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Not sure if this is the right place to post, so apologies if it isn’t.
I live in a large apartment block (approx 160 apartments) in Sydney and was considering a a small renovation. I have discovered that there is a $500 non refundable fee that has to be paid on submission of the application to alter a lot. This is a one size fits all fee, $500, whether it a small renovation or a huge one (eg completely reconfiguring an apartment – kitchens, bathrooms, walls, fire sprinklers.)
I feel this fee is totally over the top. I am cool with a bond of some sort to cover possible damage to common property but this $500 fee just seems like extortion.
Is there anything I can do about it?
Thank you
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Fine to post here. It’s a bit difficult from the info you have provided to give an answer, there seems to be a standard fee imposed by either the Strata Manager or the OC administering your block. A one size fits all approach rather than you having to pay the actual costs incurred in your application. Depending on the scope of the works you are applying for (your interpretation of “small” may differ to others) the $500 fee imposed may indeed be a bargain, especially if engineering reports have to be assessed, or a special by-law has to be drawn up, a meeting of all owners convened, then provided the by-law is passed by special resolution, then registered at the LPI. With a large block of 160 units, postage and photocopying alone would be a substantial figure.
So it really gets down to whether you already have in place a general bylaw which covers the scope of your works, and the impact which they may have on the building and your neighbours.
zorg – you may receive more specific replies if you can you advise under what authority the fee it is charged, to whom it is paid, and the nature / extent of the renovations you propose?
Just to expand on Whale’s comment, this would have to be backed up by a by-laws for it too have any authority. So what exactly does the by-law say?
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
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