New regime for the Disposal of Abandoned Goods

From 1st July 2020, new laws regarding the disposal of goods abandoned on the common property came into effect. The regulation of the treatment of abandoned goods in strata schemes has been transferred from the Strata Schemes Management Act, 2015 (NSW) (“SSMA”) to the Uncollected Goods Act, 1995 (NSW) (“UGA”). The process for the removal…

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NSW: Q&A Apartment fire regulations – Fire Doors

  Question: We need to shave a little off the bottom of our entry fire door to install new floorboards. Is strata responsible for modifying or replacing the fire door, since the front fire door is common property? I am installing floorboards in my apartment which will raise the existing floor levels, consequently, I may…

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NSW Q&A: Rescinding Resolutions

Question: in relation to the article: NSW: Q&A Can Owners Corporation committee decisions be reconsidered? can you please point me to the section or clause in the SSMA 2015 or SSMR 2016, that refers to rescinding resolutions as referred to in this article 359? Answer: Any decision made by a corporation may be reversed.  Further, Sch…

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NSW Q&A: EGM Agenda

Question: I have a question about who determines what is included in an EGM agenda? Can the Strata Manager simply circulate an EGM notice and voting papers without consulting with the entire Strata Committee, or is the SC meant to vote on what is included in the EGM agenda? Answer: Both the delegated secretary (Strata Manager…

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NSW Q&A: Legal Responsibilities of Sub-Committees

Question: Do sub-committees have the same legal responsibilities as Strata Committees under By-Laws and NSW Legislation in terms of issuing agendas and recording (and distributing to lot owners) minutes of meetings. Lot owners here suspect the committee is avoiding discussions with residents and committing to expenditure by declaring that they are meeting as a “sub-committee”….

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NSW Q&A: Spending Limits for Council Owners

Question: In relation to the LookUp Strata article addressing spending limits for items not in the Council of Owners’ budget for Western Australia, do these limits apply in all states or only WA? I am in NSW. Answer: In NSW, the strata committee may be restricted on spending limits or any other matter or type of…

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Can parking in your own car space be considered a nuisance?

In a recent decision of The Owners Strata Plan No 2245 v Veney [2020] NSWSC 134 (Veney Case), the Supreme Court of NSW was asked to consider: whether they could make a declaration implying an additional term into an exclusive use by-law, being a by-law which gave the relevant owner the exclusive use of a common property car…

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NSW Q&A: Who is Responsible for Exclusive Elevators?

Question: Who is responsible for a home lift totally located within the airspace of a strata unit, not accessible to any other unit owner and used exclusively by the owners/occupants of the residential unit? Is it the Owners Corporation or the Unit Owners? Answer: It is difficult to determine with any precision whether the subject…

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