There are definitely people who live in strata who have a chip on their shoulder for some reason. Rather than being pleased to have a roof over their heads, it is like they are resentful that this is where they have to live. They want to do what ever they want without rules or regulations, as if it were their own home (which is ironic as there are also rules and regulations for houses too).
So they tear down walls, use common property as their own, and my favorite was the owner who dug up all the plumbing in the common property outside of his unit and redirected water runoff to go underneath the slab! And then, when it all goes to crap – that’s when they turn to strata. Because, of course, when you live in strata someone else pays for everything. Especially when it goes wrong! Right?
I have also struck those who don’t want to knock down a wall or change the common property – because they want to strata to do it, and pay for it. If I had a dollar for each downsizer or retiree who moved into strata believing that they never had to pay for anything or do anything again in their lives! That all they had to do was pick up the phone and tell someone to fix their tap while they were out to lunch. “well what do I pay levies for then?” they say when told no. I still hear people saying to me they can’t wait to move into strata so they don’t have to do anything!
And yes, renters I believe are treated like second class citizens. This has to change as the number of renters will out number owner occupiers soon. In my old complex it was the owners we had a problem with. The tenants were happy in their homes and loved where they lived!
There is good and bad with anything. Where and how you live is no different. In the end – we should all be grateful for having a roof over our heads. Many people do even have that!