Electrical repairs shock landlord
QUESTION: I’m a first-time landlord and have just started letting a small unit. A few weeks after moving in, the tenants reported that a power point and a light don’t…
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.
EC has a false sense of security
QUESTION: Does anyone know of any laws that require an apartment block to have a front security door? I am living in a small block of fewer than 15 units…
Timber floor is just dirty pool
Want to know the biggest problem with by-laws? It’s not that they’re too restrictive – it’s that nobody reads them and too few enforce them. If you want proof, look…
Stone the crows, is no one safe?
QUESTION: The concrete roof of our building is covered in a tar membrane on top of which are river stones – presumably to protect the membrane and reduce the heat…
Agent silent on rent arrears
QUESTION: Our new tenant paid in full in December, two weeks in January and nothing last month. After no response to two emails the managing agent finally advised us she…
Rents go down as lift gives up
QUESTION: Who is responsible for lost rent if tenants move out while the lift is being upgraded for approximately 10 weeks? – TC ANSWER: This is very tricky, because on…
Apartment smokers can breathe easy
Hurrah! People who live in apartment buildings will soon be forbidden from smoking outside their buildings’ entrances. A sight we see … um … errr … never because, unlike office…
Fines and jail for ignoring faults
A tradesman I know had been called to a 15-to-20-year-old block on the North Shore after complaints that balustrade fittings were loose and corroding. Every balcony he tested had dangerous…
Beware the rental rats
Here’s a weird one for you. A friend (let’s call her Gina) recently went on to a ‘reputable’ website to find a flat share and got a gushing email from…
When neighbours hang you out to dry
Make no mistake, the single most important change the government could include in its strata law review would be to make the enforcement of by-laws compulsory (as it is in…
Is direct let a safe bet?
QUESTION: I am about to lease a townhouse directly from the owner. What things should I ask for to prove proof of ownership? Will the bond form be enough proof?…
Writing on wall for big TV
QUESTION: We recently bought a big new flat screen TV for our fairly small flat and, for a variety of reasons it would look great on the wall. The by-laws…