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...

Bodies corporate need to pay continuous attention to its maintenance and financial responsibilities but around mid-December each year some may need a break from the daily management activities of the scheme. Taking a break should not be a problem if trustees and managing agents plan ahead. There are three key elements that should be considered and planned for, these are finance,...

While sectional title plans look very simple in design, it is important to understand the meaning and implications of the lines on the plans. The plans further provide essential information that is required to calculate accurate participation quotas (PQ) as it indicates the size in square meters of each section in the scheme. In this blog post, we consider the information...

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...

As trustees serve and manage a body corporate’s affairs, their appointment is one of the most important decisions a body corporate makes every year but unfortunately, many elected trustees are unaware of the extend of their roles and responsibilities. Understanding the STSMA Trustees have many responsibilities which they must perform within the confines of the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act (STSMA), the...