Bodies corporate are legal entities that can institute or face legal action. Trustees are appointed to act on behalf of a body corporate and like company directors, trustees are required to perform their duties and functions diligently within the confines of the governing sectional title laws. Various written resolutions are required in terms of the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act (STSMA)...
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...
A shortage of parking bays in a complex is bound to create management problems. Usually, there are more vehicles than there is parking space available on the grounds of the complex. Despite this, some residents ignore the shortage and add to the irritation factor of all concerned by using visitors’ bays and parking on common property. Using visitor bays Depending on the...
Maintaining the common property in a sectional title scheme is the body corporate’s responsibility. The scheme’s annual budget must make provision for both planned and unplanned maintenance during the financial year. Does this budget have to include provisions for maintenance to windows in the scheme? Bodies corporate often neglect to make the necessary provisions for this kind of maintenance resulting in a...
Being a trustee in a sectional title scheme is by all accounts a thankless job for which there is usually no payment offered. Why then, do people make themselves available to perform the duties of a trustee? Why be a trustee? Trustees are generally owners in a sectional title scheme who want to be involved in the day-to-day management of the complex....