[Felix]

Spot on guys in regard to the high electricity bill!

I called the company and told them of my complaint and they suggested that I read the meter and advise them , which I did.

They also told me to take the reading closest to the smaller number, so if the reading was halfway between 1 and 2, you would give the reading as 1.

They gave me a couple of options ,one of which was changing my account to $711.00 from $ 1,272.

So I took it no further and accepted their offer and a new account should arrive in a few days.

I have to agree with JT about a possible “guesstimate”or perhaps a bit of carelessness on the reading.

By the way, the previous account for the year before was $ 689.

[Felix]

This is a 7 story building with the meters in the basement level.

The OC has a steady load all day.

This is the reason we would like to have advice from a reputable firm dealing with

the kind of issues you raised to help lower electricity costs for both the individual Owner and the OC for common property.

Changing to more efficient globes is underway at the moment.

[Felix]

Thanks very much for your comments.

One further question.

Is it the responsibility of the Managing Agent to keep the Strata Roll up to date or does the Managing Agent have to be instructed by the SC to contact the Owners or the Owners agents to get a current list of tenants.

If the Managing Agent was to get a current list, is there a charge for this by the Managing Agent?

Some Owners feel that this is one of the duties of the Managing Agent!

[Felix]

After passing this info on the the Managing Agent of this Strata, the Managing Agent is informing that they are passing this query on to the SC for clarification on how they might want to proceed.

The Managing Agent is not providing the list of tenants as they have not been informed of the list of tenants from the Owner or their agent.

Some Owners can’t understand why this is necessary when it is obligatory for the Real Estate agent to provide the Managing Agent with a list of the tenants within 14 days.

Some Owners think that it is the responsibility of the Managing Agent to provide the list of the tenants to the SC and the OC and if necessary if an Owner may call upon the Managing Agent to provide a view a list of the strata roll.

Would appreciate your thoughts!

[Felix]

I thought the removal of non load bearing walls would be a sufficient reason.

Wth renovations there naturally are other works being done.

In this case some are.

They are:  New lightweight infill walls. new single phase air conditioning, new electrical upgrade, new timber flooring, and bathroom, laundry and kitchen facilities to be fully renovated with new waterproof membranes.

I believe the new waterproof membranes are more than a minor works alone.

[Felix]

Thanks Proudsceptic & Stevecro!

I stated in my original comment that walls were being removed so i don’t understand how this can be considered minor repairs.

Please correct me if I’m wrong.

The key issue here is that if anything damages common property in the future as a result of the renovations that the cost of repair is the responsibility of the Owner or future Owners.

[Felix]

This is what I’m getting at!

Where does it state that City dwellers are prohibited from using gas or charcoal grills by fire regulations ?

I think it’s a good idea that strata schemes only permit electric BBQs with all other BBQ types being banned and that’s what some Owners would like to implement in this Strata.

Can the OC introduce a by-law to this effect banning the use of gas and charcoal BBQs and only allowing electric BBQs?

Also what can be done with residents who are already using gas BBQs?

Please advise!

[Felix]

I note the post on smoking zones planned for apartment blocks and the last 2 paragraphs in it referring to balcony barbecues.  Frankly I do not fully understand what they are saying!

I do understand however an article in this mornings Sunday Telegraph on the lower left hand corner of page 28 which states:

“Barbie blaze sparks Panic”

A dodgy barbecue is believed to have sparked a fire in a unit block in Sydney’s north.

Energy services were called to the Lindfield block shortly before 11PM on Friday.

The blaze is thought to have started on the balcony of the second-storey unit when the barbecue’s gas bottle exploded before spreading into the lounge room, causing extensive damage.  

Residents of the building were evacuated while fire crews put out the blaze.

 

Now I’ve read about these fires time and again over the last few years and nothing seems to be being done about it.

We’ve already had the deaths in Bankstown a few years ago and it appears that something similar will happen again if something is not done about the controls.

Of course if something happens like that, it will have been too late.

Under the new legislation taking place in a few days, can an OC issue a by-law to ban barbecues from balconies?

Would a gas barbecue be treated differently than a coal fired or other type of barbecue?

It would seem to me that banning of barbecues would be a much more important issue than providing smoking zones particularly for smaller stratas.

Our strata is a block of 32 units in NSW.

[Felix]

This topic was submitted 6 days ago and hasn’t been replied to yet.

Is there some reason that it hasn’t been answered/

Thanks

[Felix]

Our Strata of 32 units is in a similar situation as to that of Bonnie L.

The EC wanted to contact the Owners but the Managing Agent said he couldn’t provide the Owners contact details due to privacy laws.

My understanding is that the e-mail addresses can be provided if these e-mail addresses appear  on the strata roll.  Is this correct?

In your reply to Bonnie L you state that as an Owner she is entitled to see the strata roll and copy the addresses of non-resident owners.

This sounds a bit strange that the Managing Agent can’t provide the contact details yet any Owner can inspect the strata roll and copy addresses.

They can then contact Owners and pass on contact details to other Owners.

Can you please clarify this?

[Felix]

Thanks Jimmy:

I don’t expect that there will be a problem to address the EC on this occasion although it has happened once in the past.

You are now raising another issue.  That is the make-up of the EC.

Can the make-up of the EC be changed at an EGM and what has to be done to accomplish this.?

In some Owners opinion, the EC at present is too large for the size of this Strata and many members never contribute anything.

The Chairman is about to resign because of outside interests and he might continue as an EC member although not as the chair.

Other major EC positions should be considered also as the other two do not live in the building and one of them rarely attends any meetings.

Does this ever end Jimmy?  I’m sure it doesn’t!

And you would be out of a job!!

[Felix]

Thanks for your reply.

Word has gotten around to some members of the EC and an Agenda for a ECM has been posted.

Some Owners are wondering if an EGM is necessary.

At this stage the color does not appear to be a major concern but rather the concern is that the Owners were not notified over a period of 7 weeks and some Owners want the EC to follow the Strata Titles Act and not be directed by a one man band, so to speak.

This issue will be discussed at the ECM and the Owners would like the EC to take note and to keep the OC informed about what’s going on.

You might say that this issue has triggered unrest from a score of issues, past and present.

Is it necessary to go to an EGM or will the minutes of the ECM suffice or should the EC send a notice to all Owners notifying them of the change of color.?

The Owners would like to have this resolved as peacefully as possible but also want the EC and Chair to get the message.

[Felix]

This is not relating to a change of Managing Agents but rather a change of the manager of the Agency managing our building.

One of our Owners, on his own , contacted a family member of the principles of the Managing Agent firm of our Strata Plan to appoint a different manager of our scheme.  The family member is an employee of our Managing Agent.

Our Owner, who asked for a change, was not a member of the EC at the time.

The change was made by the Managing Agent but a lot of our Owners wanted a more senior representative for our Strata Plan but the Owners had no say in the matter and we have a new manager with less time with the company than our previous manager.

Can anything be done about this or are we stuck with this arrangement, bearing in mind those who disagree may not have the numbers.

[Felix]

I have to say that I was scratching my head when it was advised that the windows of a  strata registered before 1974 were the  responsibility of the lot owner.

My understanding is that the windows overlooking a balcony of the lot owner is their responsibility and the other windows on the walls not overlooking the balconies are the responsibility of the OC.  

Is this correct?

Should the OC want to install a by-law for this Strata that would place the maintenance and repair for the windows on the lot owners, what would be required?

[Felix]

@JimmyT said:
The two I know best (and trust) are Manage Meant and Francis Management. Click on the links to get to their websites and tell them I sent you.

JimmyT  

Further to your recommendations i would assume that there are ” Horses for Courses”.  By that I mean the age of the building and the size etc.

I’m talking about a SP in NSW of 36 units and the building built in 1972. 

The plan has a large EC with only a few members who have any knowledge of building maintenance and repair

The Owners have been waiting for 3-4 years for some very expensive !major projects to be carried out and the way things are progressing it will be another few years before anything is done !

Knowing the size etc. of the SP, can you add any other recommendations for a BM?

[Author]

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