While most bodies corporate rely solely on levy income, some try to find additional ways to bolster their income. One additional source is to rent common property to members of the scheme or to third parties. Who decides if common property can be rented? Trustees are responsible to manage, administer and maintain common property which collectively belongs to all scheme members in...
Sectional title terminology can be quite confusing and two terms that often get confused by owners are ‘section’ and ‘unit’. While an apartment can be called either of these two terms, there are distinct differences between a section and a unit. Section A section is indicated on the sectional title plan of the scheme; it is demarcated with a solid line...
There is a lot of talk about the new POPI Act (Protection of Personal Information Act) and the impact it will have on personal information held by third parties. Some sectional title owners may have concerns as to how safe their personal information is with the body corporate or managing agent. What is the POPI Act? The purpose of the POPI Act...
Sectional title developments typically have standardised designs and uniform materials are selected for windows and doors. Although windows and doors are part of a section, they effectively form part of the common property. While the management and maintenance of common property are the trustees’ responsibility, owners are responsible for 50% of the cost to maintain windows and doors. Replacing windows or doors When...
One of the most important decisions that members of a sectional title scheme make every year is the appointment of trustees. If this decision is taken lightly, it can potentially have a number of negative effects, both in the short- and long-term. The appointment of trustees has a direct effect on who will be appointed as the chairman; this is why...