EDITOR – I wish to comment on the article published by the Bedfordview and Edenvale News on June 11, about the availability of approved building plans.
In 2013 I purchased a property and on enquiring about the building plans for the property, the estate agent promptly told me that plans are not available as they have been lost by the municipality.
Thinking that I was being fobbed of by the estate agent, I then contacted two architects who also advised that plans for the property I had purchased were unavailable as the municipality had lost them. The architects have runners to do their “legwork” for them.
The runners understand the process very well, also who to speak to and where to look.
Still unsure, I contacted the Edenvale office and went to the offices to enquire personally.
Again I had no luck.
It turned out that during the process of transferring the plans between the Edenvale office and the Germiston office, the plans were mislaid and the municipality takes no responsibility for this at all.
In about 2005, the municipality went onto an e-system for building plans.
They can only go back about 10 years and not beyond.
According to the Germiston office, there is nothing they can do.
The municipality’s position is, to get new plans drawn up and re-submit them for approval.
How can you resubmit plans for a house that was approved and incur a now inconsiderable amount of expense.
I was quoted a fee of R5 000 to R7 000 as well as additional municipal fees to draw a plan and submit it for approval to the municipality.
I think that this is unfair and would appreciate if you can have this matter investigated further, as I believe the plans are stored somewhere and all it needs is for someone, with some initiative, to find them and save us all a considerable amount of time and stress.
Deepak
Edenvale
r Letter received July 2
EDITOR’S COMMENT – The letter was sent to the brand and communications department of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) for comment on July 2.
Comment was requested by 9am on July 4.
At the time of going to print, no comment was received.
