Legal Articles

Latent and Patent Defects According to South African Property Law

Posted on 7/28/2025 10:17 AM By Cor van Deventer

In property sales, the most contentious issues rarely surface during negotiations — they emerge after transfer, when defects are discovered and expectations collide with reality. South African law draws a clear legal distinction between latent and patent defects, and that distinction often determines who carries the cost when problems arise.

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