Few of us ever test our powers of deduction, except when filling out an income tax form (Laurence J. Peter of The Peter Principle) Letting out property can give you an excellent “annuity” income, and if that concept appeals to you and a buy-to-let property comes your way at the right price put an offer […]
If you want to make your house easy to sell, make it easy to buy (Anon) You are overjoyed at receiving a good offer for your property – not easily achieved in these hard times and of course you certainly don’t want to do anything to jeopardise the sale. But perhaps do that little bit
Property Sales and Trusts: Demand Proof of Trustee Authority Read More »
“He who hesitates is lost” (Wise old proverb) In January 2019 new amendments to Regulations for the replacement of lost title deeds (and similar documents like mortgage bonds and notarial bonds – see below) were published. They were very onerous and slated to come into effect at short notice, but after criticism they were suspended
Property Owners, Buyers and Agents: Lost Title Deeds and Bonds – Dont Delay! Read More »
Every year the criminal fraternity welcomes the onset of the Holiday Season – lots of empty homes, lots of high-value new gadgets around, lots of relaxed homeowners letting their guard down… Here’s how to foil the bad guys while enjoying your year-end break as a time of celebration and relaxation, not a time of worrying
Your Website of the Month: A Festive Season Home Security Checklist Read More »
“If you dont like where you are, move. You are not a tree” (Jim Rohn) The upcoming festive season, with its mass migrations of happy holiday-makers to their dream destinations, has always been a busy time for both sellers and buyers. In these hard times however, an increasing number of sellers are feeling pressured to
Spoliation is the wrongful deprivation of anothers right of possession. The aim of spoliation is to prevent self-help. It seeks to prevent people from taking the law into their own hands … The cause for possession is irrelevant – that is why a thief is protected … The fact that possession is wrongful or illegal
Landlord vs Tenant: When Can You Cut Electricity or Change the Locks? Read More »
“Reliable electronic communications go beyond just benefiting the commercial interest of licensees to the detriment of ownership of property. The statute [Electronic Communications Act] is designed to avoid this no-winner conflict. What it seeks is to bring our country to the edge of social and economic development for rural and urban residents in a world
Security Complexes and Fibre – You Can Use Telkom Ducting After All Read More »
“A verbal contract isnt worth the paper its written on” (Samuel Goldwyn) Verbal agreements in South Africa are generally as binding and valid as written ones. Of course not recording your agreements in writing is a bad idea – oral agreements are a recipe for doubt and dispute, and proving the exact terms agreed on
“…the Act is consumer-protection legislation designed to offer protection against incompetent builders and the construction of homes having structural defects” (extract from judgment below) In order to promote housing consumer rights, home builders (including residential property developers and builder/contractors – an “owner builder” may apply for exemption) must, in terms of the Housing Consumers Protection
Home Builders – Your Contractor Must Register with the NHBRC Read More »
“Forewarned is Forearmed!” (Wise old saying) Why yet another warning about cyber-scams in the property industry? It’s because the hard fact is that the criminals are winning this war. In fact we are now reportedly the “second most targeted country in the world with regard to cyber-attacks” (Law Society of South Africa). Hence, no doubt,
