NSW Q: An owner in our 46 unit strata scheme wishes to add a room to his lot. Work involving reconfiguring internal walls is classified as minor works in the scheme's by-laws, but is planning or additional permission required in respect of the strata plan or from local council?
WA Q: Under the new WA strata legislation, can a member of the Council of a strata company be fully responsible for their dysfunctional performance? What penalties apply?
ACT Q: I occasionally hear rustles in the ceiling. Is it the strata's responsibility or the lot owner's responsibility to investigate this noise? The ceiling cavity is between a ground floor (my apartment) and an upper floor apartment.
QLD Q: Section 180(1) of the regulations (standard module) states that "the body corporate must maintain common property in good condition ….”. If the common property is an item of swimming pool machinery that has broken down, is it permissible for a body corporate to resolve not to repair or replace that item and if so what type of resolution is required?
NSW Q: We've just discovered our dampers have not been checked for compliance for the past 8 years. We're now up for $570,000 to repair the dampers. Shouldn't this have been part of the annual fire inspection?
NSW Q: We have a pavilion which can be booked free of charge. Since COVID, there has been a cleaning fee for each booking. While this seemed reasonable in the past, our committee is not reviewing the decision until their next meeting in 2023. Is this unreasonable?
QLD Q: In minutes from a previous meeting, the committee agreed to repair damage to my unit. Now they tell me the minutes were recorded incorrectly. Is the committee bound by their decision recorded in the minutes?
Queensland residents - there is an E-Petition available to amend the body corporate regulation for caretaking agreements to a maximum of 5 years.
The petition states: "Statutory obligations of caretakers is to act in the ‘best interests' of the body corporate, but caretakers are incentivised to ensure their engagement is for as long as possible in order to sell at a later date. If agreements were set for a fixed term of a more reasonable length it would reduce strife in community living, and return focus to performance."
