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MUNICIPAL ACCOUNT SWITCHOVER
THE PROCESS
In the rates clearance application process, the transfer attorney supplies the municipality with current and future addresses for the seller and buyer and uploads certain documents for municipal purposes as well as the Seller’s banking details are captured.
After registration of the transfer, the Cape Town Deeds Office notifies the Pretoria Deeds Office, Pretoria then collates and sends the list of registrations to the municipality.
Council then initiates the move in/move out process on their side which takes about 30 days after notification and then the first accounts and refunds go off in the next billing cycle (which could be a month after the move in/move out process has completed).
The buyer will not start getting accounts until this process on Council’s side has finalised and cannot begin paying accounts until he receives one in his name. At the time of the account switch-over, Council refunds the Seller directly any portion of the advance collection which remains unused.
ROLE PLAYERS
MUNICIPALITY
POTENTIAL DELAYS
Internal municipal process: sometimes several months go by before the buyer starts receiving municipal accounts in his name for the property and, once he does, the first account may be quite large. The seller and buyer may follow up with the City of Cape Town municipality either in person or via the following email addresses:
Seller – Refunds.FinalAccounts@capetown.gov.za
Buyer – Deeds.OwnershipChanges@capetown.gov.za