Sanlam : Where There Is No Will, There Is No Way

3. Have the house transferred into your name before the owner dies

If you are definitely entitled to the house you are living in and there is no dispute - for instance, if you are the only child - you could consider putting the house in your name before the owner passes away. The owner can effectively gift the house to you with no money exchanging hands. There will be a 'donations' tax payable, but it is worth considering this route to prevent any complications later on.

4. Get written consent from the homeowner for upgrades

In the instance where you are living in a house and are paying for upgrades, you should ask for written consent from the owner. This will permit you to claim against the estate for those upgrades after the owner dies, provided you kept records of the expenses.

This applies not only to potential heirs, but also to long-term tenants. 'Tenants can find themselves in a similar situation if they, for instance, install security bars in an apartment they are renting. In this case, they need to get the owner's written consent and have it stated that they are entitled to compensation for this improvement. Without this, they will not be compensated. The best is always to have the landlord pay for improvements as the property remains his. Have all necessary upgrades included as a clause into your lease agreement before signing it.'