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Our Q&A posts this week:

Don't miss our comprehensive list of Upcoming Strata Events - found at the very bottom of the newsletter. If you think you may be missing some of the newsletter, simply scroll to the bottom ⬇ and click 'View entire message', or click 'View this email in your browser' on the top ⬆ RHS.  

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Latest Articles

VIC: Q&A Forced sale and the 75% rule

 
Robert Savage, McClusky Lawyers
Question: We were wondering if we could have information about a rule that we have just heard of which allows a strata title to sell when 75% of owners decide to sell. Has a reform for a Forced Sale been approved in Victoria and if so where can we find information on this rule and what our rights are?
 
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NSW: Q&A Exclusive use of common property. No access! Really…..?

 
Leanne Habib, Premium Strata
Question: Before I owned my apartment, another lot owner was given exclusive use of common property. The area is quite large and I'm perturbed I no longer have access. Is there anything I can do?
 
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QLD: Q&A Solar panels and strata – which account do we debt?

 
Todd Garsden, Hynes Legal 
Question: We are going through the solar panels and strata process. Does the expenditure for this install of solar panels on the roof come from the sinking fund or a special fund set up to collect and pay for this one off expense?


 
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ACT: Q&A Levies issued but no approval of Owners Corporation budget

 
Jan Browne, Whittles Strata Partners
Question: Can our Strata Manager issue levies to each lot owner for the new financial year when there has been no General Meeting to approve the Owners Corporation budget?

 
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QLD: Q&A Changing the date of when the committee meeting will be held

 
Frank Higginson, Hynes Legal 
Question: Advice is needed regarding changing a date for when a committee meeting will be held to accommodate two committee members whose attendance is crucial to discussing/negotiating with the committee on serious by-law breaches.

 
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VIC: Update on Cladding Laws

 
Stephen McMahon, Whitbread Insurance Brokers
After an Australian Federal Senate Inquiry and multiple investigations, 2018 is finally seeing some action regarding cladding laws. Regulatory changes and laws drafted to either ban or control the use of various types of cladding will come into play, helping ensure the safety of countless buildings and their occupants.

 
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Last Edition's Star Article

NSW: Q&A Should a Free Strata Report be available at inspection?

 
Leanne Habib, Premium Strata
Question: When inspecting a strata unit, should a free strata report be available for prospective purchasers? What documentation should the agent have available for those interested in purchasing the unit?
 
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News of the Week

Grenfell Tower 'nearly collapsed' in inferno, investigation finds

 
Nick Miller, The Sydney Morning Herald
The draft report by fire investigation experts BRE Global found that new cladding and insulation made the outside of the building highly combustible, and exposed other areas of incompetence in the design, installation and maintenance of windows, doors and other features. It revealed that the building came perilously close to collapse - and would have done if the original building had not been constructed well beyond modern standards of fire resistance.
 
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Pental fined $700,000 for false claims about 'flushable' White King wipes

 
Leanne Habib, Premium Strata
"These White King wipes can't be flushed down the toilet, and Australian wastewater authorities face significant problems if they are [flushed] because they can cause blockages in household and municipal sewerage systems," she said. Sydney Water spokesman Jackson Vernon also welcomed the $700,000 fine, saying blockages caused by bathroom products cost millions of dollars each year to fix.

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NSW: Have Your Say

A message from Karen Stiles, OCN:

State Member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, has launched a petition to have short term letting debated in NSW parliament.  He needs 10,000 signatures.  They must be original signatures so people need to print, sign, and mail/drop off to his office. 
 
We urge NSW LookUpStrata readers to sign, put up in their lobbies, and share with their committees and other lot owners.

Independent MP Alex GreenwichThere has been a strong supportive response to my petition calling for owners corporations the authority to control short term letting in their building, including to place limits beyond state controls or to ban the practice outright. If you support this approach, please sign and collect signatures. Print petition HERE.

Quick NSW Q&A

We sometimes receive interesting questions into the site which aren't quite long enough to create into a post. We thought we'd share some here. We recently received the following question:
Q: Strata Plan was submitted to City Council and approved in 2009 however it was never registered. Is the Council approval still valid so that the owner can go ahead and register the Strata?
Leanne Habib, Premium Strata replied: 
A: The approval may have lapsed (because it has become stale) – you should make enquiries with your local council and or with a registered surveyor as there are regulations around the timing in which the strata plan must be lodged after preparation.

Upcoming Events

New South Wales

Western Australia

Victoria

Breaking News

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NSW: Over 1000 new apartments to be released in Newcastle over next 3 years


Receivers and cashed up opportunists are at the ready watching Sydney apartment prices

VIC: Houses & early feed-in tariffs helped reduced rooftop solar costs, it's time to focus on apartments and the impending storage boom

 

ACT: Architect of ACT's tax reform says unit rates hike created 'inequity'


Canberra unit rents surge to record high: Domain report

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