Forum: When the wrong thing is the right choice
There’s a post in the Forum this week which perfectly encapsulates the quandary that often comes up in strata between doing the right thing and just getting things done. In…
parking
Forum: The shocking cost of saying ‘no’
I’ve long been an advocate of a policy of “if in doubt, do nothing” but it seems there are situations in strata – especially in small schemes – where not…
How to have a party without being an animal
Every Christmas and New Year party season we remind apartment residents about the steps you can take to have a great time without ruining everyone else’s “peaceful enjoyment” of their…
Strata happiness votes are all about the holidays
We suspected we might be setting ourselves up for a bit of a let-down when we asked people to vote on what they LIKE about strata living, rather than things…
Poll: What neighbour behaviour drives you nuts?
We’d all love to think that we are one big happy family in strata – but even family members fall out. And there are few things more irritating than an…
Podcast: Bankrupting levy debtors is a bad idea
No sooner had we written about how paying levies is often the first thing to go when apartment owners are facing a cost-of-living crisis, than this story pops up on the…
Podcast: High-level parking and low-cost living
This week we look at two apartment blocks that it’s pretty safe to say are at the opposite ends of the social spectrum. The first is a Housing Commission block…
Forum: All the views, news and blues that fit
There’s been a lot of activity on the Flat Chat Forum in the past week although it’s mostly been back and forth on earlier questions (but none of them as…
Forum: We’re back and we’re parking mad
Happy New Year! Well, you have been busy bees over the holidays. All those questions you’ve wanted to write but never had the time … until now. So we’re back…
Forum: ‘Free’ votes give developer total control
We have a few fascinating questions on the Forum this week but the most intriguing one concerns a new, staged development where the developer has managed to hang on to…
Parking mad: Visitors, intruders and land grabs
There’s a common issue that connects many of the misconceptions about strata living in one source of irritation, conflict and abuse. Misuse of visitor parking may seem trivial to many…
Forum: Strata pros who won’t talk to owners
Things tend to be a little quiet around holiday weekends but one discussion caught the eye this week and it concerns a solicitor telling committee members that they will only…