Five stages of bathroom renovation grief
It’s been about a month since we decided to renovate our 20-year-old bathrooms and we are going through something that is akin to the five stages of grief. Except, instead…
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Forum: When ‘she’ll be right’ is oh so wrong
That old chestnut of who is responsible for repairs done on a nod and a wink rears its ugly, unloved head again in this week’s Forum. A Flatchatter writes that…
Podcast: Renos, pets and kids in uncrowded houses
It’s another big week on the podcast front with a lot of serious – and not so serious – issues to discuss. First up we look at this story about…
Six-way stand-off as block stuck in cladding Hell
Owners in an apartment block in the centre of Sydney are caught in a potentially fatal six-way stand-off as owners, developers, builders and the government battle over who is responsible…
Who’s got your back when strata schemes hit strife?
In times of strife and confusion, it’s good to know who’s got your back. It’s even more important to know who hasn’t. Recently in these pages I briefly listed the…
Basement conversions rescue ageing block
The conversion of unused basement spaces to two new flats and the purchase of common property to allow the extension of existing properties, have financed a major upgrade to a…
Commissioner’s lifeline on new-build defects
Owners corporations in relatively new buildings deciding whether to fix building defects themselves or take recalcitrant developers to court – at huge expense and with no guarantee of success –…
Forum: Space invader demands squatters rights
It’s amazing how often this old chestnut comes up and it reminds me of friends who had a “creative” young chap move into their small 1930s walk-up and announce he…
Podcast 91: Crackdown on dud developers hits home
We have one of our longest ever Flat Chat Wrap podcasts this week, but it’s all good so brace yourselves, pace yourselves and buckle up for some interesting material from…
Your email address and the myth of privacy
Imagine you’ve noticed a proposal in your strata scheme to spend too much money on the wrong project or with a contractor you’ve heard overcharges and is unreliable. Strata committee…
Nonsense on both sides of the latest pet debate
There’s a lot of nonsense being spouted on both sides of the pet debate these days. The issue was been stirred up most recently by the Animal Liberationists adding a…
Flatchatter saves $25k on fire safety ‘blackmail’
A Flatchatter has just saved his strata scheme $25,000 – 70 per cent of their fire safety inspection bill – after responding to what they felt were threats and blackmail…
Forum: Window repair costs don’t add up
This week a Flatchatter doesn’t understand how her share of the cost of having all the windows in her building repaired is more that the quote she received for having…
Podcast: Email privacy & Afternoons radio with JV
This week’s podcast takes a look at an area of strata life where strata managers could be breaking the law … because apartment-owning clients want them to. We’re talking about…
Wins for Vic residents as lockdown renos halted
There have been two pieces of very rare good news for Victorian strata owners and residents, in the past week. The state government has extended the defect claims period for…
‘Dream’ bathroom project: the nightmare begins
There comes a point in the life of every apartment when you have clear-cut choices – renovate your kitchen or bathrooms, or leave them exactly as they are in the…
Forum: Security Vs safety behind locked doors
When we moved into our current building 20 years ago, there was a spate of mystery break-ins with minor thefts, but no signs of visible forced entry. One of the…
Strata lawyers scramble to plug Airbnb loopholes
A couple of stories have shone a spotlight on Airbnb and other short-term letting platforms this week. Firstly, we have discovered (by chance) that strata lawyers in NSW are looking…