Question: I’m renting a unit in Brighton-Le-Sands, southern Sydney and I have a double garage. Can I use the garage for DIY projects rather than for parking of vehicles? Answer: Seek strata permission through your strata manager or your strata committee. It is advisable to seek strata permission through your strata manager (if you…
Question: I’m a healthcare shift worker. My downstairs neighbours says I can’t shower after 9pm. What are my rights here? I am renting an apartment. The woman below me is quite noise sensitive and isn’t the type of person I want to upset. However, I am a healthcare worker and do shift work. My…
Question: If an issue in common property leads to flooding in the unit and damage to the unit, is the owners corporation responsible to repair or reimburse the costs incurred to fix the damage? If an issue in common property leads to flooding in the unit and damage to the floor or ceiling within…
Question: My strata manager is withholding some of my levy notices. How do I ensure these late notices are sent to me, as the strata manager is ignoring my emails? I think my strata manager is withholding some of my levy notices. They say I am unfinancial, therefore I could not vote at the…
Question: One townhouse in our complex has a tree growing within their lot that is now covering a section of the roof and contributing to blocked gutters. Can you please confirm whether or not it is the unit owner or the Strata’s responsibility to prune the offending tree? Answer: Once you determine where the…
Question:Can an existing Special ByLaw be amended without the legal cost of being re-written by a strata lawyer? Can an existing Special ByLaw be amended without the legal cost of being re-written by a strata lawyer. This bylaw outlines permission and the terms and conditions for owners to install ducted split air conditioning systems, roof…
Question: Is this general meeting valid? What about the quorum? We have just had an EGM stated as (DATE) with pre-meeting voting closing (24 HRS PRIOR). The notice of the meeting was misleading. On one side of the header, it says: The meeting will be held on (DATE) via electronic vote commencing at (TIME) Next…
Question: How do we force a decision in a 4 unit, self-managed complex? There are always 2 for and 2 against. Strata is a democracy and it comes back down to a vote. Generally a four lot scheme can create more work than a 400 lot scheme because of that one reason where you just…
Question: What are the voting rights on a Strata motion mid-way through a unit’s sale process when contracts have been exchanged but are yet to be settled? Who is the voting party under these circumstances? Answer: The voting party is the registered owner on the strata roll at the time the vote is conducted….
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: The owners removed the carpet in the apartment above mine without permission. The noise is terrible. Is there anything I can do or do I have to put up with it? The owners removed the carpet in the apartment above mine without permission. Our strata plan has the basic standard Floor Coverings by-law….
Question: I live in a block of units that has a resident who is a long term compliance cop. Can this person be removed from the committee before an AGM if the residents agree? I live in a block of units that has a resident who is a long term compliance cop. The person is…
Question: My allocated parking spot has a tree in front if it which makes accessing the spot especially challenging. What can I do? I am currently renting a strata unit with an allocated parking spot. My allocated parking spot has a tree in front if it which makes entering and exiting the spot especially…
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 /…
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: Can other lot owners walk through my car parking space? Answer: No. Technically this is trespass because you own the cubic air-space of the lot through which they are traversing. It may potentially be a nuisance too For the full question and our detailed response, visit the original publication at Look Up Strata. Do you have…
Question: As an owner do I have the right to approach committee members for information about current issues and does the committee member have the right to share that information? Answer: You have automatic rights to be apprised of all current issues affecting your scheme. While an open relationship with the strata committee is…
Question: My garage is in immediate need of repair to the point of causing damage to my car. I have requested maintenance but nothing is done. What can I do? My basement garage in my strata building has no glass in its windows, just some plasterboard covering where glass should be, and the window…