Quick answer
Keep the complete signed sale and addenda, every dated estimate, the transfer-duty calculation and SARS correspondence, lender approval and quotation, transfer and bond invoices, the agreed legal scope, bank-verification records, payment proofs and final accounts. Preserve originals and metadata where possible, and build a chronology showing when each amount was quoted, changed, requested, paid and reconciled.
How to use this guide
An organised file does not prove overcharging, negligence or fraud. It lets an adviser test the calculation, authority, communication, causation and claimed loss against the actual transaction.
Freeze the operative agreement
Save the fully signed sale, annexures and every amendment as separate files. Record the last signature date, purchase price, deposit, finance conditions, occupation, guarantees, cost clauses and notice addresses. A draft or unsigned version cannot safely establish the parties' obligations.
If a disputed payment arose from an addendum or extension, preserve the proposal, comments, signing platform record and delivery evidence. Do not annotate the only original; work on a clearly labelled copy.
Preserve tax inputs and outputs
Keep the transfer-duty worksheet or declaration, acquisition date, current rate table used, consideration and value evidence, exemption or VAT basis, SARS supporting-document request, response upload and receipt or outcome. These records show whether the tax line follows the declared facts.
The buyer cost guide helps separate tax from professional and registry charges. That classification is necessary before alleging that the same amount was duplicated.
Keep the complete quote history
Retain every transfer and bond estimate, invoice and revision in date order. For each changed line, record the earlier amount, later amount, calculation base, cited schedule, VAT treatment and explanation. Preserve the email or portal message that delivered it.
Also keep the legal mandate or engagement terms that describe the ordinary scope and fee basis. Additional work cannot be assessed fairly without knowing what the original instruction included.
Preserve who authorised each instruction
Keep the message or signed mandate that appointed each firm and identify whether it acted on the transfer, bond, tax submission or a separate dispute. For extra work, preserve the request, scope, fee explanation and the client’s approval. A person copied into an email is not necessarily the party who authorised a new charge.
If a cost followed a changed price, bond amount, transaction structure or addendum, retain the document that introduced the change and evidence of when the responsible firm received it. This helps distinguish work caused by a new instruction from a correction to work that should already have used the operative facts.
Record the capacity of anyone signing or paying for a company, trust or another buyer. Keep sensitive authority and beneficial-ownership material in a controlled folder rather than circulating it with the general dispute correspondence.
Capture lender and guarantee evidence
Save the loan application outcome, pre-agreement statement and quotation, final approval, bond amount, conditions, guarantees and correspondence about funding. If the approved amount changed, record when the firms were told and when their estimates changed.
Separate lender charges from the bond attorney's account. A dispute framed only as “the bank costs increased” may hide two different payees and instructions.
Prove the payment path
For every transfer, retain the invoice or request, matter reference, account details, independent verification note, proof of payment, receipt and allocation. Record who confirmed the bank account, through which trusted channel and at what time.
If account details were diverted, preserve the suspicious email in original electronic form, including headers and attachments. Contact the bank and responsible firm immediately; screenshots alone may omit routing and timing evidence.
Record the final reconciliation
Request the final trust and transaction accounts. Compare professional fees, VAT, official charges and actual disbursements with the advances paid. Identify refunds, interest, credit allocations and any unexplained balance.
Use the property transfer checklist as an index, not as evidence that a step occurred. Attach the actual document or communication proving each milestone.
Build a dispute chronology
Use one row per event: date, actor, action, document, amount, stated reason and consequence. Distinguish what you saw directly from what another person reported. Note any missing record and the request made for it.
Build one issue file for every disputed amount
For each contested line, assemble the first quote, later versions, calculation base, official table or guideline cited, invoice, payment, allocation and final reconciliation. Add the exact question: wrong acquisition date, unsupported value, duplicated service, VAT presentation, unexplained disbursement, unapproved work or missing refund. Avoid describing the whole transaction as overcharged when only one input is disputed.
Include evidence that cuts against the complaint, such as an approval for additional work or a later change in the bond amount. A complete record allows an adviser to determine whether the dispute concerns arithmetic, scope, legal classification, communication or payment security. Removing an inconvenient document can damage the credibility of the wider file.
Keep the requested resolution separate from the evidence. A corrected statement, explanation, refund, release of an account record or damages claim may require different authority and proof.
The conveyancing glossary can clarify terminology. If formal advice is needed, the lawyer directory supports provider discovery but does not determine responsibility or remedy.
Preserve loss evidence carefully
If claiming additional interest, rent, storage, accommodation or another loss, keep the contract, invoice, payment and causal link to the disputed conduct. Avoid rounded estimates or expenses that would have arisen regardless of the issue.
Record requests for missing statements or calculations and the response received. A documented refusal, partial answer or corrected account can matter as much as the original invoice because it shows how the disputed amount was explained and whether the parties had a fair opportunity to reconcile it.
Back up the file securely and restrict access to identity, banking and tax material. The strongest evidence pack is not the largest one; it is the pack that connects each disputed amount to a reliable source, version, decision and payment trail.
FAQs
Should I keep every version of a cost estimate?
Yes. Preserve each dated version and compare the changed line, calculation base and stated reason. Do not replace the earlier document with the latest one.
Is proof of payment enough to challenge a charge?
No. Keep the request, invoice, agreed scope, calculation source, verification record, payment proof, allocation and final account so the entire payment can be traced.
What evidence matters after payment diversion?
Preserve the original message and headers, bank details, verification calls, payment confirmation, bank reports, firm notifications and a precise chronology. Act immediately through trusted channels.
Does an unexplained increase prove misconduct?
No. It may follow a changed value, loan amount, official schedule or extra instruction. The evidence should establish what changed and whether the explanation and authority support it.
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Legal note
This article is general legal information for South African readers. It is not legal advice. Speak to a qualified legal professional about your specific facts before taking action.