apples45 needs to be a bit more understanding. Is there any objection to complying with the local rules? Sure the EC should not adopt a dictatorial manner but some tenants in particular seem to feel that thet can behave as if they are living in a hotel. Our Strata has a handout welcoming new residents and tenants and advising them of all they need to know, including people’s ‘duties’. apples45 needs to remember that the rent relates to the strata fees so if the fees go up because of increased admin then so in principle does the rent.
As for only making the contact via owners or agents, I think this is positively daft. apples45 seem to have a misplaced faith in owners and agents. Having had to contact all the owners/agents for an 80 apartment block on a subject needing a response, a good proportion of owners and agents simply don’t respond, and you spend ages tracking people down. So the tenant will not find out about matters in the tenant’s interest, eg fire safety, if all contact is via an intermediary.
Maybe apples45 should get to know some of his EC and see if they actually are as authoritarian as imagined.