Time of the sign doesn’t suit
NB: There is an update at the end of this column. QUESTION: Our lease expires at the end of this month. About 3 months ago our property manager sent us…
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.
The trouble with finding problems
Be careful what you wish for … identifying problems in a strata building could leave you holding the baby when it comes to fixing them. That’s the underlying theme of…
Respect at inspection
We all understand why a landlord would want to inspect their property but nobody likes the idea of someone poking around your stuff, even if they do own the roof…
Old versus new
Everybody wants everything to be shiny and new – new car, new TV, new fridge – but should the lure of the new apply in apartments too? QUESTION: I am…
Smoke signals for Clean Strata
Our recent news feature about the strata block in Ashfield that banned smoking INSIDE people’s apartments certainly got people talking – all the commercial TV stations and many radio stations…
Slumlords squeezing tenants
This week’s Herald investigation into foreign students exploited by ruthless landlords has exposed some brutally ugly facts of rental life in Sydney, including sexual blackmail, massive fraud and illegal development.…
Developers who can’t let go
Imagine if you bought a car based on a test drive of the same model and maybe a picture in glossy brochure, but when it turned up, it had two…
Rental agents’ games no fun
A caller to the Flat Chat spot on the James Valentine radio show last week unearthed a grubby little scheme by an Inner West real estate agent. Our listener had…
New broom’s sweeping challenge
So now we have a new minister of Fair Trading – a position we have, in the past, called a “training wheel” ministry. If Fair Trading Ministers are any good,…
On-site or on the nose
A lot of renters (and investors) love having on-site managers in their buildings. The good ones are there when you need them, looking after the building while avoiding the petty…
A pox on your proxies
QUESTION: Is there any organised lobbying going on to limit the number of proxies that may be held by any one owner at general meetings? I believe that in Queensland…
Water torture
QUESTION: I have moved into an older building and my problem starts EVERY night at 1.30 am when my upstairs neighbour has a shower. Without fail I get woken by…