It takes all sorts: 20 years of strata squabbles
For the past few weeks, we have been running pieces by our friend Francesco Andreone of GoStrata. Last week I returned the favour by providing him with my recollections of…
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Podcast: How to crowdfund your new flat
In this week’s podcast we take a look at Sues story about people buying property, not only with the help of Mum and Dad, but with investment from extended family…
Forum: Taxing times with income you never see
It’s that time of year when we are all thinking about tax – if only because we have been bombarded with ad for EOFY (End of Financial Year) sales and…
Forum: Real responses from a top strata lawyer
We have a lot of fun on this Forum – and kick around a few serious topics too – but I thought it might be time to get real with…
Podcast: Strata lawyer answers Forum questions
In this week’s podcast we ask leading strata lawyer David Sachs to run the rule over some of the questions in our Forum. For instance, can the owners corporation charge…
Forum: Developer turns block into Airbnb hotel
What happens when a developer can’t sell all their apartments so then lists them on Airbnb? Are they running an illegal short-term rental hotel? And didn’t their sales people tell…
Forum: Unelected despot bullying tenants
There is a malaise that must be unique to strata buildings – an ordinary owner awards themselves extraordinary powers and appoints themselves de facto building or strata manager. It’s not…
Forum: Is it okay to record committee meetings?
The vexed question of whether you are allowed to record strata committee meetings has raised its head again – with new complications for the modern age. First of all, it…
Forum: Insurance bumped up because of Airbnbs
Here’s a dilemma that I’ve been waiting to see crop up in the Forum for a couple of years now – can short-term letting hosts be charged the difference if…
Forum: Neighbour stung by selfish beekeeper
Our main Forum question this week relates to behaviour that pretty much typifies the “me first” attitude that really does not belong in strata, One owner in a townhouse scheme…
Podcast: All the buzz about embedded networks
This week’s podcast is mostly devoted to embedded networks, what they are, why they can be good or bad, and what you can do to make them work for your…
Forum: Oil leak exposes hole in strata know-how
It’s fair to say that most if not all of the problems in strata come down to lack of knowledge (or ignorance, if you want to be brutal). If one…