Your Strata Property With Amanda Farmer

I’m sharing 3 ways you can learn more about the power of by-laws, including an invitation to take “The By-Law Pressure Test”: are your by-laws about to crack?

When Ada Wong (Lane Cove Council) and Susan Chen (Willoughby City Council) looked at the results of their biennial Community Wellbeing Survey, they saw some interesting data from apartment residents, leading them to produce a “Meet Your Neighbours” toolkit. In this chat, they’re sharing those survey results and access to the free toolkit.

Strata manager Reena Van Aalst and I cover: – whether by-laws that force owners to receive their meeting agendas by email are legal, – the electronic signing of proxy forms, – the “democratic” compulsory management, and – an unexpected win for the minority owner in a 2-lot plan.

Corey Nugent is the CEO of Resilience Insurance, the only insurer currently offering “decennial liability” or “latent defects insurance” in Australia.  Corey shares: – the catastrophic financial and emotional toll that building defects extract from strata owners,  – why insurance was always part of David Chandler’s solution to the building defects crisis, ...

Julie McLean is the current president of Strata Community Association (VIC). In this no-holds-barred discussion, Julie reveals: – how the system has failed at the point of purchase – the unreliable “source of proof” when strata properties are marketed for sale – that in VIC, “anyone with a heartbeat” can be a strata manager, and why that has to change &#82...

I’m taking you inside a member call: an opportunity offered exclusively to members of the Your Strata Property Online Membership Community. In this call, I guide a new strata owner on the process of seeking retrospective approval for the hard flooring they have already installed. I also cover: the installation of child-safety nets on a balcony; a clever way to ‘sell’ the idea of...

Reena and I cover: the legal obligation of an owners corporation to meet “loss of rent” claims: how far does it stretch? double-glazing of windows: is it really minor work? a stunning makeover for an iconic Sydney building, and more.

I’m sharing both the legal and practical steps owners can take to deal with underperforming or misbehaving committee members – including relevant Tribunal cases.

Reena and I cover: – why a lack of office bearer’s liability cover might not be as scary as it sounds – how an owners corporation appoints a representative to the community association – how to extend the term of your strata loan, and – the investor owner who saved $35,000 in interest payments

Continuing our conversation commenced last week, John Trowbridge further explains how he believes strata managers are failing to properly recognise and manage their conflict of interest when it comes to fees and commissions for insurance arrangements, and what an alternate model might look like – for both managers and brokers. John speaks about availability and affordability of strata insura...

In the first part of this two-part episode, John Trowbridge explains why he has been engaged as a private consultant to conduct a review of strata insurance practices (and who has engaged him). He walks us through the history of our strata insurance sector, including how brokers came to be involved and why commissions and broker fees are today so firmly entrenched in our system. John explains why...

For more than 20 years the Owners Corporation Network (OCN) has been the independent voice of strata owners. In this chat, vice chair and director Tom Belsham says that the unique aspects of strata ownership have been poorly understood by our state government for too long. Tom takes us through the ten key issues the OCN is urging government to commit to taking action on, ahead of the NSW state ele...

If you’ve ever experienced a pipe blockage in a building due to “flushable” toilet wipes…this is the episode for you. Jonathan Nykel of The Drain Man joins me to explain how old or damaged drains in residential buildings can be rehabilitated without digging, turning an otherwise major project into a simple fix and saving buildings thousands of dollars.

I’m joined by fellow strata lawyer, Allison Benson. Allison recently appeared in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal on behalf of an owners corporation seeking to enforce its cost recovery by-laws. In this chat, we discuss the Tribunal’s decision, how that decision may impact future attempts by OCs to recover costs from lot owners, and the prospect of legislative reform to better...

In my first chat with Reena Van Aalst for 2023, we cover: – why strata managers need to be checking the ASIC register before contractors are engaged, – just how far the definition of ‘cosmetic work’ might (or might not) extend, – a successful storage cage swap, and – a Christmas win for an unfairly sidelined owner. 

Property owners new to strata are often surprised by the complex rules around renovation approvals. This episode is for those owners (and those guiding them). I reveal how I structure my own thinking about strata renovation work, from internal painting to air conditioning units to complete bathroom renos, and share access to some helpful resources, both for owners corporations and owners, to ensur...

In our first podcast episode for the year, I’m sharing the 5 most popular episodes of 2022 – in case you missed them, need a recap, or are looking for a great place to start if you’re new to our world.

In this, our last podcast episode for the year, Reena and I discuss: the building that can’t get public liability insurance for its heritage property the dangers of strata managers actioning legal matters without instructions or legal advice a few key principles for those managing Building Management Committees (BMCs). I’ll be back with the first podcast episode of 2023 on 4 January. I...

Robin Johnson of Hutch Underwriting joins me to explain how his company’s new offering is delivering better strata insurance outcomes for owners corporations in the middle of a “dysfunctional” market.

Brent Anderson and James Milne work for the largest property management company in North America – and the largest strata management company in British Columbia, Canada (and YES, they do use the term ‘strata’ in BC). In this chat, we discuss: – the many similarities between strata in Australia and strata in BC, as well as the few differences; – what it means to &#8220...

Michael Ferrier of Eyeon Property Inspections shares his assessment of the quality of strata books and records, explaining how transparent record keeping adds to property values. He encourages owners to take responsibility for their own records, and he’s even got a system to help us do precisely that.

Reena and I discuss: – whose responsibility it is to reimburse stolen funds in the event of a cyber fraud incident, – when the minutes may not be an accurate reflection of what occurred at a meeting, – the communities taking their ‘corporate responsibilities’ seriously, – a strata manager’s perspective on why strata communities must stay ‘match-fit&#...

Strata lot owners Brenton Pittman and Lynette Cartwright are fresh from an NCAT victory, brandishing orders that ban their downstairs neighbours from smoking on their balcony, and require the smokers to ensure that smoke does not enter Brenton and Lynette’s home. In this chat, Brenton walks me through their hard-fought battle (which took 3 separate sets of Tribunal proceedings) and answers m...

A little while ago, I surveyed some of my audience, asking the question “what did you wish you had known before buying into strata?” Veronica Morgan and Chris Bates have featured the answers I received in their latest episode of @The Elephant in the Room Property Podcast. They have generously allowed me to share this interview with you.

Cath Hewitt, from the award-winning City Towers building in Perth, shares how her community is successfully using Short Term Action Groups (STAGs) to engage owners and complete enviable projects.