› Flat Chat Strata Forum › Finance, budgeting and loans › Costly repairs – complicit strata manager › Current Page
There are so many issues here, it’s hard to know where to start.
First of all, you probably do have by-laws, registered years ago and you should be able to track them down here.
If they really don’t exist, and your block is post 1996, you should propose that the model by-laws in the NSW strata regs be adopted at your next AGM. If your block is actually pre-1996, then these by-laws already apply.
It sounds very much like your strata manager is feather-bedding contracts and taking kickbacks from the contractors. Your committee needs to tell them in so many words that they may not send out any more emergency repair orders without prior consent of the committee. If they do, you will refuse to pay the bill.
Also, you will provide a list of approved local tradespeople for them to use. That means a bit of digging for you but all you need are tradies who can show they are licenced and have insurance.
Remember, the committee is the boss of the strata manager, not the other way round.
Also, check the strata management contract and at the next opportunity, change managers. First, find a new strata manager that suits your scheme better and they will help with the transition.
As for tenants ordering repairs, tell them to take a hike. You are legally entitled to inspect common property for the purpose of assessing repairs and if they don’t want to let you in, then they can live with the problem.
Finally, there seems to be a serious case of several tails wagging the dog here and I strongly recommend that you get the guys at Strata Answers to come along, talk to your committee and try to get things back on track.