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Sunday, June 8, 2025

Rent2Buy: A new way to owning a home

A recently launched product, Rent2Buy, says it can open the door to homeownership if you?re battling to save up for a deposit.

Personal Finance Investments
Mark Bechard|Published

Section 12J: The investment with a 100% tax break

You can claim a 100-percent tax break if you invest in qualifying small and medium-sized enterprises.

Personal Finance Investments
Mark Bechard|Published

Check out Alexander Forbes' new blended annuity

Alexander Forbes and Just have launched a blended annuity, which aims to deliver the advantages of both a living annuity and a guaranteed annuity.

Personal Finance Retirement
Mark Bechard|Published

Raging Bull Awards ready to charge

The Raging Bull Awards, honouring the stars of the unit trust industry, will this year include an investment summit that is open to the public.

Personal Finance My Money
Mark Bechard|Published

Tenants can rent via an online auction

Prospective tenants can now secure accommodation by submitting bids on their smartphones. And if they sign a lease, they will have to pay a maximum of one month’s deposit, instead of the two or three months that many

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

What landlords and tenants should know about the CPA

The Consumer Protection Act appears to be “lopsided” in favour of tenants. Until aspects of the Act are tested in court, landlords are advised to proceed cautiously.

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Questions would-be buy-to-let investors must ask

Astute investors do their homework before jumping in

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Allan Gray tops in asset manager surveys

Allan Gray was the top manager of actively managed South African unit trust funds in the quarter to September 30, according to two surveys that use different methodologies.

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Community schemes finally have a channel for complaints

Residents of communally owned properties, including sectional title schemes and homeowners’ associations, can now complain to a statutory dispute-resolution service if they believe their complexes are being mismanage

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Community schemes must have fidelity cover

It is now compulsory for all community schemes to have fidelity insurance so they are covered if their money is lost through theft or fraud committed by a scheme executive or a managing agent.

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Bodies corporate must have separate fund for big expenses

Some owners of sectional title properties could see their levies increase significantly in the near future, because the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act (STSMA), which came into effect yesterday, requires bodies cor

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Tenant not paying rent? Here are some solutions

When a tenant misses a rental payment, the landlord has a dilemma: take a hard line from the outset or be lenient in the hope of reaching an amicable agreement.

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

How to evict a tenant (lawfully)

Contrary to popular belief, tenants, once installed, can be evicted, but you need to follow due procedure.

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Restraints of trade: what you should know

If you are asked by an employer to sign a restraint-of-trade agreement, or are already bound by one, make sure you understand the implications of such an agreement.

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Draft ‘amnesty’ legislation changes tax calculation on offshore assets

The revised draft legislation on the special voluntary disclosure programme (SVDP) proposes to simplify how tax will be calculated on offshore assets derived from undeclared income.

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Rental payments take a turn for the worse

The average percentage of residential tenants in good standing with their rental payments fell by 2. 8 percentage points in the first quarter of this year, abruptly reversing the trend of improving payment behaviour t

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Buy-to-let property yield falls

Small sectional title properties continue to perform best

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

How unit trust companies lined up at end of second quarter

Allan Gray has retained its position as the top manager of South African unit trust funds, while Nedgroup Investments remains the best manager of offshore funds, according to the PlexCrown survey of management companies fo

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

The Tax Ombud’s office is there to help

Are you at your wits’ end because the South African Revenue Service (SARS) can’t provide a satisfactory answer to a query? Perhaps you’re due to receive a tax refund, but, for some unknown reason, the amo

Personal Finance Tax
Mark Bechard|Published

Can a charity benefit from your retirement savings?

Must you nominate a natural person as a beneficiary of your retirement savings, or can you, say, nominate a charity? Pension fund lawyers are at odds on the issue.

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Solidarity to fight GEPF’s changes to benefit calculations

Solidarity this week lodged a High Court application in a bid to overturn an “unlawful” decision that has resulted in members of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) receiving a reduced pension payout i

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Allan Gray returns to the top of the manager rankings

Allan Gray has ousted Nedgroup Investments as the top manager of South African unit trust funds. However, Nedgroup Investments has retained its position as the top manager of offshore funds, according to the latest PlexCro

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published

Buy-to-let net yield ‘won’t exceed 5. 5%’

Buy-to-let investors earned an average net yield of 5. 05 percent in 2015, and it is expected that net yields will not exceed 5. 5 percent this year, according to PayProp.

Business Report Companies
Mark Bechard|Published