High-rise rescue to create 500-plus rental flats
One of Sydney’s most newsworthy apartment entities and another more notorious name have come together in an odd marriage of convenience to complete more than 500 apartments and ease the…
Ten top consumer groups demand strata inquiry
A coalition of 10 leading consumer and strata advocacy associations has called for a national public inquiry into the strata management industry, in the wake of the ABC TV Four…
Podcast: Behind the scenes of the Strata Trap
We rolled the Wrap out a little early this week because it’s connected to the hottest topic in strata right now. Linton Besser, the reporter who brought you the Four…
Forum: Who’s watching the CCTV watchers
There are all sorts of good reasons for having cameras mounted on common property in apartment blocks. Being able to see who’s coming and going at your front door would…
Tenants back roll-out of Vic insulation regs
An overwhelming majority of renters would like to see Victoria’s proposed domestic energy efficiency laws spread across Australia. The results in a survey by renewable energy company Green are hardly…
Podcast: Gas appliances linked to kids’ asthma
Are your cooking and heating appliances giving your kids asthma? This week in the Flat Chat Wrap, Sue talks about a story she’s been chasing where families have found that…
Must-see TV – strata’s dark Underbelly exposed
Cancel your plans for Monday evening. ABC TV’s Four Corners is ripping the lid off the whole sordid business of strata exploitation in Australia and, if the promo for the…
Forum: Stalemate keeps fresh faces at bay
Strife in strata is so often a case of an irresistible force meeting an immovable object that it’s hardly worth mentioning – but then someone comes up with a new…
Airbnb hosts face Vic tax and apartment bans
Victoria is reversing its open slather policy on short-term holiday lets with new regulations to come into force at the start of next year that will tax holiday lets and…
Minns disclosed IPG shares, says department
The NSW government’s Customer Service department says Property Services and Strata Commissioner John Minns is “providing full support” to its inquiries following allegations surrounding his investments in a property management…
Podcast: Conflicts of interest … and opinions
There’s been considerable speculation about NSW Strata Commissioner John Minns this week after the revelation on an ABC news report last week that he has retained a significant holding in…
Forum: Levies squeezes and admin fund fiddles
There’s an old saying in strata – the smaller the block, the bigger the problems. When everyone knows each other, any points of conflict can quickly become personal. Add to…