The South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) has, on behalf of its members, spoken out against the lack of consultation during the process of promulgating the National Home Builders Registration Council’s (NHBRC) code of conduct, which has serious implications for property developers and the property industry as a whole.

“The code of conduct has widespread repercussions for our industry and will affect all residential property developers and consumers,” says SAPOA CEO Neil Gopal. “We are concerned that the vast majority of comments submitted to the NHBRC with regard the code of conduct have not been taken into consideration. Some of our members have made concerted efforts to seek an audience with the NHBRC in this regard, which have proven futile. We view this in a serious light.”

Gopal adds that SAPOA cannot accept the far-reaching changes that the NHBRC are putting in place, which effectively override certain existing legislation governing the industry, inter alia, the National Building Regulations, the Alienation of Land Act and the National Environmental Management Act, without the proper consultation processes and appropriate role-player participation.

The NHBRC was established in terms of the Housing Consumer Protection Measures Act, 1998 (Act No. 95 of 1998). The Council was mainly established to protect the interest of housing consumers, and to regulate the home building industry.
SAPOA, whose some 860 members consist of property owners, property developers, property managers, large institutions, banks and other property sector stakeholders, are impacted by the NHBRC Code of Conduct.

SAPOA has requested an urgent meeting with the NHBRC regarding the code of conduct.