Inflammable cladding ‘not a major defect’
Apartment owners in unit blocks more than two years old are faced with a “pay up or move out” dilemma if they discover the same dangerous cladding on their buildings that…
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.
Are strata dwellers being sold out?
Are we long-term strata dwellers being treated – yet again – as second-class citizens? Last week, submissions into the review of strata laws in NSW closed, with the hottest topic…
Who pays when upstairs kitchen floods?
Who picks up the bill when a two flats are flooded by a defective dishwasher and neither party is insured? The question was raised by Flatchatter “Powers That Be”, a…
New app to end flatshare pain
“Sorry, mate, I can’t quite give you the full rent this month” must be one of the most common – and frustrating – cries in flat share world. But now there’s…
Loophole could let pets off the leash
Want to share your space with an animal in a pet-free building? Just get your doctor to sign a letter saying you need it for “assistance”. That seems to be…
Tenants in, strata ‘presidents’ out, in vote shake-up
This first appeared in the Domain section of the SMH on July 25, 2015 In the raft of more than 90 proposed changes to NSW strata law released a couple…
QUIZ: A law unto ourselves
So you think you know a bit about strata law? How about in other states? Click on over to the Title magazine page where we a running a quiz that…
One word and strata smokers are stubbed out
The days of the ‘fireflies’ – smokers who puff away on the balconies and terraces of their high-rise homes – are numbered in NSW. The government hasn’t banned smoking in…
Hope you like the new look
Trawling through my files the other day I realised it’s been 11 years since I started writing about strata for the SMH and only slightly less than that since this…
Tenants exposed by property pics on the net
Are landlords allowed to photograph the contents of your rented home without your permission, then advertise them on the internet to attract prospective tenants? The question is posed by Flatchatter…
Strata law reforms’ greatest hits
There were more than 90 proposed changes to strata laws in the Draft Bills announced this week – some are massive changes in the concept of property ownership, others…
Vic ruling opens door to short-term lets
A Victorian ruling that strata block owners corporations can’t create rules (by-laws) prohibiting apartments from being let short-term could have a devastating effect on high-rise residents across the country. The…