Change your mindset in a crisis – free webinars
At a time when we are all worried about work, or the lack of it, or where we can do it, or going back to it, plus our own health…
Why strata lawyers need to dial down the TV drama
I received an email from a long-time Flatchatter the other day who attached a letter they had received from their strata committee’s lawyer, demanding that they withdraw a case at…
New fire safety regs on strata webinar agenda
Apparently more than 200 strata residents took part in the Owners Corporation Network (OCN) webinar on Airbnb and short term letting this week. And they hope even more of you…
Forum: Inundated – just like the people below balcony window washers
One should never assume anything. I had thought that with so many people working from home, the correspondence to the Forum would take off like a rocket. When it just…
Key to unwelcome ‘guests’ and overcrowded flats is at your fingertips
It started with a complaint from an exasperated reader who declared himself sick of all the negative Airbnb and holiday letting stories we run on Flat Chat. But it’s not…
Podcast 74: Bully for you – how aggressive should strata lawyers be?
What is a strata lawyer’s job? That’s the question we ask in the Flat Chat Wrap podcast this week. Is it to find a reasonable solution, based on strata law,…
How to handle the holiday let threat to your homes
Next to airlines and restaurants, one of the businesses hit hardest by Covid-19 restrictions has been Airbnb and its imitators. The online holiday letting agency has apparently suffered an 85…
Podcast 73 – stressed pets, property prices … plus James Valentine
It’s an extra long Flat Chat Wrap this week, so strap yourselves in. First of all, there’s a discussion about how our pets could be getting stressed from getting too…
From the Forum: Why a balcony garden reminds us of a penthouse mountain
There’s a question on the Forum this week that has brought back memories of a story from a few years ago when a man in China decided to build a…
What will your dog do when you return to work?
With many Australians hopefully heading back into the office in the near future, your pets are going to have to make a major adjustment too. And what you don’t want…
Coronavirus information, advice and support
We all need help navigating the maze of information around coronavirus lockdown and the various forms of assistance on offer. There is so much information for people in different circumstances…
See JimmyT on Amanda Farmer’s Happy Hour
For those of you for whom too much Flat Chat isn’t enough, I leapt into the world of live podcasting this week when I was the guest on strata lawyer…
Levies shortfall plan where everyone’s a winner
There is a lot of genuine angst around about the payment of levies or, more to the point, the inability to pay them. Just to be clear, there are no…
From the Forum – down in the dumps with a slack SM
We live in strange times indeed, and this week we received one of the longest posts to the Forum that I have ever seen. The main topic? A strata manager…
Podcast 72 – Move it … while the politicians lose it
Are you a gym junkie, hanging out for those palaces of pain, sweat and tears to re-open? Or are you just coming to the gradual conclusion that binge-watching TV while…
Working out the best way of working out at home
The commercial gyms are closed, as are the apartment block facilities managed by the more cautious strata committees. And the fitness gear store shelves have been cleared of dumbbells, kettle…
Upper House report slams Government on cladding, defects and reforms
A NSW Upper House committee has slammed the NSW State government over alleged failures in three key areas all of which are directly related to apartment living. The government is…
From the Forum – is working from home legal?
With more of us working from home, a fairly obvious question has been raised – is it legal? And the answer is … probably yes, possibly no. The critical issue,…