Property guidance for South African trustees, owners and investors

Community Scheme Management

What is a master Homeowners' Association?

Mixed-use developments such as Melrose Arch, The Rubik and The Pearls are not single schemes. They are layers - an overarching master association sitting above subsidiary sectional title schemes and Homeowners' Associations, each with its own board, its own budget and its own levy. This guide explains how a master Homeowners' Association is constituted under South African law, how powers are moved between the layers, who is actually the member, and why two levy invoices is not double billing.

29 September 2026 17 min read

Community Scheme Management

What insurance must a body corporate have?

Body corporate insurance is more than a policy renewal. This practical guide explains the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act requirements for replacement-value cover, premiums, claim proceeds, owner access to policy documents and the questions every sectional title scheme should ask before renewal.

15 September 2026 8 min read

Community Scheme Management

Can a Johannesburg estate HOA switch off your access app over unpaid levies?

When a Gauteng estate resident fell into arrears, the HOA disabled his visitor-access app but left his biometric estate access untouched. The High Court had to decide whether that was self-help spoliation or a lawful, limited restriction — with real lessons for every Johannesburg estate HOA and every owner in arrears.

8 September 2026 8 min read

Community Scheme Management

What is a Homeowners' Association in South Africa?

Section 1 of the Community Schemes Ombud Service Act 9 of 2011 makes a Homeowners' Association a community scheme, alongside sectional title schemes, share block companies, retirement housing schemes and housing co-operatives. It is not governed by the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act. This guide sets out how a Homeowners' Association is formed, governed, funded, insured and regulated in South Africa.

25 August 2026 22 min read

Community Scheme Management

Who is liable for repairs in a Johannesburg sectional title scheme?

When a leaking roof or a cracked wall appears in a Johannesburg sectional title scheme, owners and trustees often disagree about who must pay. Here is how the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act and Sectional Titles Act divide repair responsibility between body corporate and owner, and what happens when one causes damage to the other.

11 August 2026 7 min read

Community Scheme Management

Can a Johannesburg Homeowners' Association stop you from selling your home for unpaid levies?

Can a Johannesburg Homeowners' Association block a sale for unpaid levies? In practice, unresolved arrears can delay transfer through clearance and consent requirements, creating serious pressure for owners to settle or agree structured terms.

21 July 2026 8 min read

Community Scheme Management

What happens when a Johannesburg body corporate owner stops paying levies?

When a Johannesburg owner stops paying levies, trustees must move quickly through a structured, lawful arrears process. This guide explains the practical escalation path, owner options, and how schemes protect cash flow without unlawful self-help.

2 July 2026 9 min read

Community Scheme Management

Johannesburg Body Corporate Reserve Fund Minimums

The Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act sets a minimum reserve-fund contribution that every body corporate in Johannesburg must meet. Here is the formula, how it connects to the 10-year maintenance plan, the trustee liability if it is under-funded, and a worked example for a 40-unit Sandton scheme.

24 May 2026 10 min read

Community Scheme Management

Levy Clearance Certificates in SA Property Transfers

Levy clearance certificates are one of the most operationally critical components of the South African sectional title and Homeowners' Association transfer process. Without an accurate clearance figure, transfers stall, registration is delayed and financial risk multiplies — making accurate accounting, real-time receivable visibility and integrated utility reconciliation operational necessities for any modern managing agent.

23 May 2026 6 min read

Community Scheme Management

Sectional Title Reserve Funds & 10-Year Plans

Every sectional title body corporate in South Africa is legally required to maintain a written 10-year maintenance, repair and replacement plan and a separately funded reserve fund. Schemes that take these obligations seriously avoid surprise special levies, protect property values and maintain long-term financial stability.

21 May 2026 9 min read

Community Scheme Management

Johannesburg Managing Agent Services

Mosaic Community Services delivers specialist managing agent services to sectional title schemes, homeowners’ associations, apartment developments and residential communities across Johannesburg and South Africa — protecting community assets, improving operational efficiency and supporting trustees.

18 May 2026 8 min read

Community Scheme Management

Smart Access Control for Johannesburg Communities

Traditional access control — manual registers, outdated intercoms, fragmented databases — struggles to meet modern expectations. Online community portals, GSM gate systems and biometric access combine to deliver secure, resident-managed, real-time access administration for Johannesburg residential communities.

9 April 2026 9 min read

Community Scheme Management

Radical Transparency in SA Community Management

Most community disputes are caused by delayed access to information, not bad intentions. Mosaic Community Portal gives owners real-time visibility into bank feed activity, receivable balances and management accounts — replacing limited-visibility models with a transparent operating standard.

26 March 2026 8 min read