Renovating your home is a very exciting venture but it can also be quite stressful. In a sectional title complex, it is important to remember that there are rules - and neighbours - to be considered in the process of renovating your unit. The body corporate Firstly, the body corporate trustees have to be notified of your intention to renovate your unit...
The Sectional Title Schemes Management Act (STSMA) brought many new compliance requirements for sectional title schemes. Although some of these are from the old legislation prior to 2016, most are new and require more frequent assessment. Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) All sectional title schemes are obliged to be registered with CSOS and each owner in a scheme must contribute a monthly...
A common dispute in sectional title has to do with smoke emanating from either a braai fire or someone smoking a cigarette. Many sectional title residents seem to think that smoke is something that one must tolerate in a community scheme environment. Let’s look at what the Act and conduct rules say about second-hand smoke entering a neighbour’s private space...
With the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) recently promulgated many individuals are asking if their personal information is being shared with third parties against their will and if their information is being kept secure by those who have their information. Owners of sectional title properties should be asking the same questions of their scheme’s managing agents and trustees - whether...
Sectional title legislation requires all sectional title schemes to have a 10-year maintenance plan, also referred to as a maintenance repair and replacement plan (MRRP), which estimates the maintenance cost required by year over a period of 10 years. This plan does not generally include day-to-day maintenance items as those are allocated to the administrative budget. Let’s consider why a 10-year...