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I forgot to add one other observation about unit living which I call the “I pay my taxes (levies) syndrome”. It puts EC’s on the back foot from the day they take office.
I would suggest the majority of unit owners believe their responsibilities
start and finish with the payment of their levies. And like taxes most think levies are too high. Consequently many take the view that because they pay their levies on time it gives them the right to do basically what they want as far as strata living goes.
I have felt for a long time the term levies has such a negative connotation that someone has to come up with a better term to describe the contributions owners must make to the running of the building. In our plan we have from time to time prepared simple spreadsheets breaking up the levy component for each owner e.g. how much of their levy goes to water, electricity, insurance, cleaning, gardening, fire services, repairs and maintenance but still most owners think the levies are too high and like a tax they are more often than not hated.
There are also some owners who have no idea what levies are used for. They are suprised when you tell them that we have to pay water rates, insurance and other statutory costs.
Ironically when I have sat down with owners who have moved from a house and gone through the levies in detail and compared their contributions with what they paid on their house on a year to year basis almost universally the levies were much lower. But the still the view persists i.e. levies are no different to taxes and rates.
So I think we should try to come up with a better name than levies – something which recognises it is not an impost but rather a planned contribution to the running of a building, minor repairs and major replacements and capital works.
Or maybe when levy notices are sent out we need to indicate on the notice just how levies are spent for each individual owner.
Any ideas?