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  • in reply to: How to get NBN connected as a Renter ? #54744
    Bunyip1
    Flatchatter

      Yes Goodluck  Jester! We recently had NBN installed in our Sydney apartment block and it is a ” process ” ( I say recently but i think from first NBN letter to Strata to final install took about 20 months ).  At our first meeting with NBN, the OC dealt with a rep from NBN,  I think there may have been a Telstra rep, a rep representing the head contractor for NBN and a couple of guys from one of many subcontracting firms employed by the head contractor to do the install. In Jester’s case, NBN would’ve have informed owners / strata that NBN was coming to their suburb and organised a meeting with the OC.  Our building had HFC for cable TV and thought they’d be used but NBN refused to use existing cabling as they couldn’t guarantee the integrity of the existing cable and would prefer to core new holes and put their new cabling in for the block ( hmmm? ). It may also depend on what type of NBN is to be installed in your Building FTTC, FTTN or FTTP.  I think ours was FTTC,  NBN came into a distribution box from the street then into our basement to a box and cabling in ducts was brought up and outside everyones’ front door. I think that is all the owners have to do. Renters can then chose any NBN provider and the provider will bring the NBN into property and put a socket in the wall as part a contract between renter and NBN provider. If an owner wanted to they could bring the cabling in and install a socket for the property. Another issue to look out for when ADSL is turned off is emergency phones in lifts. We needed to source a mobile phone plan for our lift as existing phone lines would be cut off and lifts,by law, require a phone in case of emergency and blackouts.

      Good Luck

      in reply to: Smoke Detectors #51758
      Bunyip1
      Flatchatter

        Hi Flatchatters and Jimmy T,

        I have just noticed a new charge for smoke detector inspection on my rental property statement. I told the real estate agent that the strata did a yearly check that includes testing of the smoke alarms inside each apartment. The real estate said legislation stated that Strata fire compliance only required 80% of the alarms inside units to be checked for a pass ( What?!!? ) and if my unit wasn’t one of the 80% checked I am liable for damage or worse if fire broke out in my unit.

        I find it really hard to believe on an issue of Fire safety that 80% is good enough. Imagine being on an airplane that was only checked 80%.  I do remember that my real estate agent ( a large chain ) was doing a special price promo at the time for smoke alarm checks by a certain smoke alarm company.

        Is this just another ploy by a real estate chain to garner extra business through compliance or do they they have a legitimate point?

        Bunyip1
        Flatchatter

          Yes, a Royal Commission to stop all shonky and unprofessional practices,

          We got rid of our Strata Managers after a 17 year tenure, they had been the only managers of the building.  The owner of Strata company and insurance broker run their joint business from our building ( they own 5 lots in our plan).  I had questioned the legitimacy of Owner/s  being the managing agent.  Jimmy T said it’s not a healthy setup but it’s not illegal.   The advice was to get rid of the Strata firm which wasn’t an easy task due to their long tenure, the fact they were owners of multiple lots and the form of the firm;s owner to bully and intimidate committee members if people disagreed with him.

          So after 12months of garnering support it was agreed to get rid of them at the AGM. We had anticipated fireworks from the Strata owner but as luck would have it, the strata owner and his business partner did not even turn up to the AGM ( I think they were so certain their contract would be renewed ).  When the motion to renew their contract came up, it was a unanimous ” NO “. We did feel for the strata manager because her boss use to intimidate her at the strata meetings, how was she going to explain this one ? I think there was a quick phone call made and a request from the boss and business partner to be allowed on the committee to which there was another unanimous ” NO ” as there was no proxies received nor were they in attendance. ”

          Another reason we got rid of our strata agent was our suspicions about the strata cleaners cleaning their offices. When requested, the cleaning company could not produce a scope of works for our building but only a scope for the offices of the strata mgr and his business partner.  A call was received by our new strata manager from the director of the cleaning company to say his secretary had made a mistake and he can get the cleaning scope to us in a few days. I mean after cleaning our building for 17 years isn’t it in our file?

          The cleaning firm has contracts to clean many buildings managed by our old Strata company.  I was also informed that a member of the strata company is related to someone in the cleaning company’s management.  To further reinforce our suspicions after terminating the former cleaners, our new strata manager received a bill for items relating to cleaning of the offices of the former Strata manager and business partner which was quickly retracted and put down to another administration error but surely after 17 years of cleaning on totally separate accounts how can an invoice be mistakenly charged to our strata account?

          A year has passed and the former strata agent and business partner were not going to miss this year’s AGM. They are now back on the committee, and as expected, are being as difficult as ever. Decisions and agreements made during their tenure are now being rejected, questioned or not supported anymore. We are now being blamed for delays to bylaws and repairs which were meant to be done by their company not the new managing agent.

          The new managing agent has quickly got these items resolved any delays are caused by the former managing agent not agreeing to anything. The old managing agent has been so spiteful that approved repairs to the building which was going to stop some water entry into units including his own have been delayed due to constant questioning of stages by him but he has the nerve to then asks why there is a delay and he still has a small leak in one of his units.

          Yes please Royal Commission and make new laws over conflicts of interests. Our former situation although ” not illegal ” wouldn’t pass any pub test even if it was a dodgy pub!

           

           

          in reply to: Can SC force me to remove my puppy? #49886
          Bunyip1
          Flatchatter

            Hi Kamz119,

            I think the NSW govt made changes to the Strata Schemes Management Act for easier pet ownership a bout 4 years ago. Our Strata scheme adopted a bylaw where pets were allowed with permission from the Committee.  I think there needs to be a very ” good ” reason for a pet to be denied.  Now a medium to large dog such as a German Shepard may be considered a ” good reason ” but the fact that your puppy is necessary ” medication ” I place it in the same category as a seeing eye Dog and you should have special consideration.  I have a mate who needed a companion dog for his PTSD and he can bring the Dog into a cinema with him.  I think by presenting all the precautions you’ll take and make in keeping your puppy as she grows and the fact she is a ” treatment ” dog you have a pretty good argument for keeping her.

            Good Luck

             

            in reply to: New strata manager – proposals and fees #46783
            Bunyip1
            Flatchatter

              Hey Yolbee,

              We recently selected a new Strata Manager. We obtained 4 quotes and the fees were pretty much the same in price offering the same services. I would say ask friends, families and Strata websites and see reviews on who are good strata managers near you.  Ask your friendly neighbor in the flats across the road see how they rate their Strata managers.  Good luck.

              in reply to: Request/demand an audit of strata finances #46686
              Bunyip1
              Flatchatter

                G’day Flattchatters,

                We recently got rid of our Strata managing agents after 17 years as our strata managers. We thought their service had become subpar and the management had become arrogant and self serving. The strata company were also owners of 3-5 commercial lots within our Strata Plan.  This was an ” unhealthy setup ” but not illegal under the SSMA  ( as Jimmy T pointed out ). A few owners have had suspicions about the cleaning contractors cleaning the offices of our former Strata Managers when they did the weekly clean of our building. I recently asked our new Strata Mgr to ask for a scope of works from the contractors. We received a scope which basically showed 80% of the job was cleaning the offices and property of our former strata managers. We are awaiting confirmation that it was all billed to Owner’s corporation account. Now I think this has been the case for the last 17years. Is someone in a little spot of bother? We are also thinking of a thorough audit of our accounts with a new auditor as well!

                in reply to: Victimization by Managing Agent #42044
                Bunyip1
                Flatchatter

                  Yes Felix,

                  Write a letter to EC and Copy in Strata Manager and request the information you require, throw in a few Clauses from the SSMA 2016 which points out the duties of a strata managing Agent and the penalties of meeting requests for information.  Sometimes NCAT may need to be called in. Have you written to the principal of the strata company about their employee not meeting their duties?

                  in reply to: Tile envy over balcony refurbs #40699
                  Bunyip1
                  Flatchatter
                  Chat-starter

                    Hi Andy,

                    The 4 balconies that were refurbished were only done so necessarily as the water proofing had failed on all of them and was causing water leaks to all parts of the buildings.  The apartments lost tenants for 5+months and received no compensation for the loss rent. This owner’s request is for purely cosmetic reasons, the waterproof membrane has been inspected and deemed sound ( no leakage below ). So why tear up tiles that will need a new membrane for some stained tiles caused by pot plants sitting in place for too long ( a manager had noticed these stains prior ).  There is a good outcome. I sent photos of some balconies with a painted treatment and they were surprised at how good the finish was and accepted this method. We as an OC will pay for the tile paint treatment as some staining may have been attributable to leaking from above.  We were not however, going to pay for replacing an entire balcony due to stained tiles as this could open up a pandora’s box of balcony refurb requests because the tiles are stained.

                    Bunyip1
                    Flatchatter
                    Chat-starter

                      Hey Jimmy T,

                      There is light at the end of tunnels! We had a unanimous decision in not renewing the management agreement of our very incumbent strata managers at the AGM. Not only did we vote to get rid of them, the committee member who’s company runs our Strata wasn’t present and did not bother or forgot to fill in forms to nominate themselves to the committee. I believe the Strata Manager notified their employer and there was a request to be on the committee but this was rejected.

                      Bunyip1
                      Flatchatter
                      Chat-starter

                        Hi All,

                        I’m very confused about parts of the SSMA 2015, I’ve been reading up on it as we want to get rid of our strata manager at the AGM.  In the SSMA 2015 Part 4 Div 1 section 49 subsection ( 5 ) it states an owner seeking appointment as a Strata manager cannot vote on the appointment, so this indicates that an owner can be the strata manager but just not vote for themselves when seeking the position.

                        However, the property, Stocks and Business Act 2002, which is referenced a lot in SSMA 2015 defines a ” Strata manager ” as someone that isn’t an owner of a lot in the scheme they manage. So one says an owner can be elected and the other defines the role as someone who isn’t an owner!

                        Now Leasing agents can be on the Strata committee as well as building mangers, that’s just asking for conflicts of interests to arise.

                        NB: This response was started as a new thread even though it is clearly part of an existing discussion(in another topic)  – that is very much frowned upon here on the Forum.  Please stick to one thread per topic.  We can manage to separate tangential issues, as you can see. – JimmyT

                        in reply to: Who Pays for Alternative Accommodation? #39665
                        Bunyip1
                        Flatchatter

                          This happen to us last year, the entire top floor lost all tenants due to major remedial works. None of the insurance policies covered alternative accommodation due the ” necessary remedial works to building “.

                          The OC’s Insurance only covered unlivable situations caused by the usual weather, fire, flood bomb,flooding, water pipes bursting etc incidents but not remedial works.  landlords insurance only covered ” unlivable ” conditions which were arguably as the apartments were ” livable” the works were predominantly on the balcony.

                          However, the noise , dust, removable of balcony doors ( in winter ) and builders in and out all day proved too much for the tenants.  I did remember reading somewhere that some Strata Insurance may cover alternative accommodation for owners living in the apartments but not tenants ( don’t hold me to that though ).

                          We checked with our broker and it was denied. So after paying $20k each in a special levy to raise $300k on top raising the standard sinking fund levy by $400 a qtr for 2 years. The owners of the top floor also lost rent for 5 months.

                          We spoke about getting some compensation at the EGM but nothing has come of it. I’m all for governments making it statute that Strata Insurance must cover all loss attributed to ” remedial Works “.

                          This may be a recommendation after the disasters of the Opal, Mascot, Cube and Honeycomb and other towers needing significant remedial / repair works, especially after warranty periods. You could try asking your insurer they might just surprise you.

                          in reply to: NSW Annual Levies not set as AGM not held #39012
                          Bunyip1
                          Flatchatter

                            An addition to my last post. We kept paying the levies set in 2015 for levies in 2016.

                            in reply to: NSW Annual Levies not set as AGM not held #39010
                            Bunyip1
                            Flatchatter

                              Hi All,

                              This happened to me 3 years ago where they skipped the AGM entirely for the 2016 year , when I queried it I was met with ” oh the levies didn’t change so we didn’t hold one ” Currently  it is 15 months since the last AGM.  My problem is another member of the OC , is also the principal of the strata management company that manages our Strata Plan, they asked our strata manager ,who they employ, to hold an AGM, it is 4 weeks since this request.  The principal of the strata company was on the OC when they skipped the 2016 AGM, surely they would of being aware that this contravenes the SSMA 2015.  Does it state somewhere in the act that if a strata manager leads the OC to commit an offence under the SSMA that only the Strata Manager is to be held liable and not the committee members?

                              in reply to: Why strata needs to get out of Fair Trading NOW! #31027
                              Bunyip1
                              Flatchatter

                                LogicProbe,

                                Gaming and Racing? maybe, as it’s a gamble to purchase into a strata unit and a race for builders, developers and strata management and politicians to see who can run as far away from blame when the proverbial hits the fan!

                                in reply to: Unit owners face defect bills of $100k-plus EACH #31026
                                Bunyip1
                                Flatchatter

                                  Aye Jimmy T and Silly Cow,

                                  I’m glad there is passion in the belly for this stuff but it’s disheartening that Jimmy T believes there will never be any commission or ” real ” investigation done into the sector. These self serving politicians who keep telling us what they’re doing better for our state but as we all know they are pretty much stuffing up everything they touch. I live in hope, anyone say royal commission into our politicians and the system? we can only dream!

                                Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 29 total)