The fundamentals of sectional title schemes and home owners’ associations (HOA) are very similar. Both are community schemes with shared use of common property where owners pay a levy to the scheme as a contribution for common property expenses. There are differences between the two types of community schemes that are important to understand. Legislation The legislative laws that apply to sectional title...
The road infrastructure and the resultant road behaviour in an estate with many units are probably more important talking point than in a smaller complex; yet, it is a topic that comes up every now and then. In a larger estate, the road infrastructure serves to direct traffic in and around the estate in the least disruptive manner possible and speeding...
Insurers of sectional title schemes have a love-hate relationship when it comes to geysers as a result of the frequency of claims and the costs involved. Geysers are insured in different ways: Some insurers specify the size of the geyser (in litres) and others the age of the geyser. In addition, insurers also limit the amount that can be claimed when...
Community scheme living can be challenging as it often involves people from diverse backgrounds and with different personal preferences. Issues that become a point of contention involve noise disturbance, the keeping of pets, parking problems and refuse disposal, to name only a few. Know the rules The Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act (STSMA) has prescribed rules know as conduct rules which schemes...
When the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act no 8 of 2011 was promulgated in October 2016, many trustees and owners in sectional title schemes were under the impression that special levies were now a thing of the past. What lead to this impression was the obligatory requirement for a maintenance, repair and replacement plan (MRRP), compelling schemes to save for...