Boy, you’ve been a busy lot in the past week.  Don’t you have jobs to go to or something? But seriously, this week’s bumper crop of questions to the Forum cover everything from blocked garage access to budgies.

But first, don’t read this if you’re eating breakfast. It’s is one of those nightmare scenarios that create a huge stink in strata, in every sense of the word.

The problem started when some tree roots blocked the building’s sewer outlet and the nasty matter started bubbling into our reader’s flat.

The building’s managers were slow to act, didn’t have the right equipment and then refused to turn off the block’s water so that every time someone flushed their toilet, the effluent tide in the ground floor flat got a bit higher.

Finally, a lot later, the problem was discovered and fixed. But while the building insurer has stepped up, the owner’s Home and Contents cover has a clause that excludes problems caused by tree roots.

So who’s going to pay for all the furniture, clothes and coverings that were destroyed in the poonami (sorry, I couldn’t resist)? That’s HERE.

Elsewhere in the Forum

• Isn’t it time we had strata management contracts with realistic and enforceable performance indicators and benchmarks?  You’ll find those questions discussed in detail HERE and HERE.
• My agent didn’t pay my levies and now I’m being charged a 10 per cent penalty.  Is there any way around that?  That’s HERE.
• I’m being driven out by paint fumes. Is it true that I only have to give four weeks’ rent if I break my lease in the first quarter of its term? That’s HERE.
• Common property building work is going to block access to my garage.  Can I get compensation? That’s HERE.
• The Owners Corp says I have to permanently take responsibility for the waterproofing on my bathroom reno.  Is that right? That’s HERE.
• How come I can’t access day-to-day financial records on our strata hub website? That’s HERE.
• Does anybody have ideas on shallow root plants that won’t wreck the waterproofing on our common property flower beds? That’s HERE.
• The by-laws don’t mention pet birds.  How do I apply to keep a budgerigar? That’s HERE.

There are a lot more questions and answers on the Forum. The best way to keep up to speed with what’s happening is to register (if you haven’t already done so), then login and subscribe to the topics that interest you most.

That way you’ll get an alert whenever the discussion moves forward, and you can also chip in with your own comments and questions.  Have a look HERE at our instant guide to getting online.

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