Case Study: The Consequences of Apathy in Bodies Corporate

Apathy in a body corporate is cause for alarm. It’s also a problem that is rife. Many people buy a unit with nothing but a rudimentary understanding bodies corporate and how they work and then proceed to ignore and complain about the body corporate as if it’s of no relevance to them at all. Unfortunately for a […]
Show me the body corporate legislation that says that!

People ask me questions, all the time, which I answer, not all the time but quite often. Please don’t think I think I have all the answers, because really, really don’t. But I can, and do, have an insight to offer which I’m happy to share. One the things I find the most frustrating though […]
What Happens When Body Corporate Budgets Are Not Adopted

The biggest complaint about strata schemes is that the levies are too high! Particularly since levies have a tendency to increase, usually by a small amount year in year out. When they vote at general meetings most owners (if they vote) will vote yes to the legislative motions which include things like confirming the financials and insurance and […]
15 Signs of a Healthy Body Corporate

A healthy body corporate is what every purchaser wants when they buy a unit. A pre purchase strata report is all about investigating the scheme to find that out. How exactly do we do that? I did a search where the client specifically requested that I look for evidence on the effectiveness of the Committee. Luckily for me […]
3 Common Disputes with Building Managers

One of the questions under the “Contracts” section in our Pre Purchase Strata Report is: Are there any disputes with the Building Manager? The question is there because disputes with Building Managers do come up, and they have the potential to be both very expensive and very damaging to the sense of community within the scheme. Essentially […]
5 Simple Tips For Stress Free Unit Ownership

I’m a strata searcher. Most people look at me blankly when I say that so now days I tell them it’s a fancy phrase that means I investigate body corporates. “Oh!” they reply and then proceed to tell me horror stories about their body corporate. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind. In fact, keep […]
What is Common Property and Why is it Important?

Buying a unit is different from buying a house. The key difference is the ownership structure. With a house, your lot is your lot and that’s it. With a unit the lot itself is only a part of the overall value of the unit. As important is the common property of the body corporate within […]
What is a Body Corporate Returning Officer?

A body corporate returning officer is an independent party engaged to facilitate secret voting on certain motions. In a lot of ways body corporates act like small democratic countries; they’re heavily legislated, led by an elected governing body, the majority rules and the citizens are (should be at least) watching what happens with an eagle […]
Pets and Body Corporates

Pets and body corporates account for the most common by-law breaches. Pets making noise, pets creating a nuisance, pets damaging common property and the ever popular pets without permission. The issues of animals in strata schemes is polarising and the subject of much debate. This article is a brief overview of the rules and regulations […]
Tenants and Body Corporates

My daughter has just inked her very first lease on her very first home away from home. Unfortunately for her, her new home is in a body corporate, a subject I know quite a lot about, and am moved to share at the slightest provocation. Queue a lecture about tenants and body corporates. I’m fairly […]