Paddocks Press – March 2021
The March 2021 edition of Paddocks Press is now available.
Can CSOS adjudicate disputes with regard to parking?
Readers may recall that at the end of September 2020 I questioned the correctness of the part of the judgment in Kingshaven Homeowners’ Association v Botha and Others (6220/2019) [2020] ZAWCHC 92 in which the judge agreed with the Community Schemes Ombud Service adjudicator’s view that she could not have ordered an owner to stop…
Sectional title levies – What am I paying for?
One of the primary complaints received from owners in sectional title schemes around the country is, “My levies are too high, what can I do?” In order to understand why levies can be considered “too high”, we first need to understand why levies, or contributions, are necessary in the first place. Please note that…
Q&A – 2021 03
By the Paddocks Club team Below are examples of two questions on the Paddocks Club discussion forum, to show you what is available to our Community members! Who pays for maintenance of a sliding door that is entirely within a section? Member’s question: Good day Paddocks, In a particular body corporate, the balcony forms part…
Paddocks Press – February 2021
The February 2021 edition of Paddocks Press is now available.
CSOS: Brief Analyses of the First Five Western Cape Orders
The Community Schemes Ombud Service has published a reasonable number of adjudicator orders, all of which are available at https://www.csos.org.za/csos_adjudication_orders/. I have added to these various orders that have been sent to me and, excluding orders that are merely formal or record settlements, in total, I now have the text of 83 Gauteng orders, 83…
Why COVID-19 is not an excuse to delay an Annual General Meeting
The global death toll from the coronavirus soared past the two million mark on Friday, 15 January 2021, just over a year after the virus was first detected. It is no surprise, therefore, that this pandemic has changed the way we do everything. One practical aspect which has been affected, in the context of sectional…
Q&A – 2021 02
By the Paddocks Club team Below are examples of two questions on the Paddocks Club discussion forum, to show you what is available to our Community members! Who “owns” owner contact details? Member’s question: Good day Paddocks, Trustees have requested the managing agent to provide them with all the contact details of all the members…
Paddocks Press – January 2021
The January 2021 edition of Paddocks Press is now available.
How to approve and insure additional water heating systems on common property
Using solar geysers or panels to heat water is becoming more and more common in community schemes, as up to 50% of household electricity costs can be consumed by heating water. In addition, owners who have geysers inside their sections may be keen to move them outside, onto the common property where any leak will…
The global pandemic putting stress on your scheme’s finances? Why using the reserve fund is not the answer.
It is undeniable that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed previously unimaginable stress on our country’s economy and its people. The owners of units in sectional title schemes are certainly not exempt from this grim reality and therefore bodies corporate are increasingly facing a situation where their members are falling behind with the payment of their…
Q&A – 2021 01
By the Paddocks Club team Below are examples of two questions on the Paddocks Club discussion forum, to show you what is available to our Community members! Can a member refuse to use the biometrics access control system? Member’s question: Good day Paddocks, We have recently upgraded our security system and installed a new access…
Paddocks Press – December 2020
The December 2020 edition of Paddocks Press is now available.
Safety around swimming pools in community schemes
It’s holiday time again, and as South Africans, we enjoy the good old braaivleis, sunny skies and swimming pools! This year in particular, after being somewhat more regulated and cooped up, it is human to want to break free and enjoy some freedom. Given the financial hardships many are experiencing, more people will stay at…
Q&A – 2020 12
By the Paddocks Club team Below are examples of two questions on the Paddocks Club discussion forum, to show you what is available to our Community members! Can a body corporate withhold a levy clearance certificate for levies due on another unit? Member’s question: Good day Paddocks, Can a body corporate withhold a levy clearance…