Community Schemes Ombud Service established
In line with the Community Schemes Ombud Services Act (assented to in June 2011), the Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) has officially been established.
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This is according to Martin Bester, MD of Intersect Sectional Title Services, who explains that the CSOS aims to provide a dispute resolution mechanism for community schemes and to provide training for conciliators and adjudicators; regulate, monitor and control the quality of all sectional titles scheme governance documentation; and take custody of, preserve and provide public access to sectional title scheme governance documentation.
"This Advisory Council will be tasked with making recommendations to and advising the minister in terms of the provisions of the act and keep the implementation of the Act and the regulations under regular review," says Bester.
The chief ombud has been appointed and Themba Mthethwa will be assuming this role going forward.
"Due to the fact that the Sectional Title Schemes Management Act (also assented to in 2011) has still not been implemented, at this stage we believe that the CSOS will have to concentrate its energies on disputes in other forms of community living such as home owners associations," concludes Bester.
