I have a complaint – no one’s complaining
It ever there was a group of people who deserved to be called the silent majority, it’s strata tenants. Tenants make up more than half the population of strata units but…
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Time already up for new unit blocks
Owners who have just moved into brand new apartment buildings may have already missed the deadline for defect claims, according to strata experts, while others may have only weeks to…
Building defects objections too little, too late
The current wailing and gnashing of teeth about the new definition of building defects has come too late to do anything about what is fundamentally a government cave-in to developers…
QUIZ: Are you suited to apartment living
In the headlong rush to apartment living for all sorts of reasons other than it’s the kind of lifestyle you want, some people might be en route for an experience…
12 New Year Resolutions for Apartment Residents
Another year has rolled around and you still haven’t got to grips with living in your block? You’ve got issues, but who hasn’t? And you have something to contribute –…
No-no notes and the neighbours from Hell
Having good relations with friendly neighbour is a blessing. But every so often somebody does or says the wrong thing and the nasty notes start flying around. Here are some…
Party smartly and avoid eviction
With party season already in full swing, here are some simple ways you can prevent your neighbours all making the same new year’s resolution: to get you out of their…
10 ways to lower your levies
The old adage that you get what you pay for doesn’t always apply to levies or fees for apartment buildings. Sometimes you pay too much for what you are getting.…
Are rogue renovators doing your block?
“I have just bought a unit and I want to renovate,” says a reader. “Is there anything I need to know and permissions I need to get before I proceed.”…
Are your levies too high … or too low?
Nobody likes paying strata levies or fees, as they are called in Victoria. They feel like a tax on apartment living even though they are really just your share of…
Sounds of summer: ‘where’s my airbnb key?’
I’m sounding like a cracked record on this but the first signs of summer – exhausted travellers buzzing at the door demanding keys to their holiday rental – have set…
Mediation: The umpire strikes out
I have just sat through my first Fair Trading mediation, holding the hand of a friend who had raised a complaint, and I can now confirm what Flat Chat readers…