Roundup – even from a distance, cladding plan looks thin
Greetings from Cambodia! OK, the picture above is from the centre of Saigon but we stopped off for a few days on our way to Angkor Wat. Anyway, how would…
Past Posts
These posts go all the way back to the raw versions of my Flat Chat columns for the Sydney Morning Herald’s Domain section over th e past 15 years. Some of the issues are specific to New South Wales, some are universal. There will almost certainly be differences in strata law between NSW and other states and countries and the laws have changed over that timespan too.
If you have a serious problem, contact the agencies (in Australia) listed in our contacts sections. Or contact a properly qualified and experienced strata lawyer. These columns should not be regarded as a substitute for professional legal advice.
Podcast: Ep 3 of the Wrap looks at buying and selling
Is this the best time to buy an new apartment or just the worst time to sell? And what you should look out for in offers that seem to be…
Business booms in blocking illegal Airbnbs
What would most Flatchatters change first about their apartment blocks if they had three magic wishes? Make it harder for people to let out their entire flat through Airbnb, was…
New hope for high-rises hijacked by criminals
I was chatting to a colleague the other day who’s just back from South Africa and she was telling me about an area of Johannesburg that experienced apartment dwellers’ worst…
Sydney blocks save $1m in smart green apartment scheme
The City of Sydney’s popular smart green apartments program – which last year helped 20 unit blocks save an average of $57,000 off their annual power bills – is now…
Airbnb battle moves to Queensland … and Edinburgh
The debate over the spread of short-term holiday lets and the restriction on it – or lack of them – has quietened down a little in NSW with the announcement…
Shock of the new – is your block ready for electric cars?
You’ve probably seen them in your car park; power points on the odd pillar or wall and a cable snaking off towards the bonnet of a car, where it’s attached…
Live where you love, buy where you can afford
There are few feelings of financial disappointment greater than scrimping and saving (not to mention begging and borrowing) for a deposit only to see the prospects of living where you…
How the cost of hard floors can go through the ceiling
When you live in a concrete and glass tower, putting down a timber floor can have a softening, humanising effect. On the other hand, tiles are more durable and easier to…
Roundup: Who will stand up to the holiday letting liars?
The evidence is stacking up that Airbnb and the other short-term letting agencies have persuaded the majority of our MPs that they should be allowed to operate unhindered by any concern for what they…
Strata owners fear insurance bills as much as cladding fires
By Sue Williams Apartment owners whose buildings are covered with inflammable cladding are living in as much fear of insurance hikes as they are of fires, says a leading strata…
Roundup: Seven tricky questions for the strata experts
OK, we’ve only a few days to go until Strata Matters (aka Flat Chat Live) the OCN owners day so I thought I’d give you a taste of the questions…
Fire safety questions have a surprisingly simple answer
Last week we looked at fire ordinances and old apartment blocks, but recent headlines have mostly been about shiny new buildings and the flammable cladding that makes them look so…
How not to get your fingers burned over fire safety
Considering how few fatalities there are in apartment fires, the dangers from unit block blazes do seem to occupy a lot of bureaucratic brain space. On the other hand, it…
Roundup: Book now for the fun and factual Strata Matters owners day
Over here at Flat Chat we’re getting very excited about the Strata Matters owners’ day seminar thingy in a couple of weeks. Yes, we will be talking about cladding, yes…
Roundup: How big a deal is the size of your unit?
Of all the things you might have to sacrifice to be able to afford an apartment to buy or rent, how far down the list would size rate? Less important…
Click-power a real option as online meetings take off
In the old days, when strata blocks were mostly two or three-storey walk-ups, everybody was on the committee and communication was chats in the hallway and notes slipped under doors.…
Roundup: TV, radio, books, Flat Chat Live – it’s strata Showtime!
We’re in the middle a bit of a media frenzy here at Flat Chat HQ. Last Wednesday I was on TV on Ten’s Studio10 talking about how Kings Cross…