Who ya gonna call?
When things go wrong in Strata-land – and we know they do – who’s going to sort things out for you? At various times all sorts of options have been…
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.
I can’t stand the rain
We tend to get most emails from residents of humungous apartment blocks with similarly huge problems. But if you are suffering as the owner of an apartment in a small…
Forgive our Trespasses
(Please read author’s confession at the end of this piece) Did you know that every time you open your car door in most apartment car parks you are technically trespassing?…
Slums of the future
Flat Chat 97 – Slumming It By Jimmy Thomson There’s been a lot of talk about “slums of the future”, most recently by opponents of the decision by NSW planning…
The answer is blowin’ in the wind
Instead of being more efficient than “normal” houses, as they should be, Sydney’s high-rise apartments apparently produce twice as much greenhouse gas through energy wastage. Our green credentials go up…
That old familiar sinking feeling
Jimmy Thomson The future is finally here for older apartment blocks. All owners corporations will soon have to work out a 10-year sinking fund plan, outlining what their maintenance needs…
Letter from Peter Berry
Jimmy I have read the comments you have sent me in response to your SMH item on illegal parking in strata schemes. They certainly typify the difficulties that can arise…
Letters to Peter Berry
These are the emails passed on to Peter Berry, Head of Policy Development at Fair Trading and to which he replied. There’s a link to his letter on the Flatchat…
Clean slate
Many older apartment buildings in Sydney were never intended to last as long as they have. So what do you do when your block has passed it’s use-by date? Q:…
Flood of complaint
It’s complicated enough to know who’s responsible when owners have problems but when it’s tenants, there’s a whole other level of confusion. Q: My friend Tim rents a ground-floor flat…
Sinking your teeth into the funds.
Now that all new and/or large apartment buildings have to have a sinking fund, the great unanswered (and largely unasked) question is, what happens to all the money while you’re…
Going up
When many of our older, smaller beach-side apartment blocks were built, their full potential was rarely realised. But styles and priorities change and opportunities arise. Q: I own both top…