Your Strata Property With Amanda Farmer

Registered design practitioner Scott Pearse joins me to explain how “$2,000 pieces of paper” are creating a barrier for those wanting to add value to their apartment with a renovation. Plus, why it’s less about the build and more about the politics. If you’re planning a reno in strata, this episode is your reality check.

Reena Van Aalst and I are trading our real-life strata challenges: • Can non-owners attend committee meetings? • Why hybrid loans might surprise your building • Confusion over the $31 inspection fee (GST included?) • An important NCAT win for one of our members – all about rats!

Think you’ve got a month to pay your levies before it matters? Think again. I’m unpacking exactly what “unfinancial” means under the NSW strata law and busting some common myths along the way. Owners – tune in for practical tips to help you stay in good standing, and Managers – these are the technicalities you MUST be across.

I’m covering the legal and practical realities of turning your unused car space into a side hustle. With some owners apparently pocketing up to $850 a month, it’s tempting, but are you risking by-law breaches, insurance issues, or tribunal action? I share some landmark court cases, plus the essential inclusions in any lease agreement.

Reena Van Aalst joins me in a rare in-person chat covering: The real cost of under-resourced strata management Some of the big-ticket items in NSW’s latest strata reforms The empowered owner who chose to sell – finding freedom on the other side of the fight A group of owners launching a bold (and misguided) challenge to a compulsory appointment. An important note: when discussing the NSW law...

I’m walking you through 5 situations where taking your strata dispute to the Tribunal isn’t just reasonable—it’s necessary. These are real cases, with real lessons, helping you understand when it’s time to stop negotiating and take action.

I’m sharing 5 hard truths I’ve learned as a strata lawyer – truths that might just change your mind about commencing legal proceedings (whether that’s in NCAT, or the equivalent in your jurisdiction).

In this week’s podcast episode, I’m joined by Luke Woollard of PILOT Body Corporate, who’s on a mission to shake up the strata industry. From ditching insurance commissions to rethinking the role of strata managers, Luke shares his bold vision for a better, fairer future for strata owners.

When an owner installs a DIY pipe down the side of a building and hacks through a locked tap with a power tool, what can the committee actually do? Reena Van Aalst and I discuss this one. Plus, an owner who fought for over a decade to get justice for his leaking, uninhabitable home is finally ready to relax.

This week, I sit down with Thom Richards, founder of Cohabit, a platform that scores and benchmarks strata buildings using real data. We’re talking about how this tech is bringing much-needed clarity to owners, buyers, and managers alike.

Strata owners across the country are calling for better training, and in NSW, it’s about to become mandatory for strata committee members. In this week’s episode, I take a deep dive into my newly released Special Report: The Strata Committee Crisis – Why NSW Apartment Communities Need Smarter Support. I break down the key findings, what they mean for you, and where we go from here.

Strata managers have weathered a tough 12-months, with intense media scrutiny and major law reform. In this week’s podcast, current SCA (NSW) President Robert Anderson joins me to explain the steps SCA is taking to restore trust, support members through the reform process, and tackle misconceptions. From overhauling complaints processes to rolling out mandatory audits and a new Code of Ethics, Rob...

This week, I sit down with Reena Van Aalst, who explains how she’s managing a $50K insurance excess on water ingress claims. I share a $700K insurance claim that turned from a denial into a payout, and we discuss whether or not committee members should be allowed to approve repairs at their own lots.

What if a balcony waterproofing job that used to cost $55k could soon cost over $200k? Helen Kowal and Deborah Lockart join me this week, unpacking the impact of proposed 2025 updates to the National Construction Code. They’re sounding the alarm for strata owners and asking the government to take action before it’s too late. This is a must-listen for strata owners, managers, and anyone plann...

One of the hottest discussion topics at our Mudgee CPD Event two weeks ago was strata manager gifts and benefits: is it now illegal for strata managers to accept free tickets to events? What if a strata friend wants to buy you lunch? And who came up with the $60 rule anyway? All this and more in today’s episode.

Nick Hedges of ResolveHR joins me to explain how the new “right to disconnect” laws apply to strata managers, including why management companies should be revisiting their policies on after-hours communications now.

Tracy Longo of Homes for Homes joins me to reveal the tiny step property owners can take today to ensure more secure housing for vulnerable Australians.

Reena Van Aalst joins me this week, giving us an insight into the low morale and general sense of despair currently being experienced by our strata managers. We’re also discussing best practice when significant funds need to be raised urgently, why “you aren’t paying for perfection”, and my prediction that the rise of payment plans simply means more business for strata loan provi...

New strata legislation has been made in NSW, expected to commence in mid-2025. This is the most significant strata reform since our 2015 Act. In this podcast episode, I’m highlighting 5 last-minute changes that were made to the Bill, which will have significant impacts on owners, committees, and managers. Make sure you didn’t miss them.

Reena Van Aalst joins me to discuss: why strata managers should be charging for the work they do to keep committee members organised, whether insurers are entitled to request minutes of meetings, the role of WHS in residential buildings, and the insurance commission loophole in NSW’s new strata manager disclosure laws. Links mentioned: Get the…

I’m sharing a few fun, fascinating, frightening (!) facts from my recent time spent at the U.S. Community Association Law Seminar in Texas.

Our audience didn’t hold back during last Friday’s LIVE session over on Facebook, sharing their views on exactly who they think is responsible when communication breaks down in strata. This week, we bring that chat to you here on the podcast.

Reena Van Aalst and I ask: what’s being done to address the abysmal way some strata managers are treated by their clients? We also share a smart idea for more successfully managing buildings under a compulsory appointment, and celebrate a self-represented owner’s Tribunal win.

Chris Miller joins me to explain how strata managers can tap into the “collective buying power” of strata buildings to help improve their own bottom lines – especially as they stare down the barrel of a future without insurance commissions. If this sounds a little like strata managers may not have learned from the mistakes of the past…that was my first thought too. Tune in...

In our first podcast episode for the year, I’m sharing the 5 most popular episodes of 2024 – in case you missed them, need a recap, or are looking for a great place to start if you’re new to the podcast.