[Losezama]

@JimmyT said:

”In any case, a sign on the door that says something like “This foyer is monitored by video cameras.  Please let us know by emailing this address or texting this number that you don’t want to appear on our “Visitors” Facebook page” might do the trick.”

I like Jimmy’s advice above.

In Qld: we also had sex workers living and operating in our building – a 3 story walk up. Our male tenants were unhappy that men who were clients of the sex business parked in their car spots all throughout the evening, and during the day men paced the street checking their watches to assess whether it was their turn or not.

We contacted the police, the local mayor and real estate agency. We didn’t think they were acting on our behalf so we pressured them to follow up.

To our relief everyone acted on it! The police found that one of the Thai women running the sex business was an illegal immigrant and was arrested and put into detention. One was not on the lease and left, and the last one was evicted from our building. Finally, we had our building back.

It’s just not appropriate to have this type of business in a family community complex. The best place for them is in a factory outlet far away from families because this type of work attracts drug addicts and so on. 

[Losezama]

Thanks Jimmy for your reply. Most of the people he has done things to have already moved out.  

Poor treatment and disrespect of owners is rampant in Queensland because the BCM’s and caretakers are about protecting themselves. These people have gained very powerful positions and they betray everything they claim to believe, and exploit those owners in whose best interests they are supposed to act.

 I’m not talking about all of them because there are still some really decent body Corp managers & caretakers in this state. 

However, there’s a sickness that affects the body Corp industry in Queensland just like any other institution, and it’s ultimately all linked to power and money.  And there are some very inappropriate people in this industry!

 I’m not an unquestioning fiercely loyal person to my committee, especially when I see multiple mistakes year after year. And it’s really hard being a dissenter in a body corporate group – we all pay the price!.

My primary role in life is to help people, not to keep the lid on mistakes, but I suffer socially & emotionally.

But just imagine if all of us with goodwill and integrity moved out – what would be left?

[Losezama]

Just a query about NSW strata world – do you have a Commissioner of Body Corps in NSW? Our property is in Qld…

[Losezama]

@luckymimi said:
Great article. Just wondering why some committee members are so evil to try to work with body Corp manager to take advantage of their Co-owners  

I wonder about that too luckymimi. From a psychological perspective I believe that ‘group think,’ is one of the problems that face committees. For instance, our Secretary agrees with everyone she talks to about the problems of the poor decisions being made by the Committee, and then at meetings she completely reneges on her word, and votes with the men. Regretfully she is the token woman and fear of having her own opinion is her greatest fear. Sad situation.

[Losezama]

Fabulous comment Jimmy T! But in Queensland, what do you do when the committee have breached the code of conduct through lack of knowledge and allowing adjudications to go ahead by ignoring owners; the body corp manager has breached the code of conduct by the same lack of knowledge and refuses to let agitating owners into meetings; and the caretaker also breaches the code of conduct? And then all of them call owners out as vexatious etc…

Where do owners go then? Who has the money or the fortitude to fight their lawyers – who are also your lawyers – because you pay your levies, that pay them?

It becomes a case of move, move, move but vulnerable elderly people cannot keep moving because the former and current, and possibly future committees are incompetent. What do we do? Help?

[Losezama]

Thanks for that advice. I do recall the Qld Commission staff stating that people who raise legitimate complaints are often labelled as vexatious by Committees. However, it’s not nice to be defamed for pointing our errors and mistakes by Committees, and I think the Commission should have a way of ‘penalising’ people who make such statements.

At the end of the day, all we are doing is reading the legislation and reminding the Committee that this is their job. 

However, it seems that some people get onto Committees just so they can exert power and control over people, and/or to give themselves a sense of importance around the place.

[Losezama]

This is Qld: Although, we have a fabulous Office of the Commissioner and Body Corporate Management in Qld, our Committee and BCMgrs never check any legislation or By-Laws. Also, another problem we have in Qld is that the Body Corp Management industry is ”unregulated.” So one can be an absolute donkey one day, but hang up a sign and become a Body Corp Manager the next day.

Also, we have a large scheme of 160 Owners but only 20% vote, or get involved in Body corporate matters. The apathetic behaviour of Owners is largely due to the fear of ramifications by the caretaker and committee, and previous court cases.  

If we leave the vexatious comments on file, we fear that Owners would shun us and shut us out because they believe the comments made by the Committee and BCMgrs.

Should we speak to a defamation lawyer, or ask for the alleged claims of being vexatious to be removed from public record?

[Author]

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