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Family barred from own home under Anti-Social Behaviour Act
The Scotsman - Scotland
A rowdy household was shut down yesterday under new powers being used for the first time in Scotland. The three-month closure order against the private house in the High Beveridgewell area of Dunfermline was granted by the town's sheriff court under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act, following two years of noise and disruption caused by visitors.

Andrew Gordon and his son Phillip, 18, are now banned from the residence for three months.
The Scotsman

Judge orders eviction of 3 Bo-Kaap flat tenants 'Parasitic occupation'
Cape Times - South Africa
A Cape High Court judge has ordered three of four tenants of Leeuwen Mansions in Bo-Kaap to vacate the premises by the end of the month, saying their court bid to remain there was an abuse of legislation which afforded tenants protection.

The flats initially belonged to Abubakar Abrahams and his wife Jureida, but the couple decided to sell them in 2002. They notified the four tenants and offered them first option to purchase.

However, the four tenants before court - Latiefa Davids, Suleiman Abrahams, Nazeem Allie and MG Ryloon, did not accept the couple's offer and the flats were then sold to Marius van Straaten, Liani Maasdorp and Nazeema Akar.
The Cape Times

End to Self-Regulation for Legal Profession
The Scotsman - UK
The legal profession is to be stripped of its powers to investigate complaints against lawyers, the Lord Chancellor confirmed today. Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC said he would go ahead with proposals to end self-regulation by the Law Society and the Bar Council.

He also indicated that the so-called "Tesco law" - allowing outside companies to own and run law firms - will be given the go-ahead.
The Scotsman

Appeal to agents to promote home ownership education
Rodneyhayter.com - South Africa
Estate agencies, and particularly the larger groupings, have been called upon to give further impetus to consumer education by allocating in-house staff specifically trained to educate potential buyers in all aspects of home ownership.

The suggestion comes from a leading figure in the mortgage origination industry, who this week voiced his growing concern at the low level of home-ownership knowledge among the emergent buyer.

The awareness by Rudi Botha, CEO of mortgage origination company PA BetterBond, comes in the wake of buyer bottlenecks in the lower priced suburbs resulting in huge waiting lists in a market of unstoppable growth in values.
Rodneyhayter.com

World Cup to lift property prices
Moneyweb - South Africa
Much has been said about the positive sentiment towards the SA property created by winning the right to host the 2010 World Cup; now we can get an idea of what is likely to happen to our property prices if we analyse major global sports events, says Saul Geffen, MD of MortgageSA.

Geffen points out that in Paris, property prices escalated by as much as 55% over a one-year period before and after the 2002 Soccer World Cup. "And properties across the city made astronomical gains with apartments close to some of the stadia rocketing by over 100% over the same period," adds Geffen.
Moneyweb

Step carefully around the TAB trap
Property Signpost - South Africa
By now everyone knows that SARS has given us three methods of determining the value of our properties as at 1 October 2001, the date from which capital gains tax is applicable.

These are the market value method, the time-apportioned base cost (TAB) method and the 20% of the proceeds rule, where 20% is applied to the proceeds after deducting any expenditure incurred after 1 October 2001 (the valuation date).

If you didn't have your property valued, it is likely that you are depending on the TAB method, but most people don't really know how this will work in practice.
Property Signpost