Property matters handled properly — from PIE Act rights to transfer.
Whether you are facing eviction, in a landlord dispute, or need a transfer handled — the law has specific requirements. We navigate them clearly.
Start your matterEvictions and the PIE Act
No person may be evicted from a property in South Africa without a court order. A landlord who attempts to remove you by force, by changing locks, or by cutting off utilities is acting unlawfully — regardless of the terms of any lease.
A PIE eviction application must be preceded by proper notice to both the occupier and the municipality. The court must consider the circumstances of all parties — including whether the occupier would be rendered homeless — before granting an order. We advise occupiers on their rights to oppose and landlords on the proper process.
Property transfers
We handle residential and commercial property transfers through a conveyancer. The transfer process involves obtaining SARS transfer duty receipts or exemption certificates, rates clearance from the municipality, and lodgement at the relevant Deeds Office. We manage the full process and keep buyers and sellers informed at each stage.
Landlord-tenant disputes
Disputes about lease terms, deposits, maintenance obligations, and arrear rent are common and often escalate unnecessarily. We advise on the applicable law (the Consumer Protection Act applies to most residential leases), draft formal letters of demand, and where necessary, represent clients in the relevant forum.
Common questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most.
No. A notice to vacate — including a lease cancellation notice from a landlord — is not an eviction order. It is the beginning of a process. An actual eviction requires a court order signed by a magistrate or judge. Until you have received and been served with such an order, you are entitled to remain in occupation.
The Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998 (PIE) prohibits eviction from any property without a court order. It applies to tenants with leases, tenants whose leases have ended, and unlawful occupiers. The court must be satisfied that the process was followed and that it is just and equitable to grant the eviction.
No. Cutting off utilities as a means of forcing a tenant to vacate is unlawful — both as a civil wrong and a criminal offence under PIE. If a landlord has done this, you can approach the Magistrate's Court on an urgent basis for an order restoring access. Courts act quickly on clear-cut cases of unlawful eviction.
A standard residential transfer with no complications (clear SARS compliance, no outstanding rates) typically takes 6 to 10 weeks from the date of instruction to registration in the Deeds Office. Delays commonly arise from rates clearances, SARS processing, and Deeds Office lodgement queues. We manage these proactively.
Yes. Property transfers in South Africa must be effected by a conveyancer — an attorney admitted to practise as a conveyancer. The conveyancer prepares and lodges the transfer documents with the Deeds Office. You cannot transfer immovable property without one.