Unit living: You never had it so good
In the great welter of anti-apartment material that has been published over the years, the minor, humorous whinge about the difficulties of living in flats that appeared in Fairfax online…
Past Posts
These posts go all the way back to the raw versions of my Flat Chat columns for the Sydney Morning Herald’s Domain section over th e past 15 years. Some of the issues are specific to New South Wales, some are universal. There will almost certainly be differences in strata law between NSW and other states and countries and the laws have changed over that timespan too.
If you have a serious problem, contact the agencies (in Australia) listed in our contacts sections. Or contact a properly qualified and experienced strata lawyer. These columns should not be regarded as a substitute for professional legal advice.
Roundup: Sitting on defence
OK, I admit it. I am obsessed with apartments. And, considering that I spend every day and most of my nights wading through your problems and complaints, I should be…
Apartment gripes – an obsessive responds
It’s always a bit disappointing when you read the same old anti-apartment prejudices trotted out … especially when it comes from a colleague (albeit in a light-hearted vein).. Am I too…
Cat-nipped: Pet sitter caught with his pants down
This isn’t strictly speaking a Flat Chat story but it has everything else – pets, sex, apartments, a New Yorker in Australia, smartphones, technology … so we just had to…
Dangers of buying in the worst block on the best street
When you imagine a badly run building where poor management is depressing property values, I bet you don’t think of some of our city’s more salubrious suburbs. But, reviewing a…
Roundup: now with added Apples (OK … iPhones)
I am having great difficulty writing this, mainly because I have my fingers crossed. I think I have finally fixed the problem with iPhones, ipads and smartphones that meant you…
Apps, chats and stats drive strata revolution
Just in time for the new laws allowing online meeting and votes, Jimmy Thomson learns about a strata management revolution promised in a $16 million joint effort. Smartphone apps that transmit…
Window of opportunity as safety laws loom
The big day, July 1, came and went with the proposed changes to the strata Act still in abeyance until November 30, as was announced this week. However, March 13,…
Strata law changes date set – catch up with the chat
The new strata laws are due to come in on November 30. Well, most of them – we won’t see the developers defects bond until next July at the earliest.…
Holding out for a hero: 5 bad strata chairs
As we go to the polls to choose our national leaders, it may be a good time to consider who we elect as strata chairs. We all need a hero. Someone who…
Roundup: Would you elect either of them as your EC chair?
In Britain they get to choose between being in and out of Europe, in America they get to choose between Trump and Clinton and we get … (drum roll) Malcolm…
Double trouble in disaster duplex
Ask any strata manager what the worst job in their world is and they will tell you it’s not the massive multi-block monster with investors, owner residents and tenants, at…