Forum Replies Created
-
Replies
-
So have you raised the issues with the landlord? If the landlord is non-responsive then go directly to the real estate agent.
Are you taking photos and otherwise documenting all of the breaches of by-laws? Have you issued notices to comply to the landlord?
Given the issues have been going on for 10 years
A long-term tenant (10 years) has always been troublesome
the question will be asked: “why haven’t you dealt with it until now?”
It seems that matters are escalating and will need to be addressed with strict compliance to by-laws and immediate action when further breaches inevitably occur.
Another thing, is that you’ll need to enforce the same standards for all residents, no letting anybody get away with anything. Set a high standard of behaviour and enforce it. It will be hard at the beginning but well worth it for a harmonious place to live.
Finally, is there any chance of getting a non-resident owner onto the committee? Highlight the importance of maintaining the value of their investment and providing an alternative point of view to the resident owners.
At the very least they’ll be exposed to the ‘issues’ that misbehaving tenants can cause.
But, really, what’s the problem? Are the cats really a nuisance or do you just not like cats?
Good luck with the rats when the cats are gone.
Yes feral cats are a huge issue in some blocks. Our block, which is all ground level has to take several measures to repel feral cats. This includes using vinegar, citrus and other cat repelling items.
Feral cats are noisy and destructive, damaging lawn and gardens. They seem to continuously and copiously copulate with their cacophonous cries and ceaseless caterwauling. It means having to catnap between their conjugal catch ups. It is chaotic.
Here in Victoria, our council provides traps that can be used to catch the cats. Once caught the council either euthanises them or passes them onto a shelter for rehoming.
I love cats and my now deceased cat was a strictly indoor animal. It made for very good neighbourly relations.
So when you did the inspection prior to purchase did you or your representative miss this? You say the damage was visible from inside the unit. Did you not look?
Was there anything in the OC minutes about potential repairs?
But to get to the core of the issue, you bought it, you own for better or worse.
I’m talking about the unit and the problem.
However, the chair of the building says she has “received legal advice”
If she has received legal advice paid for by the OC then it should be on the record and all members allowed to peruse it. Of course the appropriate permission to expend funds on legal advice will also be on the record.
If it is a legal ruling citing another case that may be applicable then it should be shared with the members.
I have totally failed at putting ‘flat-pack’ stuff together.
My most recent and final failure was the Aldi washing machine base unit. I spent many, many hours trying to work out how to put it together and eventually gave up. Thank goodness for Aldi’s return policy.
Now I’ll only buy fully assembled furniture and save my sanity.
As for arguing, well as a single person it’s just me to argue with.
The oustanding amount is anywhere between $20k and $50k so not exactly peanuts.
Have you considered the possibility of fraud by the previous strata manager?
The amount is large enough that there needs to be some serious questions asked about how the situation got so bad and where the money is.
A forensic accountant needs to go through the accounts left by the previous strata manager and their bank accounts. If evidence of fraud is found then a referral to police should be made. If the previous strata manager was committing fraud against your OC, then they’re doing it to other OCs.
How was payment supposedly made? Cheques and bank transfers are easy for the unit owners to prove they’ve paid. The untraceable method of cash payments without immediately issuing a receipt supports the possibility of fraud. If a receipt was issued but not accounted for then further inquiries need to be conducted.
Finally, time to have a bank transfer/BPAY only payment system. Easy to track and automatically issues receipts, shows payment status.
What do I love? The length, about 20-25 minutes is perfect for listening on the train or at home while preparing dinner etc.
I appreciate the serious matters and the appropriate humour. The in depth coverage of important matters means that they can be fully understood.
Is that just cost of the phone line, including outgoing calls? Or does it include the cost of answering the phone?
If it is just the cost of the phone line including calls, ask to see a very detailed account because you’ve been charged a lot. A basic mobile phone plan with unlimited phone calls can be had for $10-$15 per month.
The benefit of this is that if set out properly in the agreement is that the number can belong to the OC and be used by subsequent strata managers. This means that residents get the benefit of not having to change the contact number when the strata manger changes.
Nor do suppliers. And the bill can be sent directly to the OC so they can see who the strata manager is calling on their behalf.
The balcony was inspected by engineers, who carried out major remedial to our building, and they deemed that the repairs requested were of a cosmetic nature and there was no problem with the waterproofing unlike other balconies that were refurbished.
There’s your answer, you’ve had them inspected by the appropriate professional and their opinion forms part of the OC record. Of course you’ve taken before and after photographs properly dated to put into the OC records? These, along with the engineers report(s) will demonstrate that you’ve acted correctly.
It might also be time to start taking annual photographs of all balconies so that if damage and/or excessive wear and tear occurs you can determine when and maybe even how it occurred.
Done with the normal inspection and report of the status of all common property. It will also demonstrate to owners that the committee is monitoring common property and will ensure maintenance is carried out in a timely manner.
And when the owner responds with details about how bad the tenant was what will you publish?
After all a chance to rebut a bad review is only fair. With a recent discussion and podcast here on Flat-Chat about needing a licence to live in strata if the tenant lost their licence and decided that their retribution was to submit a false or biased review then the sparks would fly.
Remember, what goes around, comes around.
Surely it’s the owner who’s the major problem? Allowing their dog to urinate directly on the balcony and then hosing it onto the lower levels cannot be considered acceptable in any way.
The owner should get the dog to wee on a pad/newspaper and then dispose of them properly as they surely do for its excrement.
That the noisy door announces the commencement of the wee issue surely compounds the whole matter?
As for the timing, well the dog isn’t the only animal that needs to empty their bladder in the early morning. 😉
It may not be an issue today, or even in a few months time..but, when residents turn over and the car park is full it will definitely be an issue. And the initial instigators will insist that because they’ve been parking there for such a long time they should be allowed to continue.
Then the arguments will commence in earnest and the OC will be blamed for allowing it to originally occur and continue.