Buyers and sellers concluding property sales during the festive period will have to work around the following dates, as the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, including the deeds registries has confirmed their offices will not close, with each Registrar of Deeds managing the leave of officials in its office.
"Service delivery must continue uninterrupted with the normal expected turnaround times," according to the department that acknowledged "there are the normal backlogs at this time of the year due to the higher lodgements before conveyancing firms close".
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CAPE TOWN DEEDS OFFICE ARRANGEMENTS IN DECEMBER 2020
NB: Subject to changes. Should any emergencies occur we are still under the state of disaster and conveyances or advised to be aware of these circumstances and the resurgence of the virus in the Western Cape and its consequences and to ensure these or correctly prepared and lodged and registered when available and to also avoid rejections of past deeds.
4 December 2020 - Registrations
It is recommended that correctly prepared deeds or lodged by this stage to ensure registration before close of the office for the festive season.
Conveyances must please note that due to anticipated increased lodgements during November 2020 and December 2020, our turnaround times to make deeds available for registration may exceed the seven day average and are advised to plan accordingly.
In 2019 that average was between 11-12 days during this same period.
Conveyancers must ensure that all clearance certificates are valid for at least 12 days after lodgement.
9 December 2020 - Lodgements
Last day for acceptance of lodgements.
Please do not lodge deeds if there is no intention to register them or aware that is going to be rejected due to bad drafting or lacking essential documents (simply to be able to tell client that “it is in the deeds office”).
Lodgement 7:30 am to 10:00 am
9 December 2020 to 21 December 2020 - Prep Room (hand-in)
8:30 to 11:15am and 13:00 to 14:00
Last day to hand in for 2020
Execution
7:30 am to 11:00 am
14 December 2020 - Registrar’s Panel
Last day for consultations.
Last date for submission of expedited registration in respect of circular governing expedites.
18 December 2020 - Registrar’s Panel
Last date for re-instatements.
21 December 2020 - Information Section/Registrations
Closed to public up to and including the 4th January 2021.
Registration of deeds by special arrangement but the registrar. Arrangement for any urgent registration for the period 23, 24 – 31 December 2020 and 4 to 5 January 2021 must be made with the registrar or his delegate in room 1216 on or before the 21st of December 2020 by 10 AM.
22 December 2020- Registrations
Last day for normal execution and black bookings.
Execution
Extended hours 7:30am to 13:00
24 December 2020 - All Sections
On the 24th December 2020 Deeds Offices will probably close at 10:00am.
4 January 2021 - All Sections
Office will be closed to the public and conveyances. Skeleton staff may operate in certain sections in the first week of January 2021 co-operation will be appreciated.
5 January 2021 - All Sections
Normal operations will resume.
21 December 2020 - Finance Section – Payment of accounts.
All outstanding deeds office accounts must be settled by the 21st of December 2020. EFT payments must be made before 20th of December 2020 and proof of such payment must be faxed to 0214647725. Non-payment of the outstanding amount will result in the account being suspended on the 2nd of January 2021.
24 and 28-31 December 2020 - Deeds Office closed to the public.
The 23rd of December 2020 and up to an including the 31st of December 2020 and the 4th of January 2021 will be excluded in calculating the days for handing for registration.
Registrar of Deeds
Cape Town
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JOHANNESBURG DEEDS OFFICE LODGEMENTS, PREPS AND REGISTRATIONS DURING THE FESTIVE SEASON
Notice re arrangements for December 2020. Please take note of the following arrangements for December 2020:
The cut-off date for lodgements of deeds and documents to be registered on or by the 18th of December 2020 will be the 8th of December 2020.
For service delivery purposes the Johannesburg Deeds Office will be open and fully operational during the festive period with limited staff, except for the 24th and 31st of December 2020 respectively the office will be closed for clients/public on both days.
Deeds and Documents on prep and not registered by the 31st of December 2020 will be allowed extension until the 7th of January 2021 after which they will be rejected and delivered to the clients.
Acting Registrar of Deeds JHB
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POLOKWANE LODGEMENT AND EXECUTION OF DEEDS OVER THE FESTIVE PERIOD
Please note that the office of the Registrar of Deeds: Limpopo at Polokwane has made the following arrangements regarding Lodgement and Execution of deeds over the festive period:
- Limpopo Deeds Office will be closed for 4 days on 28th December-31st December 2020
- Deeds lodged before Friday the 11th December 2020 will be executed before Christmas
- Deeds lodged from the 14th December 2020 will be registered only in 2021.
- There will be a double execution on Friday the 18th December 2020, meaning that all Deeds that are at Prep/fees on the 17th of December 2020.
NB: Double Execution does not include deeds that are still in examination process, such will not form part of the double execution.
- All Deeds that would have been scanned to level 3 Examination on the 18th December 2020 or were lodged on/before the 11th December 2020 but didn’t form part of double execution can still be registered between 21-23 December 2020.
- On the 24th December 2019, the office will close at 10h00 and there will be no execution.
Registrar of Deeds: Polokwane
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