Security Warning: Property Sale Cybercrime Surges, and a New AI Danger
“The infectiousness of crime is like that of the plague” (Napoleon Bonaparte) This October marks the 20th anniversary of the globally observed “Cyber Security Awareness Month”, and with cybercrime continuing to surge, here’s a cautionary tale to bear in mind. You buy your dream house and pay the purchase price to the transferring attorneys (the conveyancers). […]
Landlords: You Cannot Cut a Defaulting Tenant’s Water and Electricity
“A fundamental principle in issue here is that nobody may take the law into their own hands. In order to preserve order and peace in society the court will summarily grant an order for restoration of the status quo where such deprivation has occurred, and it will do so without going into the merits of […]
Your New House Leaks Like a Sieve – Can You Sue the Seller?
“There is no sound more peaceful than rain on the roof, if you’re safe asleep in someone else’s house.” (Anne Tyler) You move into your new dream home, excited and happy. Until it rains, and the roof leaks. As the repair teams tramp around on your roof and the bills start piling up whilst you […]
Leaving Anything Important Out of Your Property Sale Agreement Will Sink It
“No alienation of land … shall … be of any force or effect unless it is contained in a deed of alienation signed by the parties thereto or by their agents acting on their written authority.” (Alienation of Land Act) Ensure that all the important terms of your sale agreement are recorded in writing and signed. Leave […]
Property Buyers: The Danger of Not Doing Your Financial Homework
“Look before you leap” (wise old proverb) Don’t let the excitement of buying a property blind you to the necessity of doing your homework before you agree to anything. Look before you leap! It’s not just a matter of buying the right property at the right price – make sure that your finances (and particularly your cash […]
Losing Your Property to Acquisitive Prescription
“… a person shall by prescription become the owner of a thing which he has possessed openly and as if he were the owner thereof for an uninterrupted period of 30 years or for a period which, together with any periods for which such thing was so possessed by his predecessors in title, constitutes an […]
Buying Property as an Investment – Some Strategies for Success
“The only bad time to buy property is later.” (Steve Bolton) Buying property – whether to live/work in or on a buy-to-let basis – could be one of the most important investments you make. Here are some strategies to help you on your way. Twelve strategies for success Map out your investment goals: Do you plan […]
Installing Home Solar – How to Comply with the Regulatory Requirements
“We have this handy fusion reactor in the sky called the sun; you don’t have to do anything, it just works. It shows up every day” (Elon Musk) Eskom’s no-end-in-sight loadshedding, rising electricity costs, South Africa’s abundance of sunshine, and the global move to sustainable energy solutions have all contributed to the current boom in […]
Neighbours Behaving Badly: Illegal Buildings and Demolition Orders
“The approval of building plans is not a mere formality in town planning and compliance with building standards promote public safety … The courts should not permit landowners to erect illegal structures on their land and then present the authorities with a fait accompli created by their illegal actions” (Extracts from judgment below) What do […]
Check All Emailed Bank Details for BEC (“Business Email Compromise”) Frauds
“…sending bank details by email is inherently dangerous, and so must either be avoided in favour of, for example, a secure portal or it must be accompanied by other precautionary measures like telephonic confirmation or appropriate warnings which are securely communicated.” (Extract from judgment below) Before you make any payment to a supplier’s bank account […]