Lonely at the top: Who does what in strata committees?
QUESTION: I have recently taken on the role of secretary of the executive committee of a small block of units because no-one else would do it. Funny that. As I’ve…
The contract con trick
I hear some of our less ethical developers are sidling up to Fair Trading Minister Linda Burney, trying to convince her that demanding your proxy votes – your right to…
IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR
QUESTION: I am a new owner in a block of 10 units in which an absentee owner owns five apartments while three other members of his family own one each.…
Grab back your voting rights
Our recent article on developers demanding proxy votes in strata unit sales contracts has stirred things up, with one reader writing to tell us they had backed out of a…
Muscling in on your gym
With just about every new apartment block having some kind of gym, they are obviously a big attraction – especially, it seems, to personal trainers who even have to pay…
Getting on top of roof parties
It’s party time! And for apartment dwellers, that means a couple of months of getting to know your neighbours better or, in some cases, finding out which ones are selfish,…
Myths and misconceptions
What’s more important – saving the planet or looking neat and tidy? It sounds like a no-brainer but Flatchat was at a forum organised by Willoughby council a couple of…
When owners grab common property
Common property is a simple enough idea – every part of a strata building that isn’t specifically owned by one person is collectively owned by everyone. But there’s always someone…
Tenants monstered by a mad manager
Usually we get owners writing to this column but tenants suffer just as much from strata maddies, if not more. QUESTION: We have been tenants in a block of about…
BBQ Burners Bite Back
We are nothing if not adventurous at Flatchat Towers and a couple of weeks ago we dared to suggest that barbecues and balconies may not be a good mix. As…
Who gets first bite at the car park cherry?
Parking mad As more people own more cars and councils restrict the number of vehicle spaces in new buildings, parking is a constant source of irritation. But who takes priority, even…
Grab back your voting rights
Our recent article on developers demanding proxy votes in strata unit sales contracts has stirred things up, with one reader writing to tell us they had backed out of a…