As if the former residents of Mascot Towers in Sydney weren’t doing it tough enough, last month they received another blow, and it’s one that smacks of local government incompetence, with maybe even a lingering whiff of past potential corruption Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Vertical village “Strata Hub” (NSW)
The NSW Government is introducing “Strata Hub” which aims to consolidate core information about strata schemes – but who will it really benefit? Information, and its management, is well-recognised as a vital organisational resource, essential for informed decision making. And it is now widely accepted that an organisation’s performance is strongly linked to how well […]
Australia: Out-of-Court Settlement Reached Over Opal Tower
A landmark out-of-court settlement has been reached in the multi-million-dollar class action over Sydney’s defect-riddled Opal Tower, one of Australia’s most significant property lawsuits. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: New Mandatory AGM Digital Reporting for Strata Schemes! (NSW)
Commencing 30 June 2022, the NSW Government will launch phase 2 of the ‘Strata Hub’, revolutionising strata management which means new reporting requirements for all strata schemes. The ‘Strata Hub’ phase 1 initially went live on 31 July 2021 launching the Strata Building Bond and Inspections Scheme (IBBIS) functions to be dealt with through the […]
Australia: ‘Daddy, is our home still broken?’: Mascot Towers owners in plea for help (NSW)
Mr Carr was among 40 owners who visited NSW Parliament on Wednesday to deliver 62 letters to Premier Dominic Perrottet and Fair Trading Minister Eleni Petinos, urging them to extend rental subsidies for unit owners. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Power struggle: Doctor forced to sell electric car after his building denied access to power point
As a doctor regularly treating patients suffering the ill effects of floods, heat and bushfires, Dr Akhil Gupta is eager not to contribute to climate change himself. But the 34-year-old is devastated after being forced to dump his electric vehicle for an old petrol car because the apartment block where he lives refused to allow […]
Australia: Bad Building Manager – NCAT Issues a Warning
A recent decision of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) has broken new ground in making orders for the termination of a Building Manager Agreement. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Former body corporate commissioner says balcony pets, vaping, BBQs could also be deemed hazardous
A former Queensland government body corporate commissioner says a recent ban on a unit owner smoking on her balcony could set a precedent for anything that could be deemed a health hazard including pet urine and barbecues to smoking or vaping at office buildings. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Queensland unit dwellers could be barred from smoking on balconies after landmark decision
Queenslanders living in apartments could be prevented from smoking on their balconies after a “game changing” decision to ban one unit owner from doing so after a complaint from an upstairs neighbour. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Strata sector is too important to be left with yet another minister on training wheels
When Dominic Perrottet announced his new cabinet last week, it wasn’t the changes at the top that drew most attention from apartment owners and strata professionals. It was one near the bottom. Fair Trading – the cumbersome multi-faceted ministry where strata issues reside – has long been known as a “training wheels” appointment. Read the […]
Australia: Nothing was done for months. Now this family is stuck in a damp, mouldy flat
Unexplained delays by the NSW government’s property tribunal have forced a mother, her five-year-old daughter and her elderly parents to move back into their damp, mouldy apartment. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: They bought a puppy for their son in lockdown. Strata did something ‘absurd’ (NSW)
When health worker Georgia Dawson applied for permission to keep her dog in her apartment, she was stunned to be told her building was considering imposing a bond on all pet owners of $2000. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: This Sydney strata nightmare started as a power struggle — then the police were called
It’s the stuff of Sydney strata nightmares: a cracking building, an expensive repair bill and an owners’ meeting that got so heated the police turned up. The drama started in the basement of the Vicinity apartment towers in Canterbury earlier this month, when owners couldn’t agree over who should be put in charge of managing […]
Australia: Strata and community schemes wake to a new era of short-term letting (NSW)
After nearly 20 months of closed international and state borders, it is understandable that the tourism industry is eagerly awaiting the return of the “tourist”, whether that be international travellers, domestic travellers or weary Sydneysiders looking to escape to rural NSW. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Wye River locals question Great Ocean Road governance as $150k ramp washed away by erosion
Following a severe storm in January, the river changed direction, sending water gushing along the beach towards the club and rapidly eroding the coastline where the building is perched. Mr McIntosh said he raised concerns with authorities in February, but for months, the only thing that was done was shuffling sand around the beach in […]
Australia: (Op/Ed) Building defects in strata units: unstoppable force meets immovable object
An owner in a new apartment tower at Canterbury said yesterday: “We took a risk buying into a new apartment, but we didn’t realise it would be this kind of risk.” The alleged risk in question is the possible need to evacuate due to structural instability. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Over a third of new strata buildings require serious repairs (NSW)
Of the strata buildings recently constructed across NSW, 39 per cent have serious defects, according to a new report, and the issues are taking an increasingly long time to be repaired. Research conducted by the Strata Community Association NSW (SCA NSW) has totalled the cost of these building defects, finding that the average price for […]
Australia: NSW strata: Tribunal considers the validity of pet by-law conditions
Section 137B of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 commenced on 24 August 2021 and provides that a by-law cannot unreasonably prohibit the keeping of an animal on a lot. The following Tribunal decision illustrates that a scheme can still place certain conditions on the keeping of pets. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: New report reveals skyrocketing cost of strata insurance
Strata insurance costs have been heading skyward for at least the last four years, according to a new report issued by the Strata Community Association (SCA) conducted by Deakin University. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Owners of Bayview Apartments in Ryde fix defects after developer goes into liquidation (NSW)
A group of apartment owners in Sydney’s north has had to find millions of dollars to rectify defects in their complex which emerged since it was completed 10 years ago. The developer behind the project — 82-84 Belmore Street Pty Ltd — was liquidated two years after the apartments were built. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: ‘Nightmare’: Changed orders keep buyers locked into defective Parramatta towers (NSW)
Buyers of apartments in two 22-storey Parramatta towers with serious defects fear changes to orders imposed on a developer by the NSW building watchdog will strip away their right to rescind contracts and get their deposits back. Read the entire article……………………………….
7 Lessons from Florida for Australian Strata
Without exploiting the tragedy at Champlain Towers South in Surfside Florida, there are some very useful lessons for Australian strata stakeholders for dealing with the aftermath of a structurally impaired building that may have some relevance right now. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Construction watchdog: Body corporates are not reporting known defects (NSW)
The NSW construction watchdog has major concerns that body corporates are underreporting serious defects in high-rise apartment buildings to government officials charged with cleaning up the construction industry and restoring public confidence. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: Construction watchdog: Body corporates are not reporting known defects (NSW)
The NSW construction watchdog has major concerns that body corporates are underreporting serious defects in high-rise apartment buildings to government officials charged with cleaning up the construction industry and restoring public confidence. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: ‘End this nightmare’: Mascot Tower owners call for resolution ahead of possible sale (NSW)
Almost two years after Mascot Towers in Sydney’s south was evacuated, the beleaguered building could sell for up to $42.5 million depending on how quickly owners can agree to the sale terms. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: NSW strata laws set for fresh government review to impact millions
Laws affecting more than one million people living in strata schemes across NSW are getting a fresh government review. It is evaluating laws just six years old in the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 that affect owners and tenants. Since the laws were enacted serious flaws, challenges and opportunities have arisen in the NSW strata […]
Australia: ‘Let the games begin’: All out war between pet owners and strata bosses (NSW)
Owners’ corporations are forcing residents to carry their pets across foyers, demanding their vets’ contact details and charging new owners application fees for animals in response to recent legal changes regarding pets in apartments. Read the article………………………………..
Australia: Have your say on strata laws (NSW)
Peninsula residents are being asked to have their say on how laws can be changed to better support people living or working in strata schemes. Strata schemes, or the process of owning a portion of a building with some shared common areas, currently maintain that the Owners Corporation is responsible for the upkeep of all […]
Short-term rental bill passes Australian Parliament
Australia: The Owners Corporation and Other Acts Amendment Bill 2020 has passed through the Upper House of Victorian Parliament, ensuring the protection of short stay operations in the state. Read the article…………………………………..
Kelkiah Apartments residents urged to evacuate Canberra complex immediately after fire safety issues found
An “urgent” notice has warned residents of a Canberra apartment complex to immediately evacuate their homes, after the discovery of safety issues that could lead to a rapid collapse in the event of a fire. Read the article………………………………
Mascot Towers’ owners get their court date over ‘catastrophic damage’
Owners of apartments in the blighted Mascot Towers are finally to get their day in court, accusing the developer, builder and engineers of the next-door development of being responsible for work that caused catastrophic damage to their homes. Read the article……………………………….
Australia: IQ Smart Apartments the first strata committee in Canberra to retrofit electric vehicle chargers
Residents at IQ Smart Apartments in Braddon say the installation of electric vehicle (EV) chargers in their basement carpark is one of the ways the strata committee is adding value to the apartments and ensuring owners have access to the latest technology. Read the article……………………………………
Australia: Setting the record straight on strata schemes (WA)
More than 2.2 million people live in flats and apartments Australia-wide, with the vast majority being strata titled. Western Australia has over 325,000 strata properties across more than 73,000 strata schemes, with 86 per cent of these in the metropolitan region. Read the article……………………………………..
Australia: NATIONALSTRATA OPINION ‘A dog’s breakfast’: NSW strata by-laws need to catch up to the 21st century
If you will excuse the pun, strata law in relation to pets is a dog’s breakfast. An appeal is pending on whether by-laws that impose blanket pet bans are “harsh, unconscionable or oppressive”. Individual NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal members have held they are, while the tribunal’s appeal panel thinks not. Since 2015, strata legislation […]
Australia: Sydney’s ‘worst’ apartment (strata) tower for defects forces industry shake-up
The NSW Building Commissioner has revealed an apartment tower in western Sydney, which he says is probably the worst he’s inspected, compelled him to convince the state government to give him the powers to clean up the industry. Read the article…………………………….
Yet Another Building Fire Likely a Result of Combustible Cladding – United Arab Emirates High-Rise Tower
On Tuesday, 5 May 2020, residents had to flee the 48-storey Abbco Tower in Sharjah as a result of the building catching fire, with flames shooting up the sides of the building. Reports say that the fire caused flaming debris to spray neighbouring parking lots and left metal siding littered on surrounding streets. Luckily, there […]
Australia: The Amended Strata Titles Act is now in effect (WA)
This week has been very exciting for Strata. As of May 1st, the Strata Titles Amendment Act 2018 is now in effect! Some of these changes may affect you, and your Strata Manager will advise you of those changes as they arise in the running of your Strata Company. Read the article…………………………
New strata laws to make strata better (WA)
The much-anticipated StrataTitles Act 1985, also known as the stratareforms, will come into effect as of Friday 1 May. REIWA strongly supports the new legislation andworked closely with Landgate and the WA Government to ensure that the real estateindustries concerns were taken into consideration. Read the article………………………
Australia: Mascot Towers repair bill to hit $53 million prompting owners to consider selling
Ongoing problems with the troubled Mascot Towers apartment building could see the repair bill blow out to more than $50 million, leaked emails reveal. Read the article………………………….
Australia: Strata lawyers call for government intervention amid health crisis
The Australian College of Strata Lawyers is calling for government intervention in all states to make clear to owners and strata managers that, during this unprecedented period, their communities will not be penalised should they choose to delay the convening of a meeting or fail to hold a meeting strictly in accordance with the legal […]
Apartment owners handed extra powers to break contracts after laws pass ACT Legislative Assembly
Apartment-buyers purchasing off-the-plan will have more rights to rip up sale contracts after the first phase of the Barr government’s strata reforms passed the ACT Legislative Assembly. Read the article…………………………..
Australia: Make yourself aware of strata law changes (WA)
The Western Australian Strata Title Amendments Act of 2018 is the most significant change to the state’s strata laws in over 20 years. There are more than 300,000 strata-titled properties in existence in WA, with most in the Perth metropolitan area. Read the article………………………….
Australia: NSW First Cladding Decision
The recent Tribunal decision in SP92888 v Taylor Construction Group and Frasers Putney [2019] NSWCAT has held that combustible external cladding installed on residential buildings is a major defect for the purposes of statutory warranties under the Home Building Act 1989 (the HBA) and will have significant ramifications on owners of residential buildings wishing to […]
Australia: Old v new, strata fees, cladding and more: all you need to know about buying a unit
Ask most prospective homeowners and they’ll probably tell you they’d rather buy a house than a unit. But the financial reality is that apartments are not as expensive so they might be a better bet for people who want to get on to the property ladder. House prices have jumped sharply in Sydney’s inner west, […]
Australia: Forced sales dumped as government introduces strata reform to Assembly (NSW)
Controversial plans that could have forced ACT apartment owners to sell their properties have not been included in the government’s new Managing Buildings Better reforms, which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday. Read the article…………………….
Australia: Pet owner ‘ecstatic’ as tribunal overturns no-pets policy in Sydney’s Horizon apartment block
The dog owner who challenged a total pet ban in one of Sydney’s richest and most prestigious apartment buildings has won her case after a four-and-a-half-year battle. In a decision that could affect any apartment block in NSW with a no-pets policy, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) ruled on Friday that the 43-storey, […]
Australia: Body corporate gets Airbnb banned from Gold Coast complex in Queensland first
In a landmark ruling, a Gold Coast body corporate has succeeded in having Airbnb rentals banned from its complex. Two property owners on Fairway Island within the Hope Island Resort gated community wanted to list on the short-term rental site but a magistrate ruled in favour of their body corporate, which was against the proposition. […]
Australia: Strata Community Association NSW president Chris Duggan says it’s time to “get on with” rectifying the flammable cladding on Wollongong buildings
A strata sector advocate has called for action to “get on with” making Wollongong properties safe that have been identified as containing flammable cladding. In September, the Mercury reported that there were 58 buildings in the Wollongong LGA which have, or may have, the combustible aluminium panels. Read the article……………………………….
Australia: Should pets be allowed in apartment buildings? The Sydney unit owners locked in a legal battle
Half-blind, half-deaf miniature schnauzer Angus is at the centre of a bitter battle at one of Sydney’s most prestigious apartment buildings between those who want to keep it pet-free, and others who think they’re barking mad. The award-winning Harry Seidler-designed Horizon in Darlinghurst has voted to spend $70,000 on legal action to try to evict […]
Australia: Strata Titles Amendment Act 2018: Change is coming (WA)
The Strata Titles Amendment Act was passed in parliament last year and the Regulations have been drafted, distributed for public comment and Landgate are now reviewing feedback so that the Proposed Strata Titles Act (General) Regulations 2019 can be delivered to Parliament in the next few months. Read the article………………………..