By Chantelle Gladwin- Wood, Partner, Maike Gohl, Junior Partner 18 March 2021 Introduction In recent months there has been a lot of hype in the media with regard to various residents or associations taking action against municipalities that are failing to provide services at all, or properly. As such, we felt that it was necessary

By Chantelle Gladwin- Wood, Partner, Maike Gohl, Partner and Avyakta Sing, Candidate Attorney 17 March 2021 INTRODUCTION The supply of electricity by Eskom to commercial and domestic areas across South Africa has always been a challenging task. Load shedding has become a huge issue in our country. However, to reduce the amount of load shedding

By Chantelle Gladwin-Wood, Partner and Maike Gohl, Junior Partner 16 February 2021 INTRODUCTION This article examines the thorny issue of when engineering contributions demanded by the municipality prescribe.[1] Our firm’s prior articles on the topic have become obsolete due to changes in the law. This article seeks to deal with the updated situation since the

By Chantelle Gladwin-Wood (Partner) and Maike Gohl (Partner) 11 February 2021 Introduction This article takes a critical look at the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (“COJ”)’s proposed 2021/2022 rates policy. The COJ is currently in the process of conducting public meetings relating to the proposed changes to the policy, which will take effect on 1

By Chantelle Gladwin-Wood, Partner, Maike Gohl, Partner and Lauren Squier, Associate 23 October 2020 Introduction The City of Johannesburg’s (“COJ”) 2018 Supplementary 2 Valuation Roll (“2018 Supplementary 2 GV”) was released for public inspection and comment on 21 October 2020. It will remain open for inspection and objection until 4 December 2020 It is avialable

By Chantelle Gladwin-Wood (Partner) and Maike Gohl (Partner) 10 September 2020 INTRODUCTION There can be nothing more alarming than suddenly receiving a monthly invoice containing municipal charges that far exceed what you had expected or budgeted for. There are three possible reasons why you may have suddenly received an unusually high water bill. The City*

By Chantelle Gladwin-Wood (Partner) and Maike Gohl (Partner) 10 September 2020 INTRODUCTION Properties on which residential sectional title schemes or apartment blocks are built must be billed by the City in a manner that takes into account the number of ‘dwelling units’ or ‘flats’ at the property. This is because in terms of the latest

By Chantelle Gladwin-Wood, Partner and Maike Gohl, Partner  INTRODUCTION A disturbing trend is emerging in the property industry in terms of which hundreds of property transfers are being seriously delayed, not because of any of the parties to the sale, but rather because the municipalities are failing to provide rates clearance figures within a reasonable

By Chantelle Gladwin-Wood, Partner and Maike Gohl, Partner Introduction This article examines the legal rights of property owners and occupiers in dealing with so-called “illegal buildings” (which are buildings that are built contrary to the approved plans on file at the municipality, or buildings that are built in contravention of any zoning, town planning, title

By Chantelle Gladwin-Wood, Partner and Maike Gohl, Partner Introduction This article explains your rights as a property owner when a neighbour violates a building line or encroaches on your land. Determining Building Lines Every property has several imaginary lines that run along the inside of the property parallel to the borders, a few metres away