Estate, freehold or sectional title
The type of ownership decides who is responsible for security, and that matters as much as the street.
In a freehold house, you own the land and the building. Security is yours to arrange, apart from whatever a neighbourhood group does. In sectional title, you own your unit and share the common areas. A body corporate (the owners' association, run by trustees) decides on gates, guards and levies. In an estate or complex run by a homeowners' association (HOA), the rules and the guarding are set by the association, and you pay through levies.
Shared security can be a real benefit. It also means you depend on decisions made by others, and you pay for them whether or not you agree.
How to read precinct crime figures
The South African Police Service publishes crime statistics by police precinct. Its crime statistics page lets you search by police station name and shows station boundaries, with figures released quarterly. The same public precinct statistics are presented suburb by suburb on other sites, for example safe-suburb.co.za.
A few cautions help. A precinct is larger than a street, and a suburb can sit across two precincts, so a single number is a rough guide. Count figures need context: compare like with like and look at the trend over several periods, not one. Reported crime also depends on people reporting it. Use the figures to compare areas and to know which types of crime to prepare for, not to judge a particular house.
- Find the precinct that covers the address, not just the suburb name.
- Look at the kinds of crime (burglary, robbery, vehicle theft), not only the total.
- Compare several periods, not one release.
- Treat it as a guide to the area, then ask about the street.
Questions for the estate agent
An agent knows the street and will usually answer plain questions. Ask for answers in writing where you can.
Agents sell, so use what they say as a starting point to check, not as proof.
- Has the seller had a break-in or an attempted one, and when?
- What alarm, fence, gates and cameras come with the house, and do they work?
- Is there a street or neighbourhood watch, and who runs it?
- Why is the seller leaving?
- Which alarm or response company covers the house now, and is the contract transferable?
- Do any security items belong to the seller and leave with them?
Questions for the body corporate or HOA
If the property is in a scheme, the trustees or managing agent hold the answers. Ask for them in writing and ask for the documents, not a summary.
The point is to find out who guards the scheme, under what agreement, and who checks that the guards do their job.
- Which company guards the scheme, and is it registered with PSiRA?
- Is there a written contract, and when does it end?
- What is the notice period if the guarding is poor?
- How are officers supervised, and who reviews the reports?
- How are incidents recorded, and can owners see the log?
- What do the levies cover, and when did they last rise?
- Are there security upgrades planned, or a special levy?
On the viewing
Go twice if you can, once by day and once after dark. Look at the property as an intruder would, and as a resident would.
Check the boundary, the lighting, how visible the front door is from the street, the state of the locks and burglar bars, and whether a gate or garage motor works and has a manual release. Note whether neighbouring homes look cared for. If you are abroad, ask someone you trust to do this for you, or ask the agent for a video walk-through at night.
- Doors, windows and locks: solid or flimsy?
- Boundary: height, condition, climbing aids such as trees or bins.
- Lighting at entrances and along the sides.
- Alarm: where are the panel and sensors, and is it monitored?
- Gate and garage: do they open and close properly?
- Neighbours: do their homes look cared for, and are they in touch with each other?
A simple checklist
Before you sign, run through this list. Mtunzini is a family-run, PSiRA-registered guarding company in Cape Town that actively manages its officers with field supervision, but the list below works with any provider.
- Find the police precinct and read its public statistics over several periods.
- Confirm the ownership type and who is responsible for security.
- Get the guarding contract, notice period and supervision details in writing.
- Check the guarding company's PSiRA registration on the PSiRA website.
- Ask the seller about past incidents and which equipment stays.
- Visit by day and after dark, or have someone you trust do it.
- Ask your insurer what it requires before it covers the home.
- Budget for your own security upgrades as well as levies.
Questions people ask
Where do I find crime figures for a Cape Town suburb?
The SAPS publishes statistics by police precinct and lets you search by station name. Some sites present the same public figures suburb by suburb. Find the precinct that covers the address.
What is a body corporate?
In sectional title, owners share the common areas and elect trustees to run them. The body corporate decides on matters such as gates and guarding, and owners pay levies.
Can I check a scheme's guarding company?
Yes. Ask for the company's name and the written contract, then check its registration on the PSiRA website.
Sources
Own a home here and live abroad?
Tell us about the property and when you are away. We will tell you plainly what we can and cannot do.