Pets or No Pets – What are my Rights in an Estate or Sectional Title Complex?
Not every Estate or Sectional Title complex allow pets. In some instances, the Estate Rules or Sectional Title rules limit the number and size or breed of dogs that can be kept, or exclude pets altogether.
The Prescribed conduct rule in terms of the Sectional Titles Regulations reads as follows:
- “An owner or occupier of a section shall not, without the consent in writing of the trustees, which approval may not unreasonably be withheld, keep any animal, reptile or bird in a section or on the common property.”
- “When granting such approval, the trustees may prescribe any reasonable condition.”
This rule will apply unless the rules of the Body Corporate have been amended to change this.
This requires a balancing act between home owners: there is no blanket right to keep a pet in a Sectional Title complex. Permission must be sought from the Body Corporate prior to bringing such pet into the complex.
It is also important for estate agents to make sure that they fully understand the ‘pet policy’ of each Sectional Title complex they deal with, and sellers and buyers are advised to ensure that this is also reflected in the sale agreement.
