Firstly, any owner can be given proxies provided they are on the correct form. EC chairs would love to be the only recipients of proxies but this is not the case. Also, all EC seats are automatically vacated at an AGM so you only need a simple majority – not a 75% vote – to replace the six members of your EC. You simply make sure you have the same number of seats as candidates then vote your people in
To get the proxies you require, you need to go to your strata manager and get a copy of the Strata Roll which will have everyone’s addresses on it. Then send them a letter explaining the problems in the building and how they are costing them money
- through lowering the value of their property (and rents)
- through levies to pay for work done at non-competitive rates
- and through the cost of defending legal actions and complying with CTTT orders.
Be very careful, though, not to defame anyone.
Send blank proxy forms, and offer two or three names that people can put on the proxy form (or fill it in for them) and a couple of phone numbers where they can talk to you or your fellow EC member about the problems.
If the owners addresses are real estate agents, call the agents to make sure they pass the information on to the owners.
If you have a the money, include a stamped addressed envelope in your letter so that people can return the forms free of charge. If they have already given a proxy, tell them that any new proxy supersedes any previous one automatically so they don’t need to withdraw the previous proxy.
Get your timing right so that owners have time to respond but not so much that the incumbents have time to organise themselves. Be prepared for a nasty backlash – people like having power and they don’t like having it taken away from them.
Meanwhile click HERE to download the official proxy form.
If you get enough proxies, you can do what you like with the EC – reduce the numbers and elect whomever you want on to it. The bad guys do this al the time so there’s no reason why the forces of good shouldn’t do it too.