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  • #8538
    struggler
    Flatchatter

      We had an incident in this complex recently. Nobody wanted to do anything because of the who whose whom mentality. Doesn’t matter if water isouring in, roof sagging. What matters is who is going to pay? Who is going to be responsible? Who is going to call who?

      Residents are up in arms that there is no 24/7 reponse team in this small strata complex. They should be able to have someone at their beck and call for the extremely low strata levies we all pay. We don’t know who to call, what to do they say. Well they do. The SM gives a list of authorized tradespeople. But they want someone else to call.

      Now if it we’re me, my first instinct would be to protect my personal belongings at all costs. I would call someone out to fix whatever it is and protect myself, my home. I would worry about the who whose whom latter. And if it came down to me being stuck with a bill I would wear it (though not without a fight). No matter what the cost it would be less than having my personal items damaged or destroyed.

      But here, it is always the who whose whom. And everybody expects someone else to do it. Because that is what strata means, someone else always does it. Someone else can pick up that piece of paper on the path. When a water main burst in the street and water poured down the driveway, everyone just walked past because that was someone else’s problem. But they would all complain if there is any water in their property.

      The only time residents here have spoken to me lately is to whinge and whine. Why, because I believe they think if they tell old Struggs the problem, old reliable Struggs, the go getter, get things done type of resident then their job is done. They can go home, put their feet up and crack open the chardy. Someone else’s problem all that who whose whom. But I’m not listening anymore. And I am not looking.

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    • #17105
      scotlandx
      Strataguru

        I can so relate to that.

        We have a painter here at the moment, painting some outside pipes, door lintels etc.  He was cornered by an irate owner who tore strips off him because, she said, he had splashed paint on her window.  There was one splash of paint on her window, on the inside.  It had clearly been there for years.  The painter flicked it away with his fingernail.  She said well, what about all these other marks?  He said, they are bugs, you need to clean your windows………

        #17110
        struggler
        Flatchatter
        Chat-starter

          Glad to know I am not alone Scotlandx. Your scenario remin me of our complex having gutters cleaned out. Residents up in arms because debris landed other courtyards and balconys. Oh my God! Leaves iand dirt in your outside area! EC occupied for months, seriously months, to get a resolution to this problem due to resident complaints. I had residue too. I got a broom. I swept it up. Took me 15 minutes. As it always does to clear up outside. But I am surrounded by these people who think strata means someone else does everything and someone else is always responsible. Not to mention someone else always pays.

          #17112
          Whale
          Flatchatter

            G’day Struggs and Scotty – neither of you will be surprised when I say that I concur absolutely with everything that you’ve each said!

            Right now 22 of the Units in my Plan are permanently rented (80%) and 7 are for sale, so I’m constantly fending-off Property Managers (and I use the term “manager” loosely), Real Estate Agents, and Investor-Owners who all want the Owners Corporation to pay for simply everything!

            Why? Well the Property Managers want to justify their tenuous existence by not spending any of their Clients’ rent money, the Real Estate Agents want their properties dressed-up to get a sale, and the Investors want all of the above and more plus no increases in their Levy Contributions.   

            And who do they all hate? Yep…. little old me, who does absolutely everything that the Owners Corporation is supposed to do and which has been budgeted for, and absolutely nothing that’s it’s not responsible for, including the maintenance/repairs of common areas within Lots, the extent of which has been made worse because the Owners long ignored them, and now want me to jump through hoops because they’re selling!  

            Well I don’t jump – well at 198cm & 135kG not very well and not for long anyway Smile.

            #17115

            Hands Up! Me too! Same boat! Yell

            CBF

            #17117
            struggler
            Flatchatter
            Chat-starter

              I am waiting for the day that someone’s hot chips cooking on the stove top catches alight. I mean it is a gas stove top, and the gas comes into the unit from outside, so it must be strata if the hot oil heated by the gas catches fire. So what can be done to make people realize that it is not “no care and no responsibility” in strata?

              Ironic isn’t it that so many strata dwellers believe that it is all for someone else to pay for and take care of, someone else’s responsibility but at the same time they should be able to do what they like while they live here – change common property if they want, park where ever they want. Where does this mindset come from?

              I have suggested before that when someone buys or moves into strata they should sign a PDS (product disclosure statement). The product being “strata”. They should sign where it says “I have read and fully understand the terms and conditions under which I am moving into this strata complex and agree to abide by the rules and regulations and understand that I am responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of not only my lot but the complex as a whole.”. Will they read it thoroughly – probably not. Will it stop people doing the wrong thing, or waiting for someone else to ring the fire brigade to put the chips out – no. But you would have a legal document of sorts that you could wave at them, that they have signed, that says they are infact responsible. And then maybe they will sit down, read the PDS, and spread the word. Something has to give. Education regarding living in strata is a must, not just for the EC, but for everyone. That is what I have submitted for the strata reform.

              #17118
              Whale
              Flatchatter

                I don’t want to go on about this, BUT….

                It’s difficult to educate resident owners about the challenges of strata living, but try doing that when 80% of the residents in your Plan are tenants, whose Property Managers don’t provide them with a copy of Fair Trading’s “Strata Living” Publication as they’re required to, don’t provide them with a copy of the Plan’s By-Laws as they’re required to (even though I’ve placed a downloadable copy of our Plan’s By-Laws & Special By-Laws its website), and don’t provide the O/C with S119 Notifications unless I insist, and insist again!

                I’m still insisting on S119 Notifications from the seven (7) Real Estate Agencies who manage rental properties in our Plan, because as a step towards Struggs’ “pds” initiative, I provide every new tenant by name (off the S119) with a “welcome” letter to explain the 10 top challenges of living in our Plan, together with some complementary information about garbage collection, security access etc.

                That seems to work, but even on those few occasions when it doesn’t it’s good ammunition for the Consumer Trader & Tenancy Tribunal’s (CTTT) convoluted processes when we have to seek Orders to Comply; which leads to one of my submissions to the Strata Reform Process to the effect that Owners Corporations should be recognised in the Tenancy Division of the CTTT so that they can, when all else fails, seek Eviction Orders against tenants.

                #17127
                struggler
                Flatchatter
                Chat-starter

                  Your complex does sound like a lot of work Whale. I admire you for keeping on top of things, or at least attempting to. Because of your wealth of knowledge gained by self management, the rest of us here at flat chant get to benefit from your first hand knowledge of the Act, CTTT. It is because of yourself, and Jimmy of course, that I became aware of much of the act to the extent that I can now quote sections whilst attempting to assist friends in their strata enquiries.

                  My complex is the opposite of yours Whale. We have about 85% owner occupier here. Turnover is very low for all residents, they move in and stay. I too give new residents is little welcome to note. It contains the contact number for the SM, and website for fair trading plus the all important paragraph that states you can park in the visitors car park. And yet, despite residents all being long term, have to keep informing them. And have to keep attempting to be through their heads that there are strata by laws. My favorite owner was the one who stated “but by laws are only for renters to follow. I am an owner.”. He was shocked to find out it applied to one and all.

                  My complex should be the ideal, the dream complex. No high turnover should mean people are happy, like where they live, like their home and be proud of it. There should be minimal work for the EC and SM to do. After all, with the same people residing here for years they would notice if something was wrong in the complex and report it. They would definitely know the by laws by now and comply. They would know if no promised works had been carried out and ask why. But no. It is all someone else’s responsibility. By laws don’t apply to them. And nothing here is theirs, until they want it to be.

                  #17132
                  Whale
                  Flatchatter

                    @struggler said:
                    I admire you for keeping on top of things, or at least attempting to. Because of your wealth of knowledge gained by self management, the rest of us here at flat chant get to benefit from your first hand knowledge of the Act, CTTT. It is because of yourself, and Jimmy of course, that I became aware of much of the act to the extent that I can now quote sections whilst attempting to assist friends in their strata enquiries.

                    What can I say? Thanks EmbarassedEmbarassedEmbarassed

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