Roundup: Why I was on TV talking about … tunnels
Your favourite Flatchatter was on Studio 10 yesterday morning (August 1, some time after 9am) talking about … well, not strata issues, to be honest – that’s something for the…
Air-con: hot topic demands cool heads
A strata scheme not a million miles from where I sit is facing a very modern quandary – how do they deal with global warming when it gets real but…
Five things you really don’t need in your unit
What do you need in your life when you’ve kicked out the grown-up kids and you’re downsizing from your family home in the burbs to a trendy apartment in the…
When you can sue over loss of rent due to renos
We’ve had a lot of discussion recently about whether or not owners can claim compensation for things like loss of rent when renovations – either by individual owners or by…
Strata manglers … and how to get rid of them
When we started Flat Chat 15 years ago, strata managers were pretty much our Public Enemy No 1 (and we theirs, for that matter). It’s all my fault. I once…
Roundup: Strata cyber-bullies brought to book
Over the years we’ve had a few stories about strata bullies in Flat Chat. Bullying in the workplace is bad enough but when it’s happening in your own home it…
Calling out land grabbers and strata thieves
Are residents who commandeer visitor spaces and annex chunks of common property for their own use really thieves? In a world where breaking the law and flouting regulations is not…
Roundup: Your questions … on radio and right here
We were on radio again for the first time for a while last week and we had our usual crop of confused, angry, irritated and frustrated flat owners. One bloke…
What exactly is common property … and what isn’t?
‘How come the inside of my front door isn’t but the outside is?’ ‘If the paint on my walls is my responsibility, what about the tiles in my bathroom?’…
Vive la Revolution … why strata heads must eventually roll
Appropriately, with Bastille Day just behind us, we turn our thoughts this week to revolution. And while employing Madame Guillotine might seem a little excessive (if tempting), there comes…
Loan help for schemes hit by cladding insurance hikes
A shock rise in strata insurance premiums due to risks associated with flammable cladding has left many apartment owners struggling to meet price hikes, says owners corporation finance lender Lannock…
First impressions: Fines for unpaid levies and reno delays
Jimmy treats James to his (unimpressive) Sean Connery impressions before the switchboard lights up with your calls