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Cape Town - While conveyancers in Cape Town still don't know whether the local deeds office will be closing over the holiday season or not (deeds office staff have allegedly been told to put in leave from December 22 or 23 until Friday January 2), more Fin24 users have come forward to tell about their frustrations regarding property transactions.
READ: Frustration at rates clearance delays
In reaction to Fin24 user Jane's story of problems with the City of Johannesburg (COJ) regarding a rates refund, Fin24 user Paul writes that he had the same problem, but "luckily" the Johannesburg municipality only owed him around R2 000.
Jane, who has since moved to Cape Town, was forced to give the City of Johannesburg a deposit of R24 000, to get the rates clearance certificate, so that her transfer could go through.
In the end it turned out the COJ owes her R29 000 and now she is battling to get it refunded.
READ: We suffer too Cape Town - Jozi ratepayers
Paul writes:
I have never been paid my refund, because I now live in Cape Town and cannot get into my car to go to the Johannesburg municipal offices to sort it out.
My attempts to do so via email or post have been fruitless. The amount of R2 000 is also not worth appointing an attorney to resolve.
In the end I have given up and my refund has become a "donation " to whoever it is who benefits from this "scam".
Even more Fin24 users have come forward to share their frustrating municipal experiences regarding property transactions.
Fin24 user Bryan writes about his experience at the Ekurhuleni Council:
I have sold my property in Birchleigh North, Kempton Park, and had to pay almost R19 000 to the Ekurhuleni Council for rates clearance.
Between the lawyers and myself we have gotten nowhere in securing the rates certificate and emails to council go unacknowledged.
Just before this happened, Ekurhuleni sent me a water bill of R12 000, backdated two years ago from a time when their water meter was stuck.
Unless I settled the account, services would be stopped, severely inconveniencing my current tenants.
In spite of my informing the council that I had no recourse in recovering any amount from tenants long gone and the fact that I had implored council at that time to correct the meter in order that the user (my tenant at the time) would then be billed, this did not happen.
I had to pay the outstanding amount.
The extremely poor support from council is almost solely responsible for my decision to sell the property.
And so we wait...
Another Fin24 user shares her experience in trying to obtain a rates clearance certificate in Pretoria. Estelle writes:
I love my country. I cannot believe that incompetence can be tolerated and left unpunished.
I needed a rates clearance certificate from the City of Tshwane. My account was fully paid up and yet I was forced to pay almost R4 000 for a piece of paper without any logical explanation given.
I did get the "promise" that it would be refundedk but nine months later I cannot even get hold of anybody to explain when or how to expect this "refund".
All this from the same government body that will cut my power supply without delay if I dare pay my bill later than their due date. Really?
How can you perform so well when it benefits you and so shockingly bad when you have to serve the people who pay your salary?
It's time we get this country back on track, or lose it all.
ALSO READ: Champing at the bit because of rates system
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
