This article explores the financial burdens of unpaid levies in South Africa's estate living, highlighting the discrepancy between the cost of living and the services provided. It raises questions about the effectiveness of body corporates and the impact of unpaid levies on homeowners.
Unpaid levies can lead to extreme financial stress , but the real issue is the lack of services that should justify these costs.In a country where the economy has been unforgiving, the worker bee is feeling the pressure. It is bound to happen that here and there, a bill or two will fall behind. The worst for me is the levies bill. In a place and time where we seek refuge in the safety of complexes and estates, the safety that we buy buries us in the form of unimaginably high costs of levies.
Recently, the High Court in Johannesburg ordered a homeowner who owes over R107 000 in unpaid levies and electricity, to settle his debt or remain in an electricity-free unit.Now, when we sign up for estate/complex living, we do so knowing the implications, yet the unfortunate thing is that life happens to us all. But do we really get the services we pay for? When we hear that the estates in Pretoria and Dainfern have had their lights switched off due to illegal connections when levies are paid over but services not rendered, what is the point of it all? The body corporate plays a pivotal role in maintaining the complex, enforcing rules and managing the communal finances. I can attest that in many situations, estates are near derelict and the value of the levies are unseen. Yet, the body corporates are quick to run to courts for unpaid levies, peeling paint, potholed driveways and broken intercoms; a bit cheeky to demand payments when the services are partially delivered. Neglecting to evaluate the overall management, financial health and effectiveness of the body corporate can lead to challenges in the long run.A friend lost her house in an affluent Ballito estate when she could no longer pay the levies. Her bond was up to date, but the levies lagged behind when she lost her job during a Cabinet reshuffl
Unpaid Levies Estate Living Body Corporate Financial Stress Services
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