The strata law reform position paper
I’m probably going to take a lot of stick for this because I have been fairly unstinting in my praise for these proposals. Sure, they’re not 100 percent right and…
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Best flat in the worst building
We are often told the best piece of property advice is to buy the worst house in the best street (and definitely not vice versa). But what if you are…
New Strata Laws – a preview
In his speech to the Strata Community Australia’s Owners day on Saturday, Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts outlined a number of key elements of proposed change in the upcoming review…
Room to move in strata law reform
This is the comment piece that ran alongside the news story in the Herald on November 4. ‘Lord, give me the courage to change what I can, the serenity to…
Digital TV dilemma for small blocks
Get switched on to digital The big switchover to digital TV from analog in our two biggest cities is just a few weeks away – December 3 in Sydney and…
Best units in the worst blocks
At a time when developers and apartment buyers agree on at least one thing – they both want low levies – the leading pressure group for strata dwellers is hoping to…
Renters: What’s the problem?
Strata tenants and landlords get a lot of stick. Tenants are blamed every time there is a problem (because owners never park in the wrong place, play loud music or…
Balcony spa parties won’t wash
The owner of a spa installed on a balcony is about to get himself in hot water – despite the fact that the chairman of his building is a regular…
Bird Brain: ban on feeding feathered friends
Can a strata owners corporation order a resident to stop feeding wild birds. And should the owner be feeding them in the first place? The question was asked by Flat…
Parking clickers a tricky issue
QUESTION: “I live in a big building of 300-plus apartments, and the owner of each car space is issued with a clicker for the car park to let them in…
Short term lets threat from B’n’B website
A global social network-based room rental service is testing strata bans on short-term lets to breaking point. The Airbnb website has already caught the attention of councils in Sydney concerned…
Victoria – we’re here for you too
Although this website occasionally gets questions from Victorian strata dwellers, it’s probably fair to say that we reflect the fact that Flat Chat started in the Sydney Morning Herald with…