While everybody is getting their tumble-dried knickers in a twist over the proposed changes to by-laws “allowing” laundry to be dried on balconies (provided it can’t be seen from the street), the real strata issues remain where they always are – in the too-hard basket.
The Office of Fair Trading has just published proposed revisions of the 2005 Strata Schemes Management Act for comment, and they include a change to by-laws on drying washing on your balcony.
It’s not a law – it’s a proposal to include a suggested by-law and it will only be your by-law if your building formally adopts it (which it could do right now anyway).
Meanwhile, regular readers of this column will know there is a huge problem in apartments with people ripping up carpets and laying down or exposing floorboards.
There are processes for remedying this but they are so stressful, lengthy and unreliable that the faint-hearted go out and buy earplugs or sell up, knowing the value of their property has been harmed, purely to benefit the people upstairs.
Having been swamped by readers’ emails, I wrote to Fair Trading Minister Virginia Judge last November, pointing out this problem affects both those who install inadequately insulated flooring and have to replace it as well as those who have to live underneath them.
She replied in February that she had asked Fair Trading to examine the best way of getting this information out there and added: “I am advised that these issues will also be taken into consideration during the review of the Strata Schemes Management Regulation.”
And the result is (drum roll) … nothing. Not a mention. No changes in the model by-laws, tightening of regulations, benchmarks for adjudicators or even information sheets on the website.
If you are or have been affected by this, why not email policy@services.nsw.gov.au and let them know what you think of this “oversight”. Meanwhile, you can find the proposed changes via www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/About_us/Legislation.html.
Email your strata questions to mail@flatchat.com.au.