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I arrived at my home at 11pm last night to find two letters in my mailbox from the Strata Manager. These are ontop of two notes left on my front door from a committee member.
Strata Manager letter states that cleaning of the rear area of my townhouse would take place this morning. The letter was dated the 15th May. I received it on the 17th. It advises me that if I am not home or do not make arrangements for access to my courtyard through my home then my townhouse will not be painted and I will have the responsibility of ongoing maintenance!
Of the two notes from the committee member, one states that they made a mistake when they told everyone they had to be home last Saturday, and it was infact this Saturday. This note was left late on Thursday. These following from the original note left the night before saying cleaning would commence and we had to make way for these works.
On all occasions I have been interstate or at work. This I could not have changed at the last moment. Topped with the fact that I have an elderly parent that I am co carer for who has been hospitalised for the past 3 weeks and who now needs even more watching over. It’s not like I am just sitting in a deckchair in my courtyard drinking margaritas and just not wanting to be disturbed. I have not been here, either working or caring.
The other note says that painting will be taking place and residents have to either be at home or give the painter a set of keys. All very well, but when is the work going to start? There are no dates, no indication of when. So how does one stay home to allow painter in when you don’t know what day, or what week he will be appearing.
So, where do I stand? The SM seems to be as useless as the EC. I actually have more ability to be at home and allow access than anyone else here. My work days and hours are flexible. I just need to know when I need to be around. Is that too much to ask?
And it appears that the cleaners use bleach to clean the place. I gather this from the overwhelming smell in my home and the many dead plants along the walls that have been washed. It would appear that no covers where used on the garden areas. So now we have clean walls and dead and dying garden beds.
So can I be refused the painting of my townhouse? A couple of years ago it was discussed and agreed at an AGM that the owners of the townhouses on my side be responsible for the cleaning of the eaves in their townhouses due to the accessibility and the fact that they are only one story on that side and quite small, easily cleaned with a broom and bucket. Which is what happened with previous cleaning and what I intend to do this time.
And when the quote for painting was agreed to 12 months ago, it seems a bit rich to expect residents to be at home at the drop of a hat. There has been no indication that any works were to begin. So if another resident is on holidays, they miss out on getting their place painted because the EC/SM did not advise that such major maintenance would finally begin. How were we meant to know if we were not told after all this time? Perhaps I should have tried a clairvoyant.
Sorry to go on, and on, about my own issues again, but I really need some guidance. I intend to call a lawyer on Monday morning.