Long-time readers of this column will be amazed at this week’s question. For once, a strata manager isn’t accused of doing too little; the complaint is they are doing too much.
QUESTION: There is a very pushy young guy in our building who, three times in the past few weeks, has ordered work via the managing agent to do “emergency repairs”.
A blocked toilet led to the driveway being dug up, costing nearly $1300, window sashes were replaced with no consultation with the executive committee members – another tradesman for another full day – and he has now discovered a crack in a window and wants emergency work done to replace that too.
When we told him that he can’t just order the strata managers to organise work on his property, he said they were using the strata law that states in emergencies the strata agent may assume all powers of the executive committee to safeguard life and property.
Is there something the rest of us can do to “curb his enthusiasm”? He seems to be on to a great lurk, getting his unit repaired by calling the work an emergency. – Alarmed, Coogee
ANSWER: Larry David (of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld fame) could get a whole series out of living in a Sydney apartment. Blocked toilets are one thing but life-threatening window sashes? Please!
The simplest answer would be to tell your strata managers that you won’t approve payments for any so-called emergency that didn’t immediately threaten life, health and the fabric of the building. Be prepared for flannel about insurance and risk assessments.
But don’t forget, as well as the actual tradesman, the strata managers will be billing you for their time in organising all this, so it’s in their interests to hit the emergency button too. Strata managers can only operate under the instruction of the Owners Corporation hence their keenness to redefine basic repairs as emergencies.
So sit down with them and work out a definition for “emergencies” then make them stick to it. If they won’t play ball, report them to the Institute of Strata Title Management and Fair Trading … and start looking for another strata manager.