A couple, who purchased a property without a boundary wall, wants to know if the previous owner can be forced to erect one if he has verbally agreed to do so. Nothing has come of his promise and they are now building the wall themselves, but want to know whether they have any recourse. Lucille Geldenhuys from Lucille Geldenhuys Attorneys in Stellenbosch says in order to comply with the provisions of section 2(1) of the Alienation of Land Act 68 of 1981, the whole contract of sale of … [Read more...]
Contract governs relationship with landlord
18 February, 2010 By Leave a Comment
One of our readers finds herself in the midst of a dispute with her landlord regarding alleged arrear rental. She says she has signed a written agreement whereby she agreed to pay R3 200 per month. An equal amount was provided as a deposit. The reader says she has made her payments regularly, and on time, for a year before the landlord's letting agent informed her that the actual amount was R3 300 and that she was therefore in arrears. The landlord is also threatening to use the deposit … [Read more...]
Previous: Defaulting owners may act as trustees
Defaulting owners may act as trustees
16 February, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Levies and trustees are at the centre of the latest question posed to our panel of experts. A lady, who recently bougth a flat, wants to know whether it is normal, or legal, for the levy to increase by 35%. She is also concerned that some trustees are abusing their powers and asks if owners, who are in arrears, are allowed to act as trustees and, lastly, whether trustees are allowed to serve for consecutive terms. Lucille Geldenhuys from Lucille Geldenhuys Attorneys in Stellenbosch … [Read more...]
Previous: Diverting storm water
Diverting storm water
12 February, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Our panel has received an e-mail from a reader who is the victim of storm water accumulating on his property. He lives on an incline, with neighbours above, below and next to him. Whenever there is a downpour, water from his neighbours and from his own property damn up against the boundary wall at the bottom of his property. The reader is concerned that the wall may crack or fall over, or that his property may be flooded in the event of a serious downpour. He wants to know whether he is … [Read more...]
Previous: Skottel nie deel van vaste toebehore nie
Skottel nie deel van vaste toebehore nie
10 February, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Vandeesweek se leser wil van ons paneel weet of 'n satellietskottel deel van 'n huis se vaste toebehore uitmaak. Hy is in die proses om 'n huis te koop en het opgelet dat die verkoper die skottel verwyder het. Die verkoopsagent het hom meegedeel dat die verkoper 'n DSTV-kontrak het en dus geregtig is om dit af te haal. Die leser wil weet of dit wettig is. Schalk van der Merwe van Rawson Properties Helderberg sê wanneer iemand 'n eiendom koop, sal die kontrak normaalweg stipuleer … [Read more...]
Previous: Tweede kat is wel ’n moontlikheid
Next: Diverting storm water
Trustees dish out the rules
6 January, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The position of a satellite dish on a unit in a sectional title complex is the topic of this week’s reader question. A tenant has installed the dish, apparently without permission, on the fascia board of his flat and the owner – who says the dish is in the same position as a previous one – refuses to order the tenant to place it in a suitable position. The trustees have ordered the owner in writing to request the trustees’ permission for the installation of the aerial (which has … [Read more...]
Previous: Eienaars moet besluit oor groen vingers
Eienaars moet besluit oor groen vingers
7 December, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Ons paneel het interessante vrae van ’n dame ontvang wat, as trustee, vir meer as 30 jaar die tuin in haar woonstelkompleks se gemeenskaplike tuin in stand gehou het. Die leser het sonder vergoeding na die tuin omgesien en selfs plante op eie onkonste aangeplant. Weens gesondheidsredes is sy nou nie meer in staat om na die hele tuin om te sien nie en het sy as trustee bedank. Die voorsitter is glo nou besig om goedsmoeds plante uit die tuin te verwyder en sy wil weet of sy enige regte in … [Read more...]
Previous: Always include an exit clause
Always include an exit clause
4 December, 2009 By Leave a Comment
This week’s reader may soon find herself without a roof over her head after selling her house and signing an offer to purchase another. To her shock, her bond application was denied and in the process she realised there was no clause in the contract protecting her from this eventuality. She contacted the agent, who is doing both deals, asking her why there was no such clause. The agent told her that she never thought that the reader’s bond application would be declined. The agent … [Read more...]
Previous: Right of use is not unconditional
Right of use is not unconditional
21 November, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Our reader, who has inherited the right of use of an immovable property until her death and free of charge, wants to know exactly what this includes. She wants to know from our panel of experts whether maintenance work will also be for the estate’s account and if the use of services such as the telephone and DSTV are included. The trustees of the estate have disconnected the DSTV. Lucille Geldenhuys from Lucille Geldenhuys Attorneys in Stellenbosch says when an owner of immovable … [Read more...]
Previous: Opsies wanneer mede-eienaars skei
Opsies wanneer mede-eienaars skei
20 November, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Ons paneel deskundiges het ’n e-pos van ’n leser ontvang wat sê sy voel soos ’n gevangene in haar eie huis. Ongeag die feit dat sy en haar man 10 jaar gelede geskei is, het hulle as “egpaar” bly saamwoon. In dié tyd het sy die verband betaal asook verbeterings op haar onkoste laat aanbring. Sy sê haar eksman raak al hoe meer beledigend en aggressief en dring daarop aan om vir sy deel van die eiendom uitbetaal te word alvorens hy die pad vat. Die leser sê die huis is amper … [Read more...]
Previous: Blocked drain frustrates tenant
Blocked drain frustrates tenant
19 November, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Our panel has received a query from a tenant who is struggling with a blocked drain in her kitchen. The reader signed a one-year lease on a flat, but, within two weeks of moving in, the sink was blocked. The matter was reported to the caretaker, who said the owner had to attend to a similar problem the previous week. She was given a plunger, but had no success and a plumber was eventually called out. Days later the drain was blocked again and she reported it once more. She was … [Read more...]
Deeltiteleienaars moet bewus wees van hul regte
18 November, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Ons leser woon in ’n meenthuiskompleks waar twee inwoners volgens haar die afgelope dekade die gedragsreëls totaal en al verontagsaam. Een van hulle woon langs haar en sy optrede, sê sy, het ’n ernstige impak op haar lewensgehalte. Volgens haar, het sommige keelvol-inwoners al hul eenhede verkoop. Die “skuldige” partye skuld glo ook groot bedrae aan agterstallige heffings. Sy sê oor die jare het die verskeie bestuursagente nie die trustees geadviseer hoe om dié inwoners te … [Read more...]
Previous: Selling a share of co-owned property
Selling a share of co-owned property
17 November, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Our panel has received an e-mail from a reader who wants to know what the procedure and costs are when selling a share of co-owned, inherited property. She specifically enquires about transfer costs, deed registration fees and Capital Gains Tax (CGT). Schalk van der Merwe from Rawson Properties Helderberg says if two or more persons co-own a property and the one wants to buy out the other’s share, the transaction is treated like a normal contract of purchase and sale. “This is the … [Read more...]
Kommissie op herverhuring in kontrakte aangespreek
16 November, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Ons paneel het ’n opvolgvraag na aanleiding van ’n onlangse artikel oor verhurings ontvang – dié keer van ’n verhuringsagent. Die agent sê nadat die oorspronklike termyn van een van sy huurkontrakte verval het, het die huurder en huiseienaar ’n privaatkontrak vir ’n verlenging gesluit. Hy vergelyk dit met wanneer ’n kliënt agter ’n agent se rug ’n koopkontrak met ’n verkoper sluit nadat dié twee partye deur die agent aan mekaar voorgestel is. Die agent wil weet … [Read more...]
Previous: New owner must adhere to lease agreement
New owner must adhere to lease agreement
15 November, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Our panel has received a lengthy e-mail from a lady who has been renting a property, which has now changed hands, for the past four years. The agreement stipulates an initial lease period of one year. It further states that the lease will be extended indefinitely after expiration of the first year, unless either party gives the other two months’ prior notice that the lease shall terminate after the initial one-year period. Another stipulation is that the tenant should get two months’ … [Read more...]
Previous: Owner may sell ‘attached’ property
Visitors need permission to bring pets into complex
12 November, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Our panel has received an e-mail from a reader who has been a tenant in a sectional title complex for more than three years. She says when she moved in there were no rules that forbade the owning or the visiting of people with pets. Certain members of the body corporate have now decided that her parents, who bring their two small, well-trained Pomeranian dogs along when they visit, may no longer do so. She says this was only communicated in the monthly newsletter and is not included in … [Read more...]
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