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...
It is not uncommon for trustees and owners to be unsure about which rules are valid and enforceable in their schemes; some may not even be aware of their scheme’s rules. Changes to the sectional title legislation on 7 October 2016 has further added to the confusion. This is where the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act (STSMA) is helpful in understanding...
The appointment of a body corporate chairperson rests with the trustees elected at each annual general meeting (AGM). This appointment is not made by the members in the scheme but by the elected trustees at the first trustee meeting following the AGM. The chairperson has many duties that they need to fulfil, least of which is to chair and run the...
One of the most confusing terms in sectional title is exclusive use areas (EUAs). Owners with exclusive use rights are often the first who find themselves unfamiliar with their obligations regarding EUAs. Types of exclusive use areas EUAs can be defined as areas that are part of the common property of a scheme for the exclusive use of certain owners. An owner enjoying exclusive rights to an...
Not all sectional title investors elect to live in the complex where they purchased a unit. It is quite common to buy in sectional title schemes with the intention of letting. Body corporate requirements Renting out an apartment is not always as simple as it may seem. The body corporate may have rules around how long an apartment may be rented; it...