About Us - More Information

LOCK-UP AND GO LIFESTYLE
run by the residents for the residents

Douglasdale Retirement Village consists of the following residential units:

162 houses in various configurations.

238 apartments in three apartment blocks.

ADMINISTRATION

The Village is run by a 7-member Board elected by owners. They are supported by several residents’ committees overseeing specific functions.

All aspects of Village management are reviewed and debated as necessary by Village owners at the Annual General Meeting. Special General Meetings are called from time to time to discuss and vote on urgent matters that can’t wait for the next AGM. All General meetings are run in accordance with approved procedures.

The directors have appointed CSi Property Management to handle the day to day running of the Village, together with various other contractors to supply specialist services.

Services provided by outside suppliers on contract:

  • Security
  • Kitchen and dining room
  • Medical (including Frail and Midcare facilities)
  • Maintenance of grounds and gardens
  • Cleaning and domestic helper service
  • Window cleaning for apartments
  • Laundry
  • Hair and Beauty Salon
  • Telephone & Internet
  • Prepaid electricity supply
  • Generator maintenance
  • Fire alarm and firefighting equipment maintenance
  • Regular Health & Safety assessments

Contracts are reviewed periodically to ensure the Village receives value for money. Special Projects e.g. repainting buildings, riverine maintenance, etc. are outsourced to appropriate contractors when warranted.

The Directors adhere to CSOS (Community Schemes Ombud Service) regulations relating to funding levels in the reserve fund and the usage of such funds.

Rules and arrangements to ensure the smooth running of the Village have been set by the residents themselves and are incorporated in the Village’s Memorandum of Incorporation. (MOI)        

Each home has its own Post Box. Simplex boxes are housed in the Lifestyle Centre, the Kingfisher, Loerie and Sunbird boxes in their respective apartment blocks.

Actions and activities that might impact on neighbours must be submitted formally to the Board for approval, using standard forms provided.

The evolution of our well-run community can be traced not only in the various Management Documents, but also in the archive of Village Newsletters.   

SECTIONAL TITLE

Sectional title describes separate ownership of units or sections within a complex or development.

When you buy into a sectional title complex, you purchase a section or sections and an undivided share of the common property. These are collectively known as units. Sectional title dwellings in Douglasdale consist of simplexes and apartments.

Sectional title developments are governed by a Body Corporate, which is the collective name given to all the owners of units within our complex.

The Body Corporate is responsible for managing the complex and taking care of its finances. A managing agent is appointed to take care of the duties of a Body Corporate, which includes collecting monthly levies, paying the complex’s insurance premiums, arranging meetings, ensuring compliance with the Sectional Titles Act, and ensuring that the owners and tenants comply with the Body Corporate rules.

The benefits of sectional title ownership

Sectional Title provides you with a capital asset that will grow in value over the long term. It allows you to tailor the interior of your home to suit your particular needs. Owners have a vote in all matters concerning the running of the Village.

Note: The exterior of the dwelling remains controlled by the Home Owners Association – this ensures the attractive (and hence valuable) character of the village remains unmarred.

Security: Living in close proximity to your neighbours in a more communal environment is perceived by many to be more secure than living on a freehold property. And like most sectional title developments our Village has excellent security around the perimeter and at the entrance of the development, which is all included in the monthly levies.

A fixed monthly cost: Owners of sectional title units pay a monthly levy. The levy provides the HOA with the income necessary to maintain its financial obligations, as well as paying for Village ‘running costs’ such as insurance premiums, maintenance of the common property (both infrastructure and grounds), services supplied on contract, day-to-day nursing services, and for the water and electricity used in common areas. It also provides the funds needed to undertake improvement and upgrade projects in the Village. Thus, apart from the levy, owners of sectional title units pay only their rates and taxes, insurance on the contents of their home, upkeep of their own gardens, and for their monthly electricity consumption.