New property commish: first job, build bridges
The NSW Government has appointed the state’s first Property Services Commissioner in a move that it says “will herald a new era of trust and engagement between the real estate…
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Strata insurers must not forget a horrible history
There’s a statement about a proposal to invite insurance firms to provide building warranties for new apartment blocks – but only those constructed by the best builders – which may…
Forum: Considerate owner has carpet conflict
They say no good turn goes unpunished and one Flatchatter certainly has a dilemma because she wants to do the right thing. On the one hand, in between tenancies she…
Strata basics – who does what, when and why?
At times like these, when our worlds have been turned upside down and everything seems to be changing around us, it’s often a good idea to recentre, recalibrate and get…
Forum: In strata everyone can hear you scream
There’s a couple of issues that merit close examination this week. The first is the plight of someone stuck at home and unable to get a minute’s peace because of…
Forum: Noisy neighbours but no-one’s listening
It’s the stuff of strata nightmares. The apartment upstairs is owned by an overseas investor who probably doesn’t know what’s going on. It’s been sub-let by a landlord who has…
Forum: Neighbour throws shade on plan to cut canes
What’s that thing they say about the squeaky wheel always getting the oil? In strata, it’s more likely to be the loudest voice that’s the only one heard. However, some…
Forum: Seeking speaking permission & rising damp
There’s a genuine “Catch-22” hidden in one of our questions this week. How can you ask to speak at a strata committee meeting when you aren’t allowed to speak? The…
Forum: Garden gate-gate opens a can of words
It’s good to get a result in short order, especially as strata disputes can drag on for months, if not years. Last week a Flatchatter wrote to us that a…
Forum: What to do with a do-nothing committee
Sometimes you have to apply the Goldilocks principle to strata committees. Like the three bears’ beds, some strata committees are too hard, some are too soft and others – maybe…
Podcast: Now you can read it as well as listen
This week’s podcast is all about wheel-clamping, email privacy and the amazing legacy of the Sydney Olympics athletes’ village. But one of the biggest pieces of news this week is…
Should we pay strata committee members?
There’s a truism in strata that the people you want on your committee – smart, informed and energetic – are often too busy making money to pay their mortgages (and…