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Topic
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What redress does a tenant have when the managers appointed by the Body Corp turn round and say “If you don’t like it, eff-off”?
We live in an upmarket complex on Kangaroo Point, Qld, and have been here for over 6 years. It has a mix of owner occupiers, long-term tenants, and an increasing proportion of short-stay corporate and holiday rentals.
A new management company took over one year ago and seems to be intent on denying all service to owners and long-term tenants. They appear to be interested only in taking bookings and collecting payments from short-stays. The preponderance of short-stays has resulted in an increase in litter, noise, exposed laundry, ignorant behaviour in shared facilities and an ever-present stink of cigarette smoke from adjoining balconies.
Their latest wheeze is to refuse to give access for cleaners to residents’ apartments. The previous managers offered a housekeeping service, but the current lot’s subcontractors were so unreliable (an ever-changing gaggle of untrained foreign students) that we had to cancel them and make our own arrangements with an external supplier. The body corp managers have now announced that they will no longer provide access for contractors while the resident is absent.
This, and other petty obstructionism, makes us feel that there is a deliberate campaign to drive out long lease tenants and convert the apartments to short stay which gives them greater opportunity for profit. I don’t want to be put to the expense and inconvenience of moving out, but it is unpleasant to get constant hostility and calculated bad service from people that are collecting over $25,000 a year from us in rent. Does anyone know of any remedy or authority that we can complain to?
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Replies
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If you want to keep your current manager (not sure if you would), some managers belong to a professional body you could advise the professional body
Ultimately the Strata Managers are paid for by you and the other owners to run the strata how you want (within the confines of the law and the Strata Bylaws).
I think if other owners are unhappy to get the EC together and discuss the managers with an email advising them of what you expect from them and how you want the strata run.
If they are unwilling to change then start the process of finding a new manager. Just be careful to sack them by the law and nicely. I had a bad experience when we got rid of our strata manager she was extremely difficult to get the paperwork from.
If you have enough time to look for another place then start finding a new one.