Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS)

The Community Schemes Ombud Service (CSOS) was established in terms of the Community Schemes Service Act 9 of 2011 to regulate the conduct of parties within community schemes and to ensure their good governance. Community Schemes are defined in the CSOS Act as “living arrangements where there is shared use of and responsibility for land/buildings such as sectional title, homeowners’ associations, retirement housing schemes, share block companies and housing cooperatives”.

The mandate of the CSOS is to: regulate, monitor and quality assure scheme governance documentation; develop and provide a dispute resolution service; provide training for conciliators, adjudicators and other employees of the CSOS; and take custody of, preserve and provide public access electronically or by other means to scheme governance documentation.