If you’ve ever lived in a complex and wondered who must fix the leaking roof, repaint the passage wall, replace the broken gate motor, or deal with the pool that’s gone from “sparkling” to “swamp”, you’ve already bumped into the concept of common property.
In sectional title living, common property is one of the most important ideas to understand because it affects your levies, your rights, and your responsibilities as an owner (or even as a tenant). It also happens to be where many scheme disputes start, usually with the words: “But I thought that was your problem.”
Let’s unpack what sectional title means, what common property includes, practical examples, common issues, and how professional property managers help keep shared spaces maintained, compliant, and conflict-free.
What is a Sectional Title?
A sectional title is a type of property ownership where you own a specific portion of a building called a “section” (for example, your apartment or townhouse unit), plus a shared ownership portion of the parts of the property everyone uses collectively.
So, unlike freehold ownership where you own the land and the building on it, sectional title is shared by design. You have private space (your section) and shared space (common property). Your ownership in the shared space is usually linked to your unit’s participation quota (often based on the size of your section).
This shared setup is why levies exist. Levies fund the cost of maintaining and running the shared areas and services that keep the scheme functioning.
What is Common Property in a Sectional Title?
In simple terms, common property is everything in the scheme that is not part of an individual owner’s section.
It includes the land the scheme is built on and all parts of the buildings and grounds that are not specifically shown as part of a section on the registered sectional plan. Common property is jointly owned by all owners in undivided shares, which means everyone owns it together (even though nobody owns it “separately”).
This is why decisions about common areas can’t be made by one owner acting alone. Changes, upgrades, and certain types of repairs usually require body corporate processes, budgets, and approvals.
Common Property vs Exclusive Use Areas
Here’s where things can get a bit spicy.
Some schemes have exclusive use areas. These are parts of the common property set aside for the exclusive use of a specific owner. Think of a small garden, a courtyard, a carport, or a storeroom that only one unit may use.
Even though an exclusive use area feels “private”, it will still be common property from a legal standpoint, and maintenance is usually transferred to the holder of the exclusive use right.
This is one of the biggest sources of confusion in sectional title living: an area can look like it belongs to one person, but the scheme rules and plans may say otherwise.
Examples of Common Property
Every scheme is unique, but most sectional title developments share similar categories of common property.
In many complexes, common property includes shared structural elements like external walls, roofs, foundations, boundary walls, staircases, passages, and lifts. It also includes shared entrances, driveways, visitor parking areas, security gates, guardhouses, and access control systems.
Then there are the lifestyle areas that everyone enjoys (or argues about): gardens, walkways, pools, braai areas, clubhouses, gyms, playgrounds, and communal entertainment spaces.
Finally, common property often includes “behind-the-scenes” areas such as meter rooms, plant rooms, service ducts, fire equipment, communal plumbing and drainage systems (at least the parts serving multiple units), and shared electrical infrastructure.
If it serves the scheme as a whole, and it’s not part of an individual section, it’s usually part of common property.
Why Common Property Matters to Owners and Trustees
Common property is not just a technical definition. It affects real-life issues like:
- Your levies and special levies, because maintenance and repairs cost money.
- Your ability to renovate or install items that affect the exterior of the building or shared spaces.
- Your rights to use and enjoy shared amenities, within the scheme rules.
- Your property value, because well-maintained common areas make the entire scheme more attractive to buyers and tenants.
When common property is managed properly, schemes feel safe, orderly, and well cared for. When it’s neglected, everything starts to look tired, disputes increase, and owners become frustrated about “what we’re paying levies for”.
Common Issues That Arise With Common Property
Because common property is shared, it comes with shared complications. Here are the issues that pop up most often.
Maintenance delays and disagreements
One of the most common problems is delays in repairing common property. Sometimes it’s a budget issue. Sometimes it’s poor planning. Sometimes it’s trustees and owners disagreeing on priorities. A leaking roof might be urgent to the top-floor units, but feel “less urgent” to owners on the ground floor, until the damp spreads and costs triple.
Damage caused by residents or contractors
Common property gets used. A lot. And with heavy use comes damage. Think broken intercoms, chipped tiles in passages, damaged gates, cracked paving, and pool areas that take a beating in December. The tricky part is deciding when the body corporate pays and when costs should be recovered from the person responsible.
“Is it common property or not?” confusion
Disputes often arise when owners assume something is theirs to maintain, or assume the body corporate must fix it, when the scheme documentation says otherwise. Balconies, windows, exterior doors, boundary walls, and plumbing lines are common debate zones.
Exclusive use area responsibilities
Courtyards, gardens, and carports can create conflict if it’s unclear who must maintain what. An owner may have exclusive use of a garden but the body corporate may still control certain structural or boundary elements.
Upgrades vs repairs
Repairs keep things working as they were. Upgrades improve them. Schemes can get stuck arguing about whether something is a necessary repair or an “optional improvement”, especially when it affects spending decisions and special levies.
Compliance and safety risks
Common property includes safety-critical components like lighting, access control, fire equipment, electrical systems, and walkways. Poor maintenance can create serious liability risks, not just frustration.
How Professional Property Managers Help Manage Common Property
This is where professional property management becomes worth its weight in reliable service providers.
A professional property manager brings structure to common property management by creating systems and processes that trustees can rely on. That starts with knowing what falls under common property, what falls under sections, and how exclusive use areas are treated in that specific scheme.
Professional management also makes maintenance predictable. Instead of waiting for something to break and then panicking, a good property manager helps implement preventative maintenance planning. That means routine inspections, scheduled servicing of equipment, and early detection of wear and tear.
Another key role is contractor coordination and quality control. Property managers obtain quotes, compare suppliers, arrange access, monitor timelines, and ensure work is completed properly. This reduces repeat call-outs and helps prevent “cheap now, expensive later” situations.
Financially, professional managers help trustees plan and budget for common property expenses. They support annual budgeting, keep clear records of maintenance costs, and improve transparency around where levy money goes. When owners can see the logic behind spending, there’s usually less drama at the AGM.
Finally, a property manager supports governance and communication. They help issue notices, manage complaints relating to common property use, and document decisions properly. That paperwork isn’t just admin, it protects the scheme when disputes arise.
The Benefits of Professional Management for Common Property
A well-managed common property environment benefits everyone. Owners get better long-term value protection because the scheme stays maintained and attractive. Residents enjoy better safety, cleaner shared spaces, and fewer recurring breakdowns.
Trustees benefit too. Professional management reduces the workload, improves decision implementation, and helps trustees stay consistent and compliant. It also reduces conflict because issues are handled through clear processes rather than emotion and personal opinions.
And when common property is managed properly, levies feel justified. People are far more willing to contribute when they can see the results in maintained gardens, reliable security systems, clean common areas, and proactive repairs.
Conclusion
In sectional title schemes, common property is the shared heartbeat of the development. It includes the land, shared structures, and communal facilities that all owners collectively own and rely on.
Because common property affects levies, safety, lifestyle, and property values, it needs consistent attention, clear governance, and proper planning. When common property is neglected, schemes become stressful and expensive. When it’s professionally managed, schemes remain stable, attractive, and easier to live in.
If your scheme wants fewer maintenance surprises, clearer decision-making, and common areas that actually look like levies are being put to good use, professional property management can make all the difference.
FAQs
What are examples of common property?
Examples of common property typically include shared areas like passages, staircases, lifts, gardens, driveways, visitor parking, boundary walls, security gates, pools, braai areas, and shared infrastructure such as meter rooms and plant rooms. The exact items depend on what is shown as common property on the scheme’s sectional plan.
What is included in the common property?
Common property generally includes all parts of the land and buildings in a sectional title scheme that are not part of an individual owner’s section. This usually covers shared structural elements, communal facilities, and shared service areas used by all residents.
What is the meaning of common property?
The meaning of common property in a sectional title context is the shared portion of the scheme that all owners own together in undivided shares. It is the property that belongs to the body corporate collectively and is intended for shared use, operation, and enjoyment (subject to scheme rules).
