[linnie]

Just wanted to give an update.

We contacted a local strata community consultant and began the email with “Upon independent advice…..”

Seemed to do the trick as the reply came back “While we disagree with the independent advice provided in terms of some of your points raised below, we are however now pleased to confirm we are in a position to now provide access, as required”.

Appointment made to view the records next week. Really shouldn’t have been this difficult. Even though we originally asked for a few purchase orders to be emailed, having now been put through all this drama we are going to be asking for a lot more information and digging a whole lot deeper.

Thanks again Flat Chat. 

[linnie]

Thanks Lady Penelope.  There are no fees listed in the SM contract for accessing the records that I can see.

I am incredibly confident our SM does not like us very much and these fees are ‘made up’ to intimidate us as we ask way too many questions. Our SM has repeatedly stated they do not like to be ‘micromanaged’.

Our SM referred these ‘extra’ charges to the COO (OC) for approval.

In essence, our SM were asking some owners (OC of which my partner is a member) to give approval for other owners to view the records. School yard bully behaviour.

Rather than support every owners right to view records regardless of their reasons, the other members of the OC have asked us to tell them what information we are looking for that might justify the charges.

 Are smart phone photos for taking photos or document scanners allowed? Or is this a case of ‘just do it’?

[linnie]

Our Strata Manager here in WA charges:

For an application made under Section 43(1)(a) Council Information $10

For the inspection of records under Section 45(1)(a) by a person other than the proprietor or mortgage $40

For Copies provided under Section 43(1)(a)

1-5 pages $40

Each subsequent page $1

Agree with you Gus about taking a large investment of time to put together some kind of historical information.

I spent 6hrs and laboriously copied by hand relevant dates/facts/figures.

The charges I mention in the original post are above and beyond the charges I have outlined here that would apply to every owner in the complex and are similar to your NSW charges.

The extra cost proposed were directed at us because they believe we have exceeded what is ‘reasonable’.

Since we have just discovered our strata managers have recommended an unregistered painter for a complex repaint job (19 units over three levels), I imagine they are doing what they can to ‘deter’ us from looking too closely.

[linnie]

Thanks for your reply Jimmy T and my apologies as I should have been clearer.

The charges proposed are above and beyond the normal charges to view records that would apply to each and every other owner.

These extra charges are directed specifically at us, and yet, even after stating they are not allowed to pass these charges to an owner, they are proposing to pass the charges to our COO. 

Our COO are asking us to justify why we want to inspect the records and why they should ‘approve’ this proposed charge to ‘allow’ us to inspect the records.

We have told the COO that they should stand up to the Strata Managers and refuse to accept any charge for what is a right of each and every owner.

[linnie]

Thank you for your prompt reply Sir Humphrey.

We have investigated registering the tree as a ‘significant’ tree (probably similar to your ACT version of ‘regulated’ tree) however this process needs representatives from Strata management/council to sign (the very people that want it removed).

The tree has also been trimmed and a consideration for approval requires trees to be ‘complete and sound and have never been pruned’.

Other local councils here in Perth are taking steps to develop urban canopy and urban forest policies but this will come far to late for our tree.

Owner apathy is rife in the complex and most are rentals so it is difficult to contact owners.

We have come up with another idea but I will post that as a separate question as there are subtle differences.

[Author]

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