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…
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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…
Can EC members be paid?
It’s often said that the problem with most Executive Committees is that the people you would like to be running them are too busy earning money to pay their…
Premium dilemma
QUESTION: I insure my investment unit with a landlords insurance policy covering contents damage, personal liability and loss of rent. The contents have been ‘written down’ to an amount where…
Rent reduction removed
QUESTION: My bedroom ceiling developed a leak from common property and there was water damage to the walls. My landlord but did nothing so I called Fair Trading and they…
No free lunch in damp kitchen
QUESTION: In our very small block, the kitchen cupboards of the ground floor flat have started to rot because of damp in the walls. The owner wants us to replace…
Snake in the strata
QUESTION: I’ve just rented found a fabulous new flat but the lease says I need the landlord’s permission to have a pet and the building has a by-law that restricts…
Locked in to key charges
WE get lots of complaints about Owners Corporations and executive committees ‘wasting’ money but what about buildings that are making too much? QUESTION: My Owners Corp seems to be raising…