Roundup: Rolling around in search of an answer
Some days you’re the Pinball Wizard, others you are just the ball. This week I find myself bouncing between a number of organisations on behalf of all you Flatchatters who…
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.
Will we see a mass evacuation of flats here?
The recent scenes of thousands of people being evacuated from apartment blocks in London shocked Australian apartment residents – almost as much as the deadly Grenfell Tower fire that prompted…
Can by-laws be used to silence angry owners?
The irresistible force meets the immovable object – that’s how intractable internal conflicts in strata schemes are often characterised. But a more accurate description might be the megaphone meets the…
Rogue developer gets a reality check
Regular readers will recall the saga of the rogue developer on the far North coast who basically tried to run his new building to suit himself, with no regard for…
High-rise fire task force could cost us millions
NSW apartment owners could face bills for millions of dollars if the government launches a task force to identify buildings with potentially fatal aluminium cladding. But NSW high-rise builders responsible…
Roundup: Who pays when they find danger cladding on your block?
The powers that be in the state government aren’t saying much but the plan for a high-rise fire safety task force leaked to the media this weekend is very…
Why an Aussie high-rise blaze is more likely than not
A perfect storm of shoddy building practices, the fear and ignorance of apartment residents and a history of pro-developer politics means a high-rise building blaze like the Grenfell Tower tragedy…
Delayed defects bond not all it’s cracked up to be
The delayed 2 percent defects bond maybe not such a good idea after all, says Lannock Finance boss Paul Morton The NSW Government’s deferral of the 2 per cent strata defects…
Roundup: Recycling Brownie points is not what it’s all about
I was amused to read this story in the Herald online about the Bauhaus building’s recycling initiatives. I don’t begrudge those residents their praise for recycling clothes. Good on them. But…
How to nail rogue renovators
Bang, crash, wallop … drrrrr, brrrrooop, thud-thud-thud. That’s the sound of your weekend when rogue renovators are at work. It’s also a noise that greets way too many strata residents…
Roundup: Fixing a hole in the strata-sphere
AS we have said many times in the past, there is a great big hole in the otherwise comprehensive advice offered by Fair Trading to strata residents. We have all…
Standing orders: Rules for running committees
Elsewhere we have discussed the need for rules and guidelines on how to run committees. ‘Standing Orders’ as they are often known, are different from a Code of Conduct in…