A Pile of Garbage.

We live in an inner city mixed commercial and residential apartment complex.  The Owners Corporation is controlled and run by the commercial owners, and has been for many years.

Since 2002 residential owners have been denied the regular Sydney Council garbage pick up, (charged at around $275 pa. included in Council rate payments), and are made to contribute to $100,000+ for commercial garbage service, dominated by commercial waste. Commercial operators and residents use a communal skip, in an open loading dock, which often is filled with refuse from neighbouring flats and businesses.  Residents have contacted Council in an effort to have the situation rectified but the OC has deferred the topic indefinitely, saying there is no room to provide separate garbage areas for commercial and residential owners.  Residents believe it would be a simple matter to divide the exisiting garbage area in half …

We have no separate electricity metres in apartments and are therefore forced to contribute to a combined electricity bill – which is enormous.  As there is air-conditioning in each apartment, but no heating in winter, and the building is often full of short term rentals, this system is incredibly expensive and impossible to contain or monitor.  Short term renters, no doubt, are not concerned about leaving the aircon on 24hrs a day.  It’s an old system. That’s not cheap!  Not to mention heating costs in winter…

We have over 70 residential apartments and yet there is no intercom system for guest entry.  Reception is open 12 hours on weekdays and 4 hrs on weekends, but not always attended during those hours.  To allow entry to guests when reception is unattended they need to telephone the resident and then residents have to take the lift to the foyer and swipe them into the elevator and/or the building itself.

Members of the OC have taken over common property. In one instance not only did the commercial owner construct a massive shed at the front of the building, over a long weekend, last year, but the fees for engineers and other reports (around $8000) were paid by the OC from our strata fees.

No matter what residents say, request, or recommend to reduce overheads and improve our quality of life, it is rejected by the OC – well before it even goes to a meeting.

So I guess flat-chatters would say “Move out!”  But our flats are lovely little north facing apartments in a beautiful part of town so, for me, personally, moving is not an option.

What can we do?