Re: finding out about alterations in an individual owners lot

Thanks Jimmy and Whale.

So from what Whale said, we may be able to just leave it to the new buyers solicitor to pick up that the alterations are unauthorised?  Or as Jimmy suggests we can send a letter to the RE agent and conveyancer referring to non specific possible alterations so that we have something on record that expresses our position regarding responsibility for them?

The EC don’t know what to do and keep raising the matter and putting it off. The EC members are all busy and overcommitted (and I am told, the same people who have been on the EC year after year in the absence of others who will volunteer) so although I am not on the EC I have been doing the research to find out what can be done. I have only been an owner for a year and thought that trying to do this research (and lots of other reading online) would help educate me so that I feel confident to volunteer next year.

The EC members are much more concerned about the alterations than me personally – it is not a matter of me being a busy body and meddling where I have no concern on my own account – but I think that the SM may be writing off my inquiries because that is what she thinks I am doing.  Even if I wasn’t asking on behalf of the EC, is it not allowable for me to ask her about what should be done, or can only members of the EC contact her?  (she has sent my email about it to the EC committee “for their instruction” rather than answer it – which really defeats the purpose.   I replied making it clearer that I was asking on their behalf.  I don’t care if she doesn’t send an answer to me so long as the EC gets one!)

I’m not impressed with the SMs behaviour or advice (on this and other matters), but as I say I am new to the world of Strata and do not know what to expect. I have only had one phone call with her in which she was very rude to me.  I am trying to assume she was having a bad day that day and write it off, but I will use email in future and then her replies are in writing and hopefully more civil.

On the phone, she also refused to tell me what was common property and whether a plumbing repair would be my or OCs responsibility – I am supposed to use her plumber and HE will decide if its common property! So I’ve since contacted the Dept Fair trading and LPI to find out and am happy to use her plumber now that I know it is the OC’s responsibility to pay him.

Sorry, this has turned into a bit of a rant.  The question was am I entitled to ask the SM about the matter of the alterations as a member of the OC but not EC?  

And thanks for Jimmy and Whales advice.