Buyers of repossessed homes could still inherit municipal debt

Home buyers may find themselves paying municipal debt off.

South Africans buying repossessed homes at auction could still find themselves liable for certain unpaid municipal charges linked to the property.

This is based on a recent Johannesburg High Court judgment involving Standard Bank.

As part of the order, the court said that the property could be sold as long as the purchaser settled municipal charges incurred during the two years preceding an application for a municipal clearance certificate before transfer can take place.

Judge WJ du Plessis dealt with the issue while determining a reserve price in a foreclosure dispute involving an Eldorado Park property in Johannesburg.