Tag: Property

25
Jun

One Bad Letter and Your Eviction Falls Apart

A tenant may be in clear breach of a lease, but that does not guarantee a successful eviction. A recent High Court judgment shows how an unclear cancellation notice and a failure to follow the correct legal process can derail an otherwise strong case, leaving landlords with an expensive lesson in the importance of getting the basics right.

26
May

Estate Planning: The Ambush Tax Lurking in the Wings

Article courtesy of Law Dot News |Estate Planning | Wills | Property Estate Planning: The Ambush Tax Lurking in the Wings “I can’t afford to die; I’d lose too much money.” (George Burns, comedian) At the heart of any estate plan lies your will. Pair it with a file containing all the information and documents that your executor and heirs
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26
May

Your Property Purchase Collapses: Can You Get Your Deposit Back?

Article courtesy of Law Dot News |Property Law | Property Purchase Collapses Property Purchase Collapses: Can You Get Your Deposit Back? “A creature with a big enough head to make a contract should have the sense to make one it can keep.” (Barbara Kingsolver) A R1.725 million deposit. A bank guarantee that never arrived. A property that ultimately sold for
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28
Apr

Bodies Corporate and HOAs: Apply Your Rules With Common Sense, or Else

The administrators of residential complexes tread a fine line. They must implement and enforce conduct rules for the good of the complex as a whole, but without unjustly impinging on the constitutional rights of individuals.
A recent Supreme Court of Appeal decision, granting a sight-impaired owner a limited right to exclusive use of a section of common area for his washing machine, has brought this balancing act into sharp focus. We discuss the reasoning behind that outcome, with some suggestions on how bodies corporate and homeowners’ associations should approach this sort of situation in future.

26
Mar

Buying a House: What Costs Will You Pay, and When?

It’s a really exciting time, buying a house, particularly if it’s your first! Don’t forget, however, that you will have to pay a variety of costs over and above the purchase price. What are those costs and when must you pay them? Do they impact your ability to afford the house you have your eye on?
We’ll address those questions with a checklist of costs you should budget for. It’s a good idea to work these into a cash flow forecast so you aren’t ambushed by any unpleasant financial surprises during the transfer process.

2
Mar

Budget 2026: How Much Will the Increased CGT Primary Residence Exclusion Save You?

Phew! No major tax increases are planned, and taxpayers will benefit from zero “bracket creep” across a range of taxes. While property sellers and buyers will be disappointed that transfer duty thresholds have not increased, there’s reason to get very excited about the 50% increase in the primary residence CGT exclusion from R2m to R3m.

Read on for an illustrative calculation of CGT savings, some of the more important tax tables, and a calculator to show you how much more or less you will be paying in taxes.

27
Jan

Love and the Law: Cohabiting? Get Your House in Order Now

Article courtesy of Law Dot News |Family Law | Property Love and the Law: Cohabiting? Get Your House in Order Now “All you need is love… and a good lawyer.” (Anonymous) February, with its Valentine’s Day chocolates, roses and declarations of undying love, should be a month for romance, not legal niceties. But in the real world, love and the
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27
Jan

Parking Disputes and the “Reasonable Neighbour” Test

Article courtesy of Law Dot News | Property - Parking Disputes Parking Disputes and the “Reasonable Neighbour” Test “Wouldn’t it be nice to get on with me neighbours?” (from “Lazy Sunday” by  Small Faces) Maintaining friendly relations with the neighbours, or at least an “I’ll ignore you if you ignore me” sort of neutrality, has probably been a primary aim
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25
Sep

The Transfer Process in a Nutshell

Article courtesy of Law Dot News | Property - Property Transfer The Transfer Process in a Nutshell “Don’t wait to buy real estate. Buy real estate and wait.” (Will Rogers) Spring is in the air and, as the annual uptick in property sales kicks in, let’s address two questions commonly asked by both sellers and buyers who are unsure about
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26
Aug

Panhandle Access to Properties – The Mistakes to Avoid

Article courtesy of Law Dot News | Property | Property Law Panhandle Access to Properties – The Mistakes to Avoid “You aren’t buying a house, you’re buying a lifestyle.” (Anon) As more and more residential properties are subdivided and developed, an increasing number of homes are effectively cut off from direct access to the nearest public street or road. That’s
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