Strata Community Association has announced the appointment of an independent complaints tsar, in the wake of the scandal over Netstrata’s exposure for charging secret commissions for insurance policies. But, despite…
At the risk of infuriating mental health professionals and family members of sufferers, I have to say there are few things worse in strata than having a “crazy” neighbour. I’m…
It’s funny how people react differently to exactly the same information. For instance, suppose you get a note from a neighbour saying, “we’re having a shindig on Saturday – apologies…
If it’s true that justice delayed is justice denied, then there’s a lot of denial going on in strata. Taking a complaint against a neighbour – or even responding to…
About two years ago, I got a phone call from two of my editors at the Sydney Morning Herald. I should say “former editors” – none of us work there…
Tap, tap, tap. The sound had been driving neighbours mad. Every night from midnight for several hours, the people in one of the top floor flats would come home and…
Fair Trading has pulled the rug from under by-laws designed to restrict Airbnb and other short-term letting agencies in residential-only apartment blocks – only your local council can enforce restrictions.…
Did you know that NSW Fair Trading has started naming and shaming bad operators? For two months now there has been a list on its website of businesses that have…
In the great welter of anti-apartment material that has been published over the years, the minor, humorous whinge about the difficulties of living in flats that appeared in Fairfax online…
It’s always a bit disappointing when you read the same old anti-apartment prejudices trotted out … especially when it comes from a colleague (albeit in a light-hearted vein).. Am I too…
When it comes to excuses and denial, pet owners can be even worse than doting parents. It’s never the dog or cat’s fault – there’s always some factor other than…
When is a determined owner an email pest? Or, to put it another way, how do you tell the difference between someone with a legitimate complaint, who won’t let it…