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23 April 2024

Celebrating Bee Day: STS knows the importance of bees, do you?

May 20th marks an important date on the calendar for environmentalists, gardeners, and nature enthusiasts across the globe: World Bee Day. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the essential role that bees and other pollinators play in our ecosystem.

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Common legal terms used in collection reports

A community scheme will usually instruct a firm of attorneys or a collection agent to handle its arrear levy collection matters. It is important that Managing Agents and Trustees understand the process involved so that they can make decisions and give further instructions as the matters proceed (as well as be able to answer questions at the next AGM).

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20 April 2024

Understanding bodies corporate and contractual capacity: a layperson’s guide

Bodies corporate are separate legal entities which are automatically created, in terms of section 2(1) of the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act[1] (“STSMA”), once any person other than the property developer becomes an owner of a unit within the Sectional Title Scheme (“scheme”).

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18 April 2024

Boosting the benefits of your solar PV with a Battery Backup solution

As South Africans brace for the winter months, energy security becomes a paramount concern for homeowners and businesses alike. With the looming challenge of load shedding and the escalating cost of electricity, investing in a battery backup system offers not just an added layer of protection, but a multitude of advantages.

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28 March 2024

Securing your investment: A guide to 10-Year maintenance plans for sectional title schemes

Owning property in South Africa is not just about acquiring a piece of land or a building—it's about safeguarding and nurturing that investment for the long haul. This holds especially true for sectional title schemes where communal living adds layers of complexity to property maintenance.

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When it’s urgent, who do you call and how? The trustees' resolution to call a Special General Meeting on an urgent basis

When determining the required notice period for a general meeting, the starting point should be to determine what business the body corporate seeks to conclude in the general meeting.

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Who foots the bill?

Some of the main reasons people invest in property in community schemes are the convenience and cost-effectiveness of shared responsibility and costs. However, who pays for what maintenance and repairs also result in some of the most heated debates regarding sectional title schemes (“schemes”).

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15 March 2024

5 things to consider when installing a roof-mounted solar system in your community scheme

Persistent load-shedding and tariff hikes resulted in many body corporates enquiring about installing Solar Solutions in their community schemes. Installing solar power will not only help reduce your utility bill, but also increase the value of your home and contribute to the green economy by reducing your carbon footprint.

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23 February 2024

Bridging the power gap: navigating municipal challenges and securing finance with STS

In a decisive move, the City of Tshwane launched a revenue-collection campaign, disconnecting electricity to non-paying customers in early February 2022. They've upheld their commitment to a "no fear, no favour" approach, targeting approximately 533 government accounts and 528 business accounts.

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23 February 2024

How to calculate your contributions to the reserve fund

In the past, many bodies corporate neglected to plan for unforeseen maintenance costs, leaving unit owners to foot the bill through special levies. However, since October 2016, bodies corporate are mandated to maintain a reserve fund, ensuring funds are available for common property upkeep.

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Gated communities: what impact do they have on property values?

Gated communities have emerged as a favoured choice in real estate, offering homeowners security, privacy, exclusivity, and a plethora of amenities. With this luxurious lifestyle option comes the question of how these developments impact property values.

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16 February 2024

Empowering communities: How STS Funding transforms property in South Africa

In today’s challenging economic climate in South Africa, homeowners and community schemes face a myriad of financial pressures. Rising interest rates, increased living costs, and ongoing issues like load-shedding and crime compound these challenges.

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