Knocking their blocks off
The question of what to do about old, crumbling apartment blocks standing where new, larger and more efficient apartment blocks might be built is an increasingly urgent issue. Demand on…
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.
Renters – Sticky beaks
QUESTION: Our landlords are nice enough people but they live in the apartment above ours and they are always “popping down” for a chat or, even worse, peering over the…
Double trouble
A lot of strata owners just get on with living and trying to be good neighbours, regardless of what the by-laws say. But then somebody wants to sell and the…
Rising Damp
There was a TV sitcom in the 70s, starring the comic genius Leonard Rossiter and Richard Beckinsale (actress Kate’s dad), called Rising Damp – and that’s the only time you…
Renters: Sharing and caring
I’ve recently started part-time study and that means part-time work. A friend wants to rent my spare room – which will be a big help – but only on the…
Smoke signals
With pavement cafes the next no-go areas for smokers, according to reports earlier this month, where do smokers go when they are driven off the streets? One contributor to the…
Renters: Advance unfair
A word of warning to any prospective tenants hoping to stand out from the very competitive crowd by offering six months’ rent or more in advance: you might have trouble…
Taking care of business
When you break down the word “caretaker” it sounds like a good thing. But is strata it can often mean somoene who’s supposed to take care of you and your…
RENTERS: Buy or rent?
QUESTION: I’d like to own my own unit but the figures just don’t add up. Anywhere I might be able to afford isn’t as good as the place I’m renting…
Could you be sued?
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how half the strata plans in NSW are self-managed – that is, they have no strata manager although these tend to be…
Renters: Paint job
QUESTION: A year or so ago I did some work on my rented apartment – including painting, installing shelves and some basic maintenance – in lieu of a few weeks…
Pressure selling
Pressure selling, the blight of the apartment boom a decade ago, is back with us, it seems. The question is, are we going to make the same mistakes all over…