“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…
Read More
“Dance like no one is watching, but text, post, and email like it will be read in court one day.” (Anon) When can the target of rude comments and insults…
“Time shall unfold what plighted cunning hides.” (William Shakespeare, in King Lear) A recent High Court judgment confirms, yet again, that if a property seller knows about a hidden defect…
“I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” (Douglas Adams in The Salmon of Doubt) Contracts often contain suspensive conditions, a common example being…
“I charge you by the law.” (William Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice) Victims of crime are entitled to see the perpetrators brought to justice. Feeling that the justice system…
“Trust me, I’m a lawyer.” (Popular T-shirt slogan) South African property buyers and sellers will have been cheered by news that we are now officially the most affordable country in…
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of bandages and adhesive tape.” (Groucho Marx) It’s a perennial topic of dispute in our courts. A couple lives together, sharing the…
“Look before you leap.” (Wise old proverb) Imagine sealing the deal on your dream property, only to wake up at 3 a.m. beset by sudden doubts. Thoughts like “Can we…
“A body corporate’s lot is not an easy one.” (With apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan) One of a body corporate’s core functions is to collect current and outstanding levies. When…
“A man’s home is his castle.” (Sir Edward Coke, English common law ruling, 1604) Of course, what we all want to hear at the end of our house-selling journey is…