Changes to refund process

Written applications must now be made if people need a refund for rates or utilities accounts from the City after they have sold a property or ended a lease.
RESIDENTS requiring refunds on their property and related accounts in the event of a property sale or transfer, or if they end their lease, must apply in writing, the City has announced.

In their application, they must give their service ticket – or reference number – so that their query can be processed further.

The application must be submitted to any of the City’s customer service centres in person, or the process can be done through the resident’s attorneys. It must be accompanied by copies of an identity document, receipt of proof of payment, a transferring letter from the attorneys and a certificate of registration, where applicable.

“A service ticket can be logged with the call centre on 011 375 5555 or alternatively at any of our walk in centres,” explains Kgamanyane Maphologela from the City’s customer service centres and communications revenue and customer relations management department.

Once all the needed documents are produced, the department will only pay a refund if the land or property transfer account has a credit balance.

“When a resident or business moves into a property, a deposit is required to be paid to council as per approved policy,” Maphologela says. “When the property is being vacated, the deposit can then be requested as a refund.”

The deposit that tenants pay when moving into a building can be refunded when the same tenants move out, but the deposit will first be used to pay off any outstanding debts on the account. The remaining amount will be given back to the tenant.

According to Maphologela, the process takes 30 days on receiving a complete service ticket with all the necessary documents attached. All refunds for land or property transfer will be refunded to the transferring attorneys unless they state otherwise.