LEVY CLEARANCE CERTIFICATES
Levy Clearance Certificates for Sectional Title Transfers
To ensure a smooth transfer of ownership for sectional title units, the Registrar of Deeds requires proof that the seller has paid all outstanding levies to the Body Corporate (BC) or Home Owners Association (HOA) to which they belong, as owners in a scheme or estate.
Transferring attorneys will typically request a levy clearance certificate from the BC or HOA to verify this information. The BC provides these attorneys with a detailed breakdown of levies due up to a specified date, including estimated water and electricity charges (if applicable).
The seller must pay these amounts in full before a clearance certificate can be issued.
In some cases, they may over-estimate utility charges or a transfer may occur earlier than anticipated. If these situations arise, the seller may be entitled to a refund. The transferring attorney will process the refunds promptly after receiving notification of the transfer's registration. It may happen that the previous owner still receives the statement even after he/she knows that the transfer has been finalized, in this case, it could mean the managing agent has not been informed that the transfer has been completed and it is still open on their end, it is important to let the managing agent know of this matter so they can link the new owner to the unit.
