Discover a seamless strata living experience through our curated resources. Delve into essential insights on property governance, legal compliance, and smart investment strategies within the dynamic realm of strata ownership. Access practical guides and valuable advice to confidently navigate regulations, ensuring an informed and empowered strata living journey.
Can an Owners Corporation Demolish a Balcony? What Owners Need to Know
When an owners corporation is faced with an ageing balcony that was added decades ago and is now expensive to repair, the temptation is often to ask a simple question: can we just remove it? For many Committees, especially those trying to manage rising costs and limited budgets, demolition can seem like the most practical solution. However, a tribunal…
How Committees Should Approach Renegotiating Their Body Corporate Management Contract
Renegotiating a body corporate management contract is one of the most effective steps a Committee can take to improve the way a building is managed. A well-structured agreement supports better service delivery, greater financial transparency, and stronger governance outcomes for all lot owners. As buildings and communities evolve, management contracts often fail to keep pace. Provisions may become outdated, expectations…
Busting the myth: “If there’s a lift and pool – the body corporate levies skyrocket”
One of our directors was in the gym one morning and inadvertently overheard a conversation between two people. The older guy walked in, greeted his friend, and they got talking about a new development underway. Before long, the conversation delved into body corporate levies. The older guy makes the declaration that “As soon as there’s…
Top 10 Body Corporate Issues in Victoria and How to Handle Them
If you live in a body corporate property, you have probably seen how quickly small issues can become bigger problems. One resident parks in the wrong spot. A pet causes complaints. Levies increase without a clear explanation. Before long, the Committee is dealing with frustrated owners and questions about what should happen next. In Victoria, many people still say body…
Helping Large Owners Corporations to Change Management Companies and Improve the Running of their Buildings
It has been a very busy past few months and year for us at Change Body Corporate. We have had many conversations with industry contacts, our trusted management companies, and the Committees that we work with. We have noted several factors that seem to have contributed to more Committees wanting to change OC management companies: Committees…
Find A Good Body Corporate Manager in Melbourne: Body Corporate Seeks Help to Leave Abusive Real Estate Agent
Do Real Estate Agents Make Good Body Corporate Managers? It is absolutely staggering to see the weekly growth in Consumer Affairs Victoria’s list of registered body corporate managers. It seems that the register of body corporate managers in Victoria is being inflated with new entrants every week. This makes it even harder to hire…
We Live Here – Advocacy Group for Owners Corporations
Should All Owners & Committees in Owners Corporations in Victoria Get Involved with We Live Here? We Live Here (WLH) is an advocacy group launched in December 2016 to give a voice to and protect the rights of owners and residents in apartment buildings run by Owner Corporations. WLH arose from the long-running Watergate case against short-stays. Until then, residents…
How Stage 4 Restrictions Affect the Management of your Buildings
The introduction of stage 4 restrictions in Victoria under the Stay at Home Directions (Restricted Areas) (no 8) issued by the Public Health Commander under s200 of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic) has seen significant and sweeping changes. From 11.59 p.m. Wednesday, 5 August 2020, workplaces must be closed unless they are part of a permitted activity.
Strata Managers Maximising Owner Engagement in the Digital Age
The role of strata managers in Australia has transformed significantly. While the COVID-19 pandemic may be receding, it accelerated trends that have reshaped how bodies corporate operate and how strata managers deliver their services. This article explores the key considerations for strata managers leading their communities in this new era of body corporate management. General Meetings: Embracing Flexibility and Choice…
The Latest Management Rights Termination Battle
The Background Law can be a very dry occupation. As long as you are not on the receiving end of them, some of the lines in legal judgements can be somewhat amusing. One of the best judgments in recent times was the striking out of the bulk of Mark Latham’s defamation defence, but the judgement in…