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Howdy Flat chat forum,
Just over a year ago a unit in my block was sold “as is” condition. It was bought and renovated by an individual who refused to meet other occupants, not communicate times the unit would be renovated – so those of us at home could flee the noise.
Other neighbours gossiped to me at the time that this person had a habit of renovating properties with litle regard to the neighbours. I mentioned this to the Strata Manager who wanted me to divulge the name of the gossiper. I refused. I said we’d pleaded to the Strata Manager and he confirmed he has passed on our requests and also communicated the importance of the owner talking to residents.
The unit was tiled throughout – without seeking written advice or permission from the Body Corporate. It was subsequently tennanted for a period of just over 10months in which the tennants were asked to be considerate of noise due to the tiles (6 complaints were made to the Strata Manager).
The tiled flooring has become a problem and I am now in progress of awaiting an adjudication for my claim in the CTTT.
I’m seeking the opinion/ advice/ recommendations from FLat-chatters – the Real estate agent who bought this unit and tiled it, and subsequently sold it to the owners presently trying to live in it – currently works in the same agency which manages our Strata.
I realise industries like sharetrading have ethics regarding insider trading, etc. My question to flat-chat is – what can I do to hold this person to account for their actions?
It looks like the body corporate could potentially have an insurance claim on its hands for returning the floor to its original condition/ and/or installing plasterboard on the commonwalls to reduce sound transmission (as the respondent claims he has allergies and the purchased the property for the purpose of it being tiled).
I am also concerned that this real estate agent has the potential to utilise his access to properties in the real estate agency for his personal financial gain.
I’d welcome any suggestions? Also JimmyT – this might be a good question for your forum 2/11.
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This has some puzzling elements. The phenomenon of a ‘rogue owner’ with ” … a habit of renovating properties with little regard to the neighbours” is, sadly, not unfamiliar. They are often good at making all the right noises about giving notice etc, but the resonant surfaces suddenly appear, and then the ‘for sale’ notice goes up with all the superficial glamour of what may really have been a ‘quick and dirty’ reno laid out the the advertising brochure.
Surely, from this point, it is ‘caveat emptor’ — it is not the responsibility of the Owners’ Corporation to reverse changes that are in conflict with by-laws — or just plain anti-social — made without its consent or knowledge. If a purchaser has suddenly found himself committed to expensive internal changes, it is unfortunate. However, ‘due diligence’ in checking strata records plus, if possible, some discreet informal contact with existing owners could help ensure the would-be purchaser is properly informed.
If, as MsM appears to be suggesting, there has been some collusion between, on the one hand, an agent looking to snap up a property for himself instead of seeking the best price for his vendor client and, on the other hand, a strata manager looking to help a mate work a cosy deal at the expense of the owners paying him to look after their interests, then it is a cause for grave concern. You would have to get the facts very well documented. It could be a case for criminal, rather than strata, law.
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