Your Strata Property With Amanda Farmer

With news last week that police attended a Sydney strata meeting to break up the chaos, today I’m sharing my guide to compulsory appointments: often the last option for a community in distress (ep 222 replay).

Michael Barnes of Credwell estimates that owners in up to 40% of residential strata buildings aren’t properly maintaining essential services, putting property and lives at risk. In this chat, we talk about emergency management plans – including evacuation diagrams – and the high cost of failing to have a comprehensive plan in place.

This week, Reena and I cover: unsigned building management agreements: are they binding? the problem with “pet bonds” upcoming changes to the NSW community schemes legislation.

Tim Fuller of Strata Guardian explains how strata owners can leverage the power of the collective to get better returns on funds invested, defying the current climate of sustained low interest rates and supercharging your rainy day fund. 

A source of frustration for many owners, records inspections is one of the subjects I am most frequently asked about. I’m sharing my 4 steps to a successful strata records inspection, including what to do when particular records are withheld for ‘privacy’ or ‘legal’ reasons. 

Reena and I enjoy our very first in-person podcast chat, covering:  the authority of a strata manager to chair meetings the Common Property Memorandum: a help or a hindrance? the successful resolution of a BMC dispute, and investment opportunities for surplus OC funds.

Dr Laura Crommelin of The City Futures Research Centre shares the essential findings from the “Cracks in the Compact City” report, released last week, including: why it’s not just off-the-plan apartment purchasers who have no idea what they’re getting in to when they buy into strata the heavy responsibility of strata records inspectors and strata managers why quality apartments are a matter of hou...

Dr Cathy Sherry and I answer your questions about NSW’s new public health order, including: whether common property facilities can be restricted to vaccinated people only what to do about in-person meetings over the next 8 weeks what are the new rules about trades and construction work on occupied premises how short stay accommodation is being regulated and more. This is an edited version of...

A source of frustration for many owners, records inspections is one of the subjects I am most frequently asked about. I’m sharing my 4 steps to a successful strata records inspection, including what to do when particular records are withheld for ‘privacy’ or ‘legal’ reasons. 

I’m bringing you an edited version of my live chat with Dr Nicole Johnston, which took place over on our Facebook page last Friday. Nicole shares the findings from her world-first research into strata insurance-related services – particularly, how strata managers can do better when providing such services to owners corporations. We cover:   how…

Reena and I cover: public outdoor pools are reopening in NSW. What does this mean for our strata pools? is it legal for residents to take refundable bottles and cans from the bins? the talented chairperson able to calm a very difficult resident, and finally, the new law permitting us to enforce Tribunal orders.  …

NSW (finally) has a set of public health orders specific to apartment buildings.    But…they’re not quite what we were asking for.   I outline the new and rather onerous obligations on strata managers and others ‘managing’ residential buildings that are forced into hard lockdown.   I’m also giving you access to my new resource, helping you…

  Reena and I discuss:   intentionally creating a vacancy on the committee at the AGM. Is this legal? when minor work becomes a major issue the creative resolution of Tribunal proceedings for a dysfunctional owners corporation,   and more.   Links mentioned: Get the transcript here! Regulation 9 – Election of strata committee -…

  When it comes to waterproofing, Ross Taylor is a man who can “see leaks on the drawings”. He’s working closely with the NSW government to ensure our future apartment buildings are a little more watertight than they have been so far. But in today’s conversation, we tackle a different issue: why are our older,…

  On Wednesday this week, it became much easier for residents in NSW strata buildings to keep pets in their homes. In this episode, I unpack the new legislation, including its impact on existing by-laws that restrict the keeping of animals. Links mentioned: Get the transcript here! Read the Cooper Decision here Section 139 -…

  Reena and I cover: how to complete a ballot paper “in writing” during an electronic meeting  the surprising item missing from our strata legislation  the insurer who capitulated second time around a creative solution to a long-standing noise dispute Links mentioned: Get the transcript here! Regulation 10: Ballot for strata committee – Strata Schemes…

  This week, Shawn Brown of Strata Staff joins me to explain the benefits of offshoring, particularly for strata managers. We discuss how to avoid a “train wreck” experience and what it takes to build a team that adds significant value for owners.  Links mentioned: Get the transcript here! Shawn’s email address: shawn@stratastaff.com.au  Strata Staff…

  I’m bringing you an edited version of last Friday’s LIVE chat with Chris Duggan.    We cover the new Professional Standards Scheme for NSW strata managers and their staff, plus the need-to-know on the latest (and no less confusing) iteration of our Public Health Orders.  Links mentioned: Get the transcript here! Your Strata Property…

Reena and I cover: the indecisive voter: what happens when an owner votes one way via pre-meeting voting, then changes their mind and wants to vote the other way at the meeting?lessons from Miami and a warning to communities ignoring their repair and maintenance obligationsthe deep clean that went just right andthe benefits of a…

    A short, but important message from me this week: make sure you understand the effect of the amended NSW Public Health Order, mandating masks on indoor common property in Greater Sydney. It may not mean what you think it does.  Let’s get this right.  Links mentioned: Get the transcript here! Public health orders…

    This week, Reena and I cover: access to CCTV footage: often controversial in our strata schemes, but what about when the footage belongs to a BMC? a refresher on the quorum rule, including when a chair must proceed in the absence of a quorum   and more. And if you haven’t already, access your…

    I’m bringing you an edited version of my Facebook LIVE event of Tuesday evening: your need-to-know for NSW strata in lockdown, including: what the current public health order means for residents and managers how to conduct safe and legal meetings during this time whether committees can demand disclosure of positive test results or…

  Tom Bacon is my guest this week, sharing his expertise as a practising strata lawyer in Victoria. He shares: why we shouldn’t expect the Southbank townhouse transmission event to be the last we see in our strata communities how the VIC government’s response to combustible cladding is letting many buildings down the good, the…

  This week: Reena wonders if renovation works by-laws registered without annexed plans are still valid I share a listener challenge around hotly contested committee elections Reena has her “biggest win since we started the podcast” and I help an owner achieve disability access in their building Links mentioned: Get the transcript here!  Section 34…

  Reena discovers an experienced strata management company relying on an out-of-date template agency agreement and I remind committees that co-owner ‘tag teams’ are not on.  Links mentioned: Get the transcript here!  Section 34 – Acting members of strata committee – Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) Section 31 – Subsection 4 – Persons who…