For me it’s not a matter of being more flexible, but decided on whether you want to have and enforce by laws or not.
I don’t believe that you can enforce one by law but turn a blind eye to another. It should be like the three musketeers – all for one and one for all. If one person breaches a by law and gets a notification, then everyone should as well and all should support this.
I have a friend who, on moving into his apartment, was immediately told that he could not have his pet. He had followed all the protocols before buying and the complex had the “not unreasonably denied” by law in place for pets. They took him to mediation and then the CTTT. But did they take action against the residents parking in visitors spots continuously or on common property in general. No. Just him and the pet by law. So my friend who parked in the right spot but has a pet gets hauled over the coals but those who don’t have pets but park where they like get off without even a notice let alone the CTTT? They are both by laws. Just make up your mind. Either have by laws and enforce them all, or don’t do anything – ever.
But if you want to live in a lawless strata then go ahead. In my complex, in the past people came here to buy or rent and commented on how nice it looked. They could park in the visitors spots no problem to go to the open houses. Of course it looked good. Of course they could park. Everyone obeyed the by laws and those who didn’t were gently reminded and pulled into line. But then those same people moved in and wanted to do whatever they wanted and change everything. Without permission. Without punishment. Without consideration.
With these people constantly challenging and wanting everything to their own liking, we also have those who point out one resident breaking a by law but not another and seem to ignore that they themselves are in breach. We have an EC who issues notices to some but not to others and definitely not to themselves. The inconsistency in enforcing, or even noticing, has lead to this complex not looking so good anymore. Some might say shabby. Not so neat anymore, Not so orderly.
So its not about flexibility for me it’s more about fairness. It’s about giving someone a chance to redeem themselves if they do the wrong thing. It’s about taking action against those who think they are more important than others and can do what they like. It’s about consistency and making up your mind whether you want to enforce by laws or not. Or even have them. Mix in with the above a bit of common sense and there’s your flexibility. It’s not rocket science, it’s just strata. All for one and one for all.