Working from home in sectional title schemes

As remote work becomes the norm, residential schemes face new legal challenges. In this focused webinar, Leigh Maingard from Intersect unpacked what trustees need to know about working from home in sectional title schemes.

We covered the difference between remote work and home businesses, reviewed municipal by-laws and body corporate rules, and shared real-world examples. Watch this video to get clear on what’s allowed, what isn’t, and how to manage approvals while avoiding compliance pitfalls.

This webinar took place on Monday, 26 May 2025.

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What you need to know about employment practices in bodies corporate

Watch this insightful session unpacking the complexities of employment within sectional title schemes. This webinar explored the legal frameworks that govern bodies corporate, with a focus on how legislation like the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act shapes employment practices.

From caretakers to gardeners and security personnel, we looked at the practical implications for staff employed by schemes and discussed compliance best practices to help trustees, managing agents, and scheme executives navigate their responsibilities with confidence.

This webinar took place on Tuesday, 22 April, at 17h30 via Teams.

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Mastering your 10-year maintenance plan and cash flow

A 10-year maintenance plan is more than just a compliance requirement under the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act - it’s a crucial tool for financial stability in sectional title schemes. This plan ensures that trustees can anticipate major repairs, allocate funds efficiently, and prevent unexpected levies or shortfalls.

 In this session, we broke down the key financial calculations involved, including:

• Estimating future maintenance costs

• Factoring in inflation

• Determining annual contributions

• Managing cash flow for long-term sustainability

 In this webinar, we explored best practices for keeping your maintenance plan realistic and aligned with your scheme’s evolving financial needs.

 This webinar took place on 25 March 2025.

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Understanding maintenance responsibilities in sectional title schemes

Keeping a sectional title scheme well-maintained is an ongoing challenge, with bodies corporate continuously investing in upkeep and planning for future projects. However, maintenance responsibilities are not always clear, which may lead to unnecessary costs for the body corporate.

For our February 2025 training session, we unpacked the division of maintenance responsibilities between bodies corporate and owners, as well as the obligations of developers after a scheme is completed. We also explored which maintenance items are classified as capital expenses and when they should be factored into the scheme’s 10-year maintenance plan (MRRP).

This webinar took place on Monday 24 February 2025.

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How to update your scheme’s rules and navigate CSOS processes

As schemes age, their original rules may no longer reflect the needs and realities of modern living. From implementing new security features to aligning operational procedures with current standards, it's crucial that these updates are properly reflected in the conduct and management rules.

In this Intersect training webinar we explored:

• The process for updating scheme rules: How to effectively revise conduct and management rules to accommodate operational and security updates.

• Voting requirements: Understanding how voting should be applied when changes to the rules are proposed.

• CSOS involvement: The role of the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) in facilitating rule changes.

• Dispute resolution: A brief overview of how to lodge disputes with CSOS, the types of disputes that can be submitted, and what to expect during the resolution process.

This session took place on Monday 27 January at 17h30 and aimed to equip you with practical insights and tools to navigate the complexities of rule amendments and dispute resolution in community schemes.

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How to prepare your community scheme for the festive season

As the festive season approaches, community schemes must gear up for potential challenges that may arise while owners, trustees, and managing agents enjoy a well-earned break. Preparation is key to ensuring a smooth holiday period from routine maintenance and emergency contact protocols to enhancing security measures.

This session addressed managing noise and disturbances caused by visitors or residents during the holidays and providing practical strategies for maintaining harmony within the scheme. Additionally, we explored how trustees can start preparing forward-thinking plans to implement effectively in the new year.

This training session took place on Tuesday, 26 November 2024 and was hosted by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect.

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Sectional title communication: WhatsApp’s role and compliance

Effective communication between owners, trustees, contractors, and managing agents is more critical than ever. Management systems for managing agents have advanced significantly, enhancing transparency, and providing instant access to information. Additionally, the rise of platforms like WhatsApp as a preferred communication tool has increased both the frequency of interactions and expectations for quicker responses.

In this session, we explored the challenges of using platforms like WhatsApp for communication, its impact on sectional title governance, and how the POPI Act applies to WhatsApp usage within sectional title schemes. Auren de Freitas from The Advisory joined us to share his insights on these matters.

This trustee training session took place on Monday, 28 October and was hosted by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect.

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What you need to know about insurance replacement cover

Replacement insurance cover for a community scheme is a critical matter that requires attention from both trustees and owners. Regular valuations of the scheme's replacement value play a key role in determining the annual premiums, affecting the levies owners pay.

In this session, we explored how valuations impact insurance premiums, the role of fidelity guarantee insurance and managing agents, factors influencing annual premium increases, and other relevant insurance topics affecting community schemes.

This training session was presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect, and with Mike Addison from Addsure, and took place on Wednesday 2 October 2024.

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Principles of budgeting and record keeping for schemes

The financial management of a community scheme, whether a body corporate or a homeowners' association (HOA), is vital for its sustainability. Budgets are the cornerstone of this financial management and require careful attention. Due to the unique nature of community schemes, proper record-keeping is just as crucial as budgeting. Access to these records is essential for trustees to manage the scheme's affairs effectively.

In this training session, we explored the fundamentals of budgeting, including how to prepare a budget and identify which scheme records must be securely maintained for the benefit of current and future trustees and owners.

This training session was presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect, and took place on Monday 26 August 2024.

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How to deal with arrear levies and improvements on common property

With more owners defaulting on their levy payments, the scheme's finances are under unnecessary strain. Defaulters continue to enjoy the benefits of a secure environment without contributing to the services that provide it. To ensure owners pay their levies and avoid the need for raising special levies or seeking external funding for services, we will explore the best strategies.

This training session covered what scheme trustees or owners need to do to make improvements to common areas and distinguish between essential and non-essential improvements.

 Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services, was joined by Zerlinda van der Merwe of TVDM Consultants and Nicola Schaefer of ZDFin, who will help us understand the practical and legal aspects of these topics

 This training session took place on Tuesday 30 July 2024.

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Clarifying responsibilities of trustees and managing agents

In sectional title schemes and homeowners’ associations, multiple stakeholders play crucial roles. Each stakeholder has specific responsibilities that contribute to the scheme's success. However, misunderstandings or failures to fulfill these responsibilities can lead to communication breakdowns and ineffective management.

This training session clarified the respective roles and responsibilities of trustees, owners, and managing agents. By exploring how these roles are interconnected, we aimed to ensure that each participant understands their holistic contribution to the management of the scheme.

This training session took place on Monday 24 June 2024.

 Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services, presented the webinar.

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Responsibility of maintenance in schemes and voting disqualifications

Maintenance in sectional title schemes sometimes involves the body corporate having to maintain infrastructure that requires access to units to do so. In this training session, we looked at lesser common reasons for maintenance and how to address it. We also briefly reviewed situations where voting at meetings of a body corporate must be disqualified and the reasons for it.

This training session took place on Tuesday 28 May 2024.

 Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services, presented the webinar.

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Maintenance responsibilities and how to deal with solar installations

Bodies corporate, trustees, and property owners frequently encounter the dilemma of determining maintenance responsibilities for items like doors, windows, and garage doors. This matter remains highly contentious and often results in dissatisfaction and occasionally, inequitable treatment.

Requests for installing solar panels, fireplaces, and skylights are not uncommon among property owners in various schemes. In this training session, we explored strategies for integrating these requests into scheme rules, examining available options for both schemes and owners, and outlining necessary steps before undertaking such installations.

This training session took place on Monday 25 March 2024.

The webinar was presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services.

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How to navigate extensions to sections and EUAs

Expanding your property within a development scheme can be quite complex. Determining whether the area you wish to expand into is designated as common property, an exclusive use area, or already part of your section can present a significant challenge. Additionally, it's crucial to grasp the permissible activities allowed in the proposed extension area.

In our training session, we delved into the distinctions between extending sections, exclusive use areas, changes of use, and alterations. We enlisted the expertise of Zerlinda van der Merwe from TVDM Consultants, who offered insightful guidelines and highlighted potential pitfalls that property owners should be mindful of.

This training session took place on Wednesday 28 February 2024.

The webinar was presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services.

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Discontinuing power supply and recouping legal expenses

Bodies corporate often encounter challenges that might seem straightforward to address but become significantly complex when legal considerations come into play.

During this training session, we delved into the matter of discontinuing electricity service to units whose owners fail to fulfil their levy and electricity consumption payments. Additionally, we explored the reasons why legal fees cannot be directly charged to an owner's account that has been transferred to an attorney for subsequent collection purposes.

This training session took place on Monday 29 January 2024 at 17h30.

The webinar was presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services, along with our guest for this session, Willie Roos from Stratafin.

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Why resolutions are important and the role of CSOS in sectional title living

Daily decisions are made in the management of a sectional title scheme, with some falling under the authority of trustees, while others may necessitate the involvement of scheme members. The significance of resolutions in this process cannot be understated. This training session explores various resolution types, delving into the responsible parties for implementing decisions and signing resolutions.

 In October 2016, new legislation within the sectional title industry set the stage for the establishment of the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS). The CSOS plays a crucial role in aiding schemes, owners, and trustees in resolving disputes within schemes. We examined the role of CSOS and how this cost-effective dispute resolution solution can be utilised by those engaged in community schemes.

 This training session took place on Monday 27 November 2023.

The webinar was presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services. Training is free and exclusive to Intersect clients.

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How trustees can effectively navigate daily challenges in scheme management

Trustees encounter daily management challenges in handling scheme affairs. Alongside their trustee responsibilities, many trustees juggle daily work commitments, striving to allocate time for scheme-related matters.

At this training session, we delved into the myriad challenges faced by trustees. These include striking the right balance of responsibilities among trustees, authorising invoices, and payments, overseeing contractor work, addressing resident grievances, and ensuring the equitable and accurate application of the scheme's rules, among others. 

This training session took place on Monday 23 October 2023 and was presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services. Training is free and exclusive to Intersect clients.

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How different levies are calculated in a scheme

The management of scheme finances forms the backbone of a financially sound scheme. Trustees are required to manage the scheme's affairs, including its finances. The scheme members must understand how the finances are managed and what they are responsible for when they pay their levies.

This training session examines how levies are calculated, the impact of participation quotas (PQ), and the differences between section levies, exclusive use levies and maintenance reserve levies. We further consider the effects of PQs when special levies are imposed and alternative financing options for schemes needing funds.

This training session took place on Tuesday 26 September 2023.

The webinar is presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services. Training is free and exclusive to Intersect clients.

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Understanding the 10-year maintenance plan

Amendments to the sectional title legislation in 2016 require all sectional title schemes to prepare an annual maintenance plan that makes provision for future maintenance over a 10-year period. These maintenance items must be of a capital nature, unlike the general daily or monthly maintenance items a scheme must budget for in its administrative budget.

In this training session, we unpacked the basic requirements of the 10-year plan to understand how it must be prepared and how the levies contributions towards it are calculated.

We invited Bjorn Laubscher of Mirfin Valuation Services, a specialist company providing valuations and maintenance plans to sectional title schemes, who shared his insights and knowledge on the 10-year plan and the correct way to calculate related levies, as well as the pitfalls when schemes do not use a specialist to prepare their plans.    

This training session took place on Monday 28 August 2023.

The webinar was presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services.

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Exclusive use areas: What you need to know

The concept of exclusive use areas in sectional title schemes can be confusing especially when these areas are not always easily identifiable. Ownership and maintenance of exclusive use areas are topics of frequent dispute between owners and the body corporate.

In this training session, we considered how exclusive use areas are allocated to scheme owners, and who is responsible for their upkeep and maintenance. What happens when an owner sells their unit with an attached exclusive use area and how must this be treated in the transfer of the unit?

This training session took place on Monday 24 July 2023 and was presented by Leigh Maingard, CEO of Intersect Sectional Title Services.

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