There have been two recent court cases involving “squatter’s rights” over parcels of land in Sydney. These cases raise the interesting question: Can “Squatters Rights” Exist in a Strata Scheme?

Question: We live in a small strata scheme of 6 lots. Can 3 lots be self managed and the remaining 3 lots appoint a strata manager?

The University of New South Wales, City Futures Research Centre has recently released an update and considerable statistical data relating to strata and community title schemes.

Question: I have been told that our building manager cannot use a high-pressure water machine to clean our fences or paths due to insurance issues. Could this be correct?

If you believe you have been defamed it is important that you seek advice as soon as possible – the timeframe for bringing an action is only 1 year, and there are numerous defences.

Fire Sprinkler Systems are one of the most effective ways of minimising property damage and the risk to life from a fire. But what do you do if a sprinkler system has been activated accidentally?

Question: What is the policy in relation to fire safety and stairwell doors onto common areas such as the car park?

The use of strata finance can assist strata properties to increase the value of their assets with upgrades to common areas and improvements to the building and surrounds. Strata finance is beneficial to all sized strata properties and projects on all scales.

It has become usual practice for an insurer to appoint their own legal representative to take over the conduct of a proceeding where the Owners Corporation has been sued and has issued a claim on its insurance policy for coverage of its legal expenses.

After years of rising concern about declining standards of residential property construction and narrowing of options available to strata owners corporations and lot owners in defective buildings, the NSW Government has passed reform legislation.

The body corporate’s financial year is different to the financial year most people are familiar with – it does not commence 1 July each year, but rather, it is based on when the scheme is registered. For example, if a scheme was registered on 4 November, its financial year defaults to 1 November to 30 October.

When buying a new apartment, the lot owner found that their owners corporation levies to run the building were grossly in excess of what they were told when they bought off-the-plan.

Question: Is there a regulated fixed percentage scale by which insurance companies increase their premiums each year? What is it?

With the re-emergence of COVID 19 in some areas of Queensland, the Government is stepping up measures to ensure that all individuals and businesses who operate within the accommodation industry adhere to the Queensland Government Tourism and Accommodation industry-approved COVID Safe plan.

Victorians will be given an extra two years to pursue legal action against builders responsible for installing combustible cladding on their homes under legislation being introduced to the Victorian Parliament today.

Following the recent amendment of Western Australian’s strata legislation, people are asking us two surprising questions “How can my strata company own ‘private property’?" and "What ‘private property’ could we own?"

Part 3 of the WA Strata Reform Seminar Series covered bylaws, legislation deadlines, insurance for maintenance planning and much more. You can access the presentation from Leonie Milonas here.

In Victoria, it is now a requirement to record the name, phone number, date and time of a contractor who performs work on-site as well as anyone who uses any common property facilities.

A decision by Airbnb to ban so called party houses has been applauded by the strata sector in New South Wales and should be backed up by stiff penalties and a rethink about how it can be applied to this year’s schoolies celebrations in NSW.

This article is part 2 of the WA Strata Reform Series. Please find below, the full video, and the 3 presentations covered within the session.