Question: As a new owner can my building manager charge me $140 per access card x 4 to access my lot? As a new owner can my building manager charge me $140 per access card x 4 to access my lot? The two access cards provided by the previous owner have been deactivated. My family…
Question: What are the requirements for owning and or residing in an over 55s strata property? Does the owner or all residents need to be over 55 to live in a retirement village? Our Strata is an over 55s or invalid property. Can a purchaser be stopped from buying a lot in a retirement…
Question: Is the chairperson elected before each meeting? Answer: If you haven’t elected a chairperson, secretary and treasurer, to remain in office for the term of their appointment, you can elect a chairperson for each meeting. At a general meeting, you elect your strata committee, but you don’t elect the office bearers position. This…
All persons must wear masks on the common property and other shared areas from Tuesday the 13th of July 2021 This requirement applies to the Greater Sydney Area Shared property includes Lobbies Foyers Lifts Shared walkways Garbage rooms Garage areas Reception areas Mailbox areas Stairwells Shared facilities such as laundries, gyms and swimming pools The requirement…
Question: Our owners corporation is part of a BMC. Is it regulation that the financial and annual budget of the BMC be presented to the strata committee or owners and approved at a committee meeting before the owners corporation AGM? I am an owner in an owners corporation that has shared facilities (BMC) with…
Question: Is there a code of conduct for owners corporations in NSW. I am especially interested in privacy regarding matters between the owners corporation and the owners. Answer: Strata Community Australia has a Code of Ethics, see link below: Strata Community Australia has a Code of Ethics: Code of Conduct – Strata Community Association The…
Question: I am the sole committee person (Treasurer / Secretary and Chairperson) in our 7 lot scheme with one other lot owner as a committee member. He’s only concerned is his lot. How can I remove him from the committee? Our Strata consists of 7 units. I am the sole Committee person (Treasurer /…
Following extensive consultation with the community and holiday-letting industry, the Short-Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) framework has been finalised. The new regulatory framework seeks to ensure local communities continue to enjoy the economic benefits of STRA, while managing potential adverse impacts. Importantly, the new STRA policy includes a deferred commencement clause and consultation is ongoing…
On Wednesday June 8 Leanne Habib founder of Premium Strata joined Nikki Jovicic from LookUpStrata to talk about the NSW rollback of amendments and answered owners NSW Strata questions. During the session, Leanne addressing the rollback of COVID-19 strata amendments in NSW which, among other things, relaxed the manner in which to vote at meetings (eg electronic voting is no longer automatically permissible)…
Question: What is the decision making process for changing light fittings in common areas? I thought these changes need to go to a general meeting and that they require a special resolution. Am I correct? My question is about the decision making process of the strata committee. Our strata committee decided to change the…
Question: I am a piano player living in a NSW strata apartment building. I have received two noise breaches for nuisance about the piano music, claiming I play excessively. This is not correct. What can I do? I am a piano player living in a NSW strata apartment building. I have received two noise…
Question: When recovering late levy payments, can the Owners Corporation recover the costs of using a lawyer/debt collector from the recalcitrant owner? In a previous response you mentioned that when recovering late levy payments, the fourth letter of Demand should be “by lawyer/debt collector”. Who is preferred in the first instance, a lawyer or…
Question: Is it legal to block access to a common area lift from the car park to the foyer? The Strata Committee is denying access to the elevator via the car park unless you have a doctor’s certificate stating you can’t walk up 12 steep stairs to the front entrance (which then leads to…
Question: One lot owner is refusing to pay levies. What is the correct/recommended procedure to pursue debt recovery and in what order should those steps be taken? I am the “Honorary Administrator” of a self-managing strata scheme of four townhouses. We may need to take levy recovery action against one owner who is refusing…
Question: In NSW strata, how many committee members are needed to agree for the approval of building repairs or works? What is the NSW strata law regarding how many committee members can approve building repairs or works? In our building of eight lots, we have always stood by four committee member approvals as a…
Question: We did not receive a levy invoice or a notice of arrears. The next period notice invoice for levies, strata is charging interest and there is a notice of arrears fee. Do we have to pay the arrears notice fee and interest if we never received the invoice? Answer: It depends whether you…
Question: A lot owner in our 5 lot NSW strata building is using the garage to store carpets for their business. What impact would this have on fire safety and strata insurance? Answer: You should contact your local council and make further enquiries there, as they have powers to stop the business being carried…
Question: How many committee members need to sign off on the approval for repairs or building maintenance work for NSW strata properties? Our new Strata Manager is approving work quotes when only one or two committee members have OK’d it verbally, without including the other committee members in any correspondence. Answer: Email direction is…
Question: A lot owner wishes to sell one of their parking spots to me. What are the procedure, pit falls, legalities involved in starting this sale process? Is it possible? I am an owner with a two bedroom unit and one car spot. A neighbouring lot owner wishes to sell one of their parking…
Question: Are there regulations on the use of smoker BBQs on apartment balconies considering the amount of smoke and smell these produce? Answer: You must check the by-laws applicable to your scheme. The short answer is that you must check the by-laws applicable to your scheme. Many schemes have by-laws which regulate BBQ’s and…