Question: An old cooling tower in our building only services a proportion of the apartments. What are the strata committee powers? The committee is proposing to replace the tower with ducted air conditioning to the affected units at the cost of the Owners Corporation. Answer: The strata committee seems to be abusing their powers and…
A LookUpStrata reader, who recently moved into a unit, wanted to know how he could get an entrenched and highly resistant executive committee to acknowledge their obligations under the new legislation, to have a 10 year plan, have it professionally costed and take immediate steps to raise the required funds to support it as well…
A LookUpStrata reader wanted to know who is responsible for maintaining an individual unit’s ducted air conditioning systems when their main components are located outside the Lot’s boundaries. The short answer is: it depends. The test for determining whose responsibility repair & maintenance befalls is whether or not there is an exclusive use by-law registered. You can…
A LookUpStrata reader wanted to know whether the Executive Committee was bound to solicit and present three competitive quotes for any substantial work requiring Capital Works Funding. In summary, our response was that under the new strata legislation introduced on 30 November 2016 it appears that the need for three quotes is only a requirement for…
We provided a response to another LookUpStrata readers question. The reader wanted to know who is responsible for the repair of a retaining wall in the back yard of a strata-titled town house. Generally retaining walls are common property; however, this can vary from building to building. The strata plan will generally depict the boundaries of lot…
Leanne provided a response to a LookUpStrata readers question. The reader wanted to know what can be done to ensure that the Executive Committee fulfills its duty of maintaining common property. We advised the lot owner to put their Strata Managing Agent on notice that the Owners Corporation is in breach of its duties. Read our…
We recommend this article by Bannermans Lawyers. It warns of the risks of accepting a builder’s quotation for remedial work without checking the terms and condition and the use of legal advice. These works are often very costly, and the marginal added cost (as a percentage of the total) of such advice are well worth it. It helps avoid…
Leanne has provided a response to a reader’s question received by LookUpStrata. The reader wanted to know what to do after her strata management agent allowed sub-standard repairs to be performed in her strata titled building. You can read the full question, and Leanne’s response by clicking here.
Leanne has provided a response to a reader’s question received by LookUpStrata. The reader wanted to know who makes the decision to appoint a contractor to perform work at a strata building. You can read the full question, and Leanne’s response by clicking here.
The Domain has written a nice article summarising 10 proof points confirming that you purchased a strata unit in a good block: The entrance hallway or foyer should be clean, bright and welcoming. The lifts should be clean and graffiti free. Neighbours greet each other with a smile Social activities are organised in your block,…
Another great article from Bannermans Lawyers. This article provide five things to consider when your strata titled building has water penetration issues
Our friends at Bannermans Lawyers have written a brief overview of what an Owners Corporation can do when they find items dumped on Common Property. Hit this link to read more.
Building owners will be familiar with the legal requirement to lodge a fire safety statement with the local council and fire brigade every year. The process usually involves a fire services contractor attending the building, inspecting and testing fire safety measures and certifying they are compliant or recommending work to make them compliant, and once…
Following the recent storms and floods, Kerin Benson wrote this quick refresher for owners corporation’s and lot owners on what their respective duties are when common property is damaged. Hit this link to read the full article!
In a previous article we wrote, titled Strata Fees, Strata Levies, Management Fees. What’s the difference?, we explained that the amount you pay in strata levies are typically dependent on three factors: the location and quality of your building and the facilities offered. Levies can be kept artificially low in a number of ways. For example,…
Hit this link to a very timely article, written by Kerin Benson Lawyers, on the owners corporation’s duty to maintain and repair common property damaged by storms and wild weather. It provides you with a brief overview of the duties for both owners and the owners corporation when common property is damaged.
We have just published a new article in which we provide some more details around strata levies (or strata fees) and strata management fees. There are a number of ways in which a building can be ‘creative’ in reducing the levies it needs to raise. This article highlights the need to do your homework before…