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NSW: Q&A Damage caused by tree roots from a neighbour
Leanne Habib, Premium Strata
Question: One of our lot owners has experienced damage caused by tree roots from a neighbour. Who is responsible for the cost of the remedial works to the adjoining property, the strata neighbour or the strata body?
QLD: Q&A Can we appoint a replacement for a current strata contract?
Frank Higginson, Hynes Legal Question: Can the Body Corporate appoint someone to fulfil a current strata contract when the current gardener is leaving due to ill health?
SA: Q&A Strata Maintenance Adelaide. How to repair the roof
Tony Johnson, Horner Management Question: Our roof is in need of replacement. I’ve been talking to other owners, gathering quotes and looking at our sinking fund contributions. Do I have to wait until the next AGM to raise this?
If a Strata Company enters into an agreement with the local City Council to come onto common property for the purpose of emptying the bins, does their insurance cover this?
Under the Sustainable Sydney 2030 strategic plan, the City of Sydney provided innovation grant funding to study Electric Vehicle (EV) charging in residential apartment buildings.
If you don’t know whether the cladding on your building is combustible (or to use the less scary word – non-conforming), you are soon going to be forced to find out.
NSW: Levy Recovery and Payment Plans for Levies in Arrears
Adrian Mueller, JS Mueller & Co
You may recall late 2016 the new laws came into play giving lot owners the specific right to request an owners corporation to agree to a payment plan for any levies in arrears.
However, before a levy recovery payment plan can be put into place, the owners corporation must accept the payment plan at a general meeting.
NSW: Q&A ‘No Animals Allowed’ – not even a companion animal
Leanne Habib, Premium Strata Question: There are a number of very vocal apartment owners in my building who are against animals of any type, including a companion animal.
QLD: AGM or Wine? Why You Should Participate in Your AGM
Response provided by Frank Higginson, Hynes Legal Question: We came from overseas in April of 2018 and purchased a unit in North Queensland. I was elected to our Body Corporate at the end of April. I wanted to protect our interest in the unit that we purchased. However, I feel that I am being kept out of the loop as I do not receive any information from the Chairperson as what is happening with the Body Corporate. Our last levies were due on June 1 but I have never been advised if all owners have paid. No BC meetings have been held........
NSW: Q&A Exclusive use of common property. No access! Really.....?
Leanne Habib, Premium Strata Question: I have lived in my strata unit for 16 years. Consecutive managers have neglected the garden area- which is common property so I have added my own mulch 10 years ago and put down fake grass over muddy areas to make them useable, plus trimmed plants.
The body corporate executive recently installed a very ugly and unwanted clothesline despite my objections. I’m now being accused of using the area as my own and the new executive, of new owners, is ‘considering’ issuing a breach notice which means they want me to turn it back into the muddy useless mess it was initially.
Experienced strata lawyer, Amanda Farmer, has built an online community where strata owners and managers can easily access the information and resources they need to live peacefully and stress free in their own homes, increase the value of their investment and, in the case of managers, stand out from the competition.
QLD: Commercial | Strata | Painting | Remedial Repairs An Award-winning company specialising in strata painting, waterproofing, tiling and remedial works. We comply with all safety standards, our quoting is transparent and we hold all relevant insurances.
News of the Week
NSW: Sydney calls for high-rise apartments to get green
The Fifth Estate The City of Sydney is looking for 20 high-rise apartments to join its free 2018-19 Smart Green Apartments program, which collectively saved last year’s cohort $1 million in energy and water bill savings.
Can the design of an apartment affect your mental health?
Melissa Heagney, Domain Researchers from Melbourne and Western Australia have launched a study looking at whether state government design policies for apartments help to improve people’s mental health and wellbeing.
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 Greenwich: There 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.
Before making any decisions about possible changes to the BUGT Act, the Queensland Government would like to hear your views about QUT’s recommendations.
You are invited to provide feedback on QUT’s recommendations to harmonise some provisions of the BUGT Act and the BCCM Act to provide bodies corporate operating under the BUGT Act with a more contemporary body corporate legislative framework.
WA: Have Your Say on Short Term Accommodation in Strata
Have you experienced short term accommodation in strata?
SCA (WA) wants to hear from you!
SCA (WA) is currently seeking feedback from strata managers and SCA owner members on on their experience with short stay accommodation in strata schemes. To complete the survey, please click on the appropriate box.
NSW: Apply for the Smart Green Apartments Program
A message from City of Sydney:
Smart Green Apartments is an award-winning free program provided by the City of Sydney to help make buildings more energy and water efficient. To date we've helped more than 50 buildings in the local area save thousands of dollars each year on running and maintenance costs.
