Failure to pay for services
Page Content
Accounts with a debt older than 30 days, will receive a final demand notice as well as a courteous call by a Credit Controller.
Customers will be informed of the overdue debt and the risk involved should the account not be paid in full or an arrangement made to pay off the outstanding debt.
If no payment is received after 14 days of the warning notice being posted, Joburg Water may:
a) Restrict the flow of water for domestic use.
b) Disconnect the water supply to businesses.
Disconnection/reconnection fees:
Final Demand Notice: R83,14 including VAT
Clearance Certificates
Page Content
Key part of buying or selling property – as far as your interaction with the City is concerned – is the clearance process. As a property owner, you need to know that before you can sell your property you are legally required to get a Clearance Certificate from the municipality.
The seller is responsible for making sure that all rates and services have been paid and that the municipal account is up to date before selling the property. This is also the case if a tenant has leased the property.
Sectional Title owners will receive their first rates account, under the new Municipal Property Rates Act, from 1 July 2008. In the past these accounts were sent to the bodies corporate. Like other property owners, sectional title owners will, therefore, need to apply for Clearance Certificates on assessment rates when selling their properties.
Property Developments
Page Content
There has been huge growth in property development in Johannesburg over the past few years. While this is a positive reflection on the economy, it does present the City with certain challenges.
We have put together a checklist of questions to ask if you are planning to buy into a new development, or if you are planning a new development. This information will help you to make an informed decision – and even save you time and money later on.
•Did the surveyor-general approve the diagrams for the development?
•Have building plans been approved for the development?
Refunds
Refunds are given on credit balances and deposits once a City account has been closed. They are also issued for inactive accounts that have a credit balance.
All property holders are required to pay an average of two months deemed consumption when they buy a property, as per section 118 of the Municipal Finance Management Act. Foreigners are required to pay six months deemed consumption to apply for services.
This section also requires that debt of up to two years should be paid before a Clearance Certificate can be issued.
On selling the property, the owner must apply for a Clearance Certificate to prove that municipal accounts are paid up. The sale of a property will not be registered before the Clearance Certificate has been issued.