Rates Clearance Certificates: What you need to know

When selling your property, it is necessary for the conveyancer to obtain a rates clearance certificate (RCC) from the relevant local authority, or municipality, before transfer can be registered in the Deeds Office

According to conveyancers and property Law attorneys at Abrahams & Gross, the RCC issued by the city council certifies that there are no outstanding funds due to the municipality at the time of the registration of transfer to the purchaser. This certificate is a requirement in terms of the Deeds Registries Act and must be lodged in the Deeds Office. The Registrar of Deeds will not register the transfer of a property unless the conveyancer lodges a valid RCC along with other required documents at the Deeds Office.

READ: What compliance certificates do I need when selling my home?

Rates Clearance Figures

The conveyancer will make application to the city council for the issuing of rates clearance figures. Rates clearance figures are comprised of all arrears amounts for rates, taxes, electricity, water, sewerage, and refuse, as well as an advance payment covering a period of 60 days being the period of validity of the rates clearance certificate.

Whose responsibility is it to obtain a rates clearance certificate?

It is the seller's responsibility to settle amounts due in order to obtain the RCC. Upon request, the seller must pay the conveyancer and not the city council directly. The conveyancer will then pay the city council to ensure that the payment is linked to the application number in respect of the transfer as well as for the purposes of expedition of the issuing of the rates clearance certificate.

Once the conveyancer has paid for and obtained the RCC, the seller's account at the city council will be in credit and the seller will no longer be required make any further monthly payments to the city council prior to transfer.

Once registration of transfer has been completed, the conveyancer submits a refund form to the city council in respect of any credit that maybe be due to the seller. This usually occurs when the registration of transfer takes place prior to the expiration of the 60-day period. The city council takes approximately four to seven months to reconcile the seller's and purchaser's accounts and pay the refund.

For Conveyancing expertise

Selling your property? Speak to our expert Conveyancing and Property Law team at Abrahams & Gross. We ensure that our clients are always informed with regular reporting and personalised service.

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* Disclaimer: The articles on these web pages are provided for general information purposes only. Whilst care has been taken to ensure accuracy, the content provided is not intended to stand alone as legal advice. Always consult a suitably qualified attorney on any specific legal problem or matter.

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