Compliance Certificates Needed When Selling Your Home.

CERTIFICATES OF COMPLIANCE NEEDED BEFORE TRANSFER OF PROPERTY

Upon selling your home you will have to provide your purchaser with up to 5 compliance certificates in respect of your property.

Electrical Certificate:

The electrical certificate stipulates that the property complies with the required safety regulations.
This is governed by the Occupational Health & Safety Act.
The certificate may not be older than 2 years and if any modifications or alterations were done after the certificate was issued a new certificate must be obtained.
This certificate must be obtained before the property gets transferred to the purchaser.
An electrical certificate will cover the distribution boards, all wiring, as well as earthing and bonding of all metal components which include antennae’s and satellite dishes. It will also cover the socket outlets, light switches and all isolators for fixed appliances.

However, an electrical certificate will not cover any fixed appliances such as the geyser, stove, motors, fans or underfloor heating.

Gas Certificate:

Certifies that the gas installation on the property complies with the required safety standards.
Also governed by the Occupational Health & Safety Act.
A new certificate must be obtained every time there is a change in ownership and prior to transfer.
The gas certificate ensures that gas components are in a safe, working condition and are leak free.
It also certifies that the emergency shut-off valves have been installed in the correct positions.

For the gas components to pass inspection, they must be correctly positioned in relation to electrical points, and outside cylinders must be the required distance from doors, drains, windows and electrical appliances.

Electric Fence Certificate:

Certifies that the electric fence installation complies with the required safety standards.
Governed by the Occupational Health & Safety Act.
There is no set period of validity, but an existing certificate may be transferred by the seller to the purchaser. A seller only needs to provide a new certificate if a change was made to the installation after the current certificate was issued.
Must be done prior to transfer.

Water/Plumbing certificate:

Certifies that the water installation at the property is in line with municipal and building standards.
Governed by the City of Cape Town water by-law and only applicable to transfers within the municipal jurisdiction of the City of Cape Town.
Every time the ownership of property changes, a new certificate must be issued.
The bylaw also protects buyers from latent defect claims and high water bills due to leakages.
This certification checks that the water installation complies with national building regulations. It also ensures that the water meter registers when a tap is open and stops completely when no water is drawn.

During the inspection, the inspector will check that rain water is not flowing into the sewerage system and that there is no cross-connection between the potable water supply and any grey water or groundwater system which may be installed.

The intent of this law is to limit water wastage as much as possible, an important issued especially now with the recent water shortages and restrictions.

Beetle certificate:

Certifies that the accessible wood of permanent structures (i.e wooden flooring) on the property are free from certain wood-destroying beetles.
Not governed by any law, but a practice that has evolved over years.
Parties agree contractually on the validity period of the certificate once issued.
In many coastal areas, a beetle clearance certificate has become a written condition in the sales agreement.

It must be noted that an ECOC and Electrical Fence System Compliance Certificate are two

different documents. The Electrical Machinery Regulations of 2011 issued under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 places an obligation on the user of an electric fence system to have an Electric Fence System Certificate of Compliance.

This requirement does not apply if the system was installed before 1 October 2012. As with an ECOC, this certificate is required where any change to the system has been made or where there is a change of ownership of the premises on which the system exists.

The electric fence system must be certified by an approved installer, and the certification is valid for two years.