Dream holiday or nightmare! An overview of the Property Time-Sharing Control Act
This article broadly looks at property time-share and the legislation regulating it. The problems and complaints by consumers trapped in the empty and misleading promises advertised to them by the time-share industry are also addressed. In part one, the article gives a broad outline of what the Property Time-Sharing Control Act entails and specific definitions […]
Lost your original title deed?
What do you do?
Before the transfer takes place, the owner (seller) must make a written application to the registrar of deeds, requesting a certificate of the registered title (CRT) of the land in terms of Section 38 of the Deeds Registries Act 47 of 1937. The application must be accompanied by an affidavit attested to by the owner […]
Think before you sign: 5 things to consider before signing a contract
The simple definition of a contract is where an offer by one party is accepted by the other party. These parties are the contracting parties. There will be no agreement between the parties if there is a counteroffer to an offer. However, if a counteroffer is accepted, there is an agreement or consensus between the […]
Antenuptial contracts are an important investment
Nearly 24 000 divorce forms were submitted in 2019 and divorce rates decreased year-on-year since 2017, Stats SA revealed in its latest report on marriages and divorces released in 2021. The numbers further illustrate a decrease in marriages, with the age of those getting married for the first time increasing. South Africa’s divorce rate is […]
Can levies in arrears simply be written off?
Even as a sense of normalcy is returning to our lives, homeowners and body corporates are still coming face to face with the continued effects of the pandemic. With financial strain continuing to darken the lives of many homeowners, the question becomes is it legal to allow leniency in the payment of levies. As the […]
Pushing the Limits of Antenuptial Contracts
Antenuptial contracts (ANCs) – those lovely documents that mark the peak of romantic frivolity just before marriage. Well, maybe not for most. But ANCs are a vital part of what keeps the romance safe during what is technically a business transaction (another idea that can easily deflate the romantic air surrounding that special day). ANCs […]
Responsibility for payments in the age of cybercrime
Phishing scams have become a part of our everyday digital lives, but even though the risks have become ever-present, awareness hasn’t increased in equal measure. The worst part is that even when you were the victim of a phishing scam, the onus of payment still falls squarely into your lap. Phishing is the blanket term […]
A closer look at verbal agreements
Believe it or not, verbal agreements are still valid, enforceable, and legally binding contracts that can be relied on to govern legal relationships. Though there may be a few exceptions and key aspects that must be covered for the agreement to be legal, the biggest hindrance in verbal agreements may simply be human memory. Your […]
Understanding conveyancing fees and what you’re paying for
Buying your first home is one of the benchmarks in every person’s life. Whether it’s a small apartment to rest in after a day’s work, a home to raise a family in, or a studio apartment that allows you to tap into your creativity, your first home is a landmark from which the rest of […]
Are your heirs disqualifying themselves?
We all know that the will forms a vital part of the estate planning foundation. It is unfortunate then that the foundation of a deceased estate is so often left crumbling due to simple oversights in the drafting of the will. Just as with any piece of legal writing, the wording of your will matters. […]