Strata & Community Living Summer 2020

2020 Summer Edition

Defects Rectification Guide
Electric Vehicles in Strata
Fees in Strata
Strata and Air Conditioning

 

Defects Rectification Guide

The ‘Defects Rectification Guide’ is developed as a first point of call if owners are worried about defects in apartment buildings.

The creation of the ‘Strata Defects Rectification Guide’ has enabled researchers to gather comprehensive data on the granularity of defects and deliver a consumer-friendly guide (a first of its kind), to help owners and managers navigate the complexity of defects. The online tool provides vital information on the approach to building defects under the legislation to help property owners navigate the process of identifying, documenting, reporting and rectifying building defects in strata schemes.

Click here to access the guide.

Electric Vehicles in Strata

Demand for Electric Vehicle charging is going to increase dramatically.

Under the Sustainable Sydney 2030 strategic plan the City of Sydney provided innovation grant funding to study Electric Vehicle (EV) charging in residential apartment buildings. Given their popularity on the rise, we think EV’s and how they’re charged are worthy of consideration for all owners corporations, and to start asking how consumer demand may impact their schemes.

Fees in Strata

SCA (NSW) have had a lot of questions lately regarding owners corporation fees. While nobody likes parting with their hard earned cash, the fees charged are absolutely vital in managing shared facilities.

Contributions and funds:

To manage these responsibilities, and to ensure that the building has adequate funds to maintain the building, owners are charged a fee/levy. These contributions are worked out in proportion to the unit entitlements of each lot.

Setting levies:

Levies are calculated at the annual general meeting (AGM) by the owners corporation. To set the levies, a budget must be given which shows the current financial situation and any estimates of payments to be made and received.

What are fees used for?

Ongoing operational and maintenance costs can include the cost of a strata management service, cleaning and gardening contractors, shared utility bills, insurance, and regular plant and property maintenance.

Strata and Air Conditioning

Air conditioning is a godsend during the blistering summer months, however, installing it in a strata property is not as straightforward as you might think. It is possible, but there are a few factors you must consider first.

According to section 110 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, minor renovations to common property relating to the owner’s lot are allowed, with the approval of the owners corporation given by resolution at a general meeting. The approval may be subject to reasonable conditions but cannot be unreasonably withheld.

If you are considering installing a permanent split or ducted air conditioning system, gaining the approval of your strata’s owners corporation first is a must as this forms what is called a minor renovation under the new strata laws.