@Blueman said:
Well, why have these sort of model by-laws in the first place? What was discussed when the scheme was first set-up? If the government meant for it to be a free-for-all on the matter, then there would be no need for the model by-law to exist.
There is no free-for-all. It sounds in this case like there is a model by-law in place that says you can only have a pet if you have permission but that permission can’t unreasonably be refused.
Strata owners have the opportunity to adopt a different by-law by a simple majority vote at their first AGM or by a special resolution at any general meeting.
The problem in this case is that the EC has kept a by-law that allows pets conditionally but have pursued a policy of no pets under any circumstances. That is unreasonable if only because new purchasers are being misled into thinking there was a chance they might be allowed to have pets.
All it would require would be a change of personnel on an EC and you could find the same building allowing pets without conditions.
Among proposed changes that died with the postponement of the strata law reforms were one that changed the model by-law to saying pets were allowed unless there were reasonable objections and another that demanded owners review their by-laws every few years.
But, honestly, any executive committee that bumbles along, bending its by-laws out of shape because “we’ve always done it this way”, can expect to get slapped in the face with the wet fish of reality sooner or later.
Read your by-laws. If they don’t clearly state what the majority of owners in your building want, change them. It’s as simple as that.