t give back the company laptop? What if they never ask for it back and you just keep it, is this stealing? Can they call the police on you? Technically, no, here’s why – Scorpion Legal Protection explains.

Unmarried couple living together talking about what you get if your partner dies

Living together unmarried, what are your rights?

You’re not married but you’re living together (called cohabitation). What are your legal rights if you separate? Do you have a claim on any monies? Scorpion Legal Protection gives you 3 must-know facts about cohabitation.

Employee on sick leave, blowing his nose in bed

5 things you must know about sick leave

Scorpion Legal Protection gives you 5 things you need to know about sick leave.

Worker injured on duty while at a work training event

Injured outside office, will I be able to claim?

What happens if you get injured while working, but you aren’t at the official work premises? Can you still claim? Scorpion Legal Protection answers a question posted by a follower on their Facebook page.

Man arguing over the phone with his cell phone provider about still getting billed despite cancelling contract

Cell phone contract ends but still getting bills

Have you or someone you know had their cell phone contract end but then still receive bills from the cell phone service provider? Scorpion Legal Protection tells you why that is and what you can do about it.

South African woman wondering what happens if she dies without a will

What happens if you don’t have a will?

If you don’t have a valid will, do you know what will happen to your estate? Scorpion Legal Protection explains.

Employer threatening worker to intimidate him into not joining a trade union

Boss says I can’t join trade union

Looking to join a trade union but afraid of what your employer might do? Maybe you’re worried you’ll be discriminated against or that your boss will start treating you badly because of it.

Couple smiling at each other after just signing their marriage contract

Marriage contracts: pros and cons

Looking to get married? Scorpion Legal Protection explains the pros and cons of the different types of marriage contracts.

Employee with no family responsibility leave left to attend a funeral in South Africa talking to her boss over the phone

Funeral long, leave too short: what to do

You take leave for a funeral, but things end up taking longer than you expected and now you need to extend your leave. Can your employer refuse? What if you take it anyway, can they fire you? Scorpion Legal Protection discusses.

Upset employee leaving because his employer fired him with immediate effect

Can you be fired with immediate effect?

Can you be fired “with immediate effect”? Yes and no. Scorpion Legal Protection explains.

Employee upset over being unfairly dismissed by his employer

5 times that being dismissed is unfair

Scorpion Legal Protection explains 5 times that being dismissed from your job is unfair and you can take legal action.

Man checking online if he is registered for UIF and if his employer is paying his UIF

Check if you are registered for UIF

Can you check if your employer has registered you for UIF and is paying over the UIF money they deduct from your pay? Yes. Scorpion Legal Protection explains how.

Retail worker asking employer if employees get an employment contract

Must I get an employment contract?

Is there a law that says employers must provide a formal employment contract to their workers? The answer may surprise you. Read Scorpion Legal Protection’s answer here.

Who qualifies for expungement of a criminal record?

Who qualifies for expungement of a criminal record? Scorpion Legal Protection breaks it down here.

Man smiling because he got a police clearance certificate for work

How to get a police clearance certificate

Need to get a police clearance certificate for criminal record, emigration, or travel and employment overseas? Scorpion Legal Protection explains the steps you need to take here.

Metro police officer intimidating driver

5 things officers may not do at a roadblock

It can be easy to feel intimidated at a roadblock. Scorpion breaks down 5 things officers may not do that you should know about.

Unhappy employee leaving the office because he has been retrenched for operational reasons

5 must-know retrenchment facts

Scorpion’s 5 must-know retrenchment facts to keep in mind in this tough economy.

Man stressing because he doesn’t know why his South African citizenship was rejected

Why citizenship can be rejected

What are the reasons why your application for South African citizenship could be rejected? Scorpion Legal Protection answers.

New tenants checking the lease agreement with their estate agent

3 things to check before signing: lease agreement

Your rental application has been accepted and you’re all ready to sign on the dotted line, but before you put your name to that legally-binding lease agreement, take a few minutes to go through Scorpion Legal Protection’s list of things to check before signing.

African man marrying South African woman for citizenship

Marrying for SA citizenship

Does marrying a South African get you South African citizenship? Scorpion Legal Protection answers.

Tenant checking rental agreement for hidden costs

4 hidden costs in your rental agreement

Stop! Before you sign your rental agreement, take 5 minutes to check Scorpion Legal Protection’s list of 4 hidden costs often snuck in.

Man interviewing for new job reading through his employment contract

2 surprises to look out for in your contract

About to sign a new employment contract? Make sure you aren’t surprised by these two things.

Woman interviewing for job, asking questions about her employment contract

3 things to check before signing: employment contract

About to sign a new employment contract? Scorpion Legal Protection says you must check these three things first.

Employee checking his payslip for unlawful deductions

Deductions allowed on your pay

Money missing on your payslip? Scorpion Legal Protection explains what deductions your employer is and isn’t allowed to make.

Man unhappy over deductions his employer made from his pay

Pay deductions without notice

Reginald* says his employer just deducted money from his pay, without him knowing or signing anything! Azikhiphi! Scorpion Legal Protection takes a look at the matter.

Shocked man reading a letter of suspension he received for theft

Is suspension for theft fair?

Apart from yelling at him and humiliating him in front of customers, Reggie’s* boss accused him of theft, and then gave him a letter of suspension. Is this fair? Scorpion Legal Protection explains.

Confused man wondering how to become the legal owner of a property

Becoming legal owner of land/property

How do you become the legal owner of land/property? It’s not just as simple as getting the original ownership documents. Scorpion Legal Protection explains the role of conveyancers and tips for making sure the process runs smoothly.

Sad man with dependent children wondering how to claim provident fund money from his deceased sister’s estate

Claiming provident fund benefits

Julius’s* sister, who was working as a cleaner at the time, died and left behind dependent children. He wants to know if he can claim the money from her provident fund. Scorpion Legal Protection explains how provident fund money is paid out.

Important Information & FAQs

Can I refuse to pay rent?

3 things your landlord must repair & pay for

2 facts about recording a disciplinary

No seeing my child if I can’t pay maintenance

6 things your deposit cannot be used for

Landlord won’t fix it, what can I do?

Don’t just accept the SARS auto-assessment

Left job, kept laptop – is it stealing?

Living together unmarried, what are your rights?

5 things you must know about sick leave

Injured outside office, will I be able to claim?

Cell phone contract ends but still getting bills

What happens if you don’t have a will?

Boss says I can’t join trade union

Marriage contracts: pros and cons

Funeral long, leave too short: what to do

Can you be fired with immediate effect?

5 times that being dismissed is unfair

Check if you are registered for UIF

Must I get an employment contract?

Who qualifies for expungement of a criminal record?

How to get a police clearance certificate

5 things officers may not do at a roadblock

5 must-know retrenchment facts

Why citizenship can be rejected

3 things to check before signing: lease agreement

Marrying for SA citizenship

4 hidden costs in your rental agreement

2 surprises to look out for in your contract

3 things to check before signing: employment contract

Deductions allowed on your pay

Pay deductions without notice

Is suspension for theft fair?

Becoming legal owner of land/property

Claiming provident fund benefits