How to turn your scheme into a community
Strata schemes bring together all sorts of different people, whether they’re from a range of ages, social and economic backgrounds or ethnic roots. This could be a recipe for conflict…
Pitfalls and perils at a new block’s initial AGM
The initial AGM of a new building is an exciting, confusing and challenging event, especially for first-time owners. But the more things you get right there, the easier life will…
Forum: Owner uses pool despite having moved out
There are times when what’s right and what’s legal seem to be in direct conflict – and strata is one of those areas of life replete with these tricky, quirky…
Greens demand airbnbs to house flood victims
NSW Greens are calling on the state government to drag airbnb-style holiday rental properties back into the residential tenancies market to ease a severe housing crisis caused by the catastrophic…
Podcast: Flood fears and by-laws to loathe and love
One of the problems with preparing a fairly light-hearted podcast like the Flat Chat Wrap is that there are a lot of serious issues around that you just can’t ignore…
Women prosper at the top of the property game
Once, women dreaded walking past building sites or being patronised by real estate agents. But today, it’s increasingly likely that a fair number of those construction workers will be women,…
By-laws that someday you’ll want in your block
Few if any apartment residents love the idea of by-laws telling them what to do … until a neighbour does something they don’t like and they discover there’s no easy…
Forum: Loan or levy? Choice isn’t really yours
Strata loans or special levies – if your strata scheme has to pay a bill how would you rather pay your share? A one-off hit to your bank account or…
Podcast: Builder fails despite home shortage
They say strata is a world of contradictions and never has that been so obvious as this week when one report reveals a shortage of housing, most of which will…
Away daze: When holiday rentals don’t add up
With so many investors having bought property during COVID-19 in regional treechange and seachange areas, many are now working out what to do with their second home as the pandemic,…
Lannock to manage NSW cladding loans
The NSW Government has appointed long-time Flat Chat supporter Lannock Strata Finance to manage the state’s Project Remediate interest-free loans, intended to help owners corporations with the cost of rectifying…
OCN issues revised Airbnb by-law after NCAT ruling
As we reported last week, when the owner of two properties in a Sydney Olympic Park complex challenged their identical by-laws restricting short-term holiday lets, an NCAT member had found…