Paddocks Press Newsletter

Can CSOS Adjudicators Award Legal Costs in Arrear Collections? By Jennifer Paddock For bodies corporate struggling with escalating arrear levies, the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) is frequently promoted as a swift, affordable alternative to traditional court proceedings. Yet a persistent question undermines its appeal for levy recovery:  Can a CSOS adjudicator order a defaulting…

Towing, Fines and Clamping: What Bodies Corporate Can (and Can’t) Do By Jennifer Paddock Parking disputes remain one of the most common issues in sectional title schemes. Here’s an example that was posted on Paddocks Club recently:     “One of our BCs is quite a large block – loads of simplexes and duplexes in…

PQ-Effect Adjustment Rules in Sectional Title Schemes: When Lawful Becomes Unfair By Jennifer Paddock My December 2025 article on repealing equal levies and returning to participation quota (PQ) generated significant engagement, particularly around the concern that section 11(2) rules are frequently used to advantage developers at the expense of long-term owner governance.   In the…

Repealing Equal Levies and Returning to PQ: How to Unwind a Section 11(2) Rule By Jennifer Paddock An interesting and unusual question was posted to Paddocks Club recently. Essentially, in a sectional title scheme where sections range in size from 20 square meter studios to 360 square meter penthouses, there was a developer-imposed rule that…

Trustee Nominations and Adjourned AGMs: Can new nominations be accepted By Jennifer Paddock Trustee elections are one of the most important items of business at a sectional title annual general meeting (AGM). But what happens when an AGM is automatically adjourned due to a lack of quorum before the election can even begin? May owners…

Signed, sealed, but not delivered By Jennifer Paddock How to serve body corporate meeting notices when registered mail doesn’t work By Jennifer Paddock If you’re in KwaZulu-Natal (or frankly anywhere in South Africa right now), you know the story: stamps are scarce, red post boxes aren’t cleared, and “registered” letters boomerang back months later, if…

When the gatekeepers turn against you: Why HOA estate managers need a grievance path By an Estate Manager For many people, an HOA Estate Manager’s role looks simple from the outside-  ensure compliance, manage contractors, keep residents happy. But for those of us who have lived it, it can be a very lonely position, especially…

Why Under-Budgeting Now Will Cost You Later By Jennifer Paddock As we lead up to the end of September, the end of the financial year for many sectional title schemes, the trustees annual budgeting cycle may well be underway. A common, and concerning, approach that some sectional title trustees take during this time is instead…