Advice &amp; News

Rules Board Regulates Non-litigious Fees

The introduction of the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014 has led to several changes in the juridical space, including one related to non-litigious fees – fees charged by attorneys for services that do not constitute litigation and are not finalised in court.

August 30, 2021

Court ruling: Continued Marketing and impact on occupation

In the matter of Fulsome Properties (Pty) Ltd v Selepe and Others held recently at the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria, Fulsome Properties (Pty) Ltd (the applicant) requested an urgent interdict to restrain the first and second respondents (Fiona Gontse Selepe and Lentse Investments) from communicating and interfering in any manner whatsoever with the applicant’s tenant(s) residing at the property in question.

August 30, 2021

Court ruling: The Subdivision of Agricultural Land

In a recent decision of the Appellate Division in Bloemfontein, in the matter of Maxrae Estates (Pty) Ltd v Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Another (407/2020) [2021] ZASCA 73 (9 June 2021), the court made it clear that the executive must apply its mind prior to making decisions or exercising its legislative discretion.

August 30, 2021

Corporate actions and resolutions

In South Africa, the business and affairs of a company must be managed by its board of directors. As such, the board is responsible for the daily corporate and commercial affairs of the company.

July 28, 2021

Defunct Homeowners Associations and Consents to Transfer

Title deeds of cluster developments commonly contain a condition which states that alienation or transfer of a property by the owner is not allowed unless consent from the Homeowners Association (HOA) is provided. Usually inserted by the relevant local authority when approving the cluster development, this type of condition also confirms that all subsequent owners of the property automatically become members of the HOA.

July 28, 2021

SPLUMA certificates required for property transfers in Mpumalanga

SPLUMA stands for the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act, and SPLUMA certificates are governed by the act together with the by-laws of each local municipality.

July 28, 2021

The conveyancing process explained

The conveyancing process starts with a signed Offer to Purchase and ends with the property being registered in the Deeds Office. But, there are numerous steps that need to be completed in between. Here’s a look at how the process unfolds.

June 30, 2021

Your home loan is paid up. What happens next?

Often, a bond will be paid up before the owner of the property decides to sell it. Here’s a step-by-step look at what he or she can expect once they reach this impressive milestone.

June 30, 2021

10 conveyancing terms explained

When it comes to buying or selling a property, it helps to have a basic understanding of the many legal terms involved in the conveyancing process. Here’s a look at the 10 you’re likely to encounter most often, starting with conveyancing itself.

June 30, 2021

A brief look at the conditions for township establishment

If a property owner would like to establish a township, the below procedure can give guidance when it comes to dealing with Town Councils. It will always be necessary to consult with a Town Planner who can specialises in dealing with this process:

June 2, 2021

Rates refunds in the City of Cape Town

One of the documents that must be lodged in the Deeds Office for registration of transfer is the Rates Clearance Certificate (RCC). By law, at the time of registration of the property into the new owner’s name, all municipal charges relating to the property must be paid. And the RCC serves as confirmation that these monies have been paid.

June 2, 2021

Trust investments and the Legal Practice Act

The Legal Practice Act, which has replaced the Attorneys Act, has made some changes regarding monies paid into attorney trust accounts and the investment of this money on a client’s instructions.

June 2, 2021

Destruction of a sectional title scheme

There are several reasons why a landowner or developer may decide to build a new development in the place of an existing sectional title scheme. For example, the existing scheme may be dated and no longer suited to the area. Or the demand for residential units may be very high but the old development is undesirable.

April 28, 2021

Court ruling: Can you sell a property that’s not in your name?

The recent judgement in the matter of Tomlinson and Another v Tomlinson N.O and Others (11764/2015) [2021] ZAKZDHC 8 (19 March 2021) in the Kwazulu-Natal High Court, Durban has drawn attention to whether someone is able to sell a property if he or she is not the registered owner.

April 28, 2021