There’s a nasty by-law floating around various strata schemes these days – I say nasty because whatever its intent was, it’s having the effect of discouraging owners from challenging their strata committees, regardless of the validity of their cases. One version of this that I’ve seen was concocted by an otherwise responsible strata legal firm, […]

I have to confess, I’ve never previously paid much attention to the shape of taps.  But as D for Demolition Day approaches in our planned bathroom renovation, the style, function and colour of mixers, diverters, spouts and sprays take on a significance far beyond their basic function – the delivery of water to a sink, […]

A decision to turn normal Olympic Games planning on its head has resulted in an enduring success story for Sydney, with the former athletes’ village now a sought-after suburb. Before 2000, Olympic Games planners would build accommodation as temporary athletes’ villages which would later become government housing in rundown areas or expensive white elephants rarely […]

This week’s podcast is all about wheel-clamping, email privacy and the amazing legacy of the Sydney Olympics athletes’ village. But one of the biggest pieces of news this week is about the podcast itself or, more to the point, these show notes. As we approach our 100th edition, and following numerous requests from readers who […]

Living with renovations in your apartment block isn’t easy at the best of times, but we put up with it because, in the give and take of strata living, some day you might be the one driving your neighbours nuts with drilling and hammering. But then the coronavirus kicks in and everyone in Victoria is […]

Sometimes you have to apply the Goldilocks principle to strata committees. Like the three bears’ beds, some strata committees are too hard, some are too soft and others – maybe the majority –  are just about right. In any case, I suspect it’s the strata softies who are driving one of our Flatchatters to distraction. […]

A small one-bedroom flat in North Bondi was listed for auction last week, with the vendors hoping for about $800,000 when it goes to auction early next month.  Nothing very extraordinary in that … except it’s a brand new flat in a very old building, the vendors are the owners corporation and the 36sqm unit […]

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 of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, our process is more like decision, confusion, determination, submission and resignation. The decision part was easy – the […]

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 organisations in NSW, Victoria and Queensland operated by and for apartment owners.  That prompted a question from South Australia – “what about us?” What indeed?  […]

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 for the combustible cladding on their high rise. Now City of Sydney has issued fire safety orders on the Quay in Sydney’s Haymarket, covered in […]

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 how the radical renovation of unused storage space in a Bondi block has allowed the owners to upgrade the whole 1930s building with new electrics, […]

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 a pipe burst in the bathroom ceiling of his apartment which had been extensively renovated by the previous owner some 10 years previously. The bathroom […]

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 1930s Sydney apartment block. And this could be a template for the renewal of older blocks across Australia, writes Sue Williams,  as new building techniques […]

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 our multitude of guests (well, three, to be exact). First there is the redoubtable Karen Stiles who is the Executive Officer at the Owners Corporation […]

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 would be renovating.  His neighbours assumed the usual stuff – new kitchen and bathroom, perhaps. But then he removed the ceiling in his top floor […]

Owners corporations in new buildings deciding whether to fix building defects themselves or take recalcitrant developers to court – at huge expense and with no guarantee of success – have been offered a lifeline by NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler. Boosted by sweeping new powers that came into force on September 1,  Mr Chandler says […]

Imagine you’ve noticed a proposal in your strata scheme to spend too much money on the wrong project or contractor. You need to get in touch with other owners in a hurry before the decision is made and set in stone. Snail mail just isn’t going to do it. So you ask your strata manager […]

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 clause to a NSW State Government Bill to alter strata law. The original Bill was designed to make it easier to add environmentally responsible structures […]

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 by the inspectors. The owners of a small block in Sydney had replaced its fire inspection company (over minor issues) but were taken aback when […]

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 buildings clad in combustible materials. And apartment renovations can’t be carried out during the Stage Four lockdowns unless the whole unit block is unoccupied. This […]