Municipal accounts - Buffalo City

Page 4
CONNECTION OF SERVICES
What do I do when moving into a rented house/flat/business in Buffalo City?
1. Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) only enters into service agreements with property
owners.
2. If you are a tenant, your landlord will receive the services account for the property you occupy.
3. Ensure that you reach agreement with your landlord with regard to which services you will be
liable for and when you will become liable for those services.
4. BCMM will not provide a reconciliation of service charges at the change of occupancy.
What do I do when purchasing a house/flat/business premises in Buffalo City?
1. Visit your nearest municipal finance enquiries office, making sure you have your ID document
with you as well as the proof of transfer if it is a recent purchase.
2. Ask for connection forms and enquire as to the correct deposits and connection fees payable for
your connection.
3. The connection form includes a service agreement that must be signed by the prospective
consumer before the supply will be commenced.
4. A deposit is required as a form of security in the event of a consumer absconding and is
determined by Council policy.
5. Complete the connection forms and submit to the Enquiries desk for capturing onto the
municipal billing system.
6. Upon receiving your account number, proceed to the cashier and make the payment required.
7. The cashier will then keep the form and forward it for connection.
8. You should receive your first account after about six weeks.
What do I do when selling a house/flat/business premises in Buffalo City?
1. Visit your nearest municipal finance enquiries office, making sure you have your ID document
with you and are sure of the correct address to which you wish to terminate supply of service as
well as your correct forwarding address.
2. Ask for termination forms and when completed, hand in to the enquiries desk together with a
copy of your ID document.
3. The finalisation will be processed once the property title is transferred from your name.
4. Remember that your account is billed in arrears and you will still receive one or two active
accounts after the property has been transferred into the purchaser’s name.
What is a property clearance certificate?
1. When a property owner wishes to sell the property, all charges for services for the balance of the
current financial year have to be settled in advance as required by national legislation.
2. Once the settlement has been made, a certificate of clearance will be issued to the firm of
attorneys (conveyancers) handling the transfer of property.
3. This certificate will then allow the attorneys to lodge the transfer documents with the registrar
of Deeds for the change of ownership to be recorded.
BuffaloCityMetropolitanMunicipality
BUFFALO CITY
METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY
C O N S U M E R G U I D E