We recently had a series of burglaries in our complex. The offenders, on bicycles, tailgated residents entering the underground car park. The car park can be exited by opening the garage door using a manual button or via the lifts providing ground floor access without a swipe.
I own and live in an apartment on level three of our building in Canberra. I am the first owner of the apartment. The complex is not yet three years old.
The unit below reported a leak in the ceiling to strata management. Strata management sent a plumber to investigate. The plumber advised that a sealant issue originated in the under-the-floor toilet pipe in my bathroom and could only be fixed from the unit below.
We are a three lot strata. We paid several hundred dollars last year for a building valuation. Our current insurer suggested we are now significantly undervalued, particularly with rising costs. Quotes for new valuations start from $1.5K, which is prohibitive for us.
All online calculators seem to use the same database and specifically state they are not suitable for strata insurance. They seem far too general, anyway. A 'cost per lot' quote has been suggested and seems to be the most comprehensive.
Our unit block features a tiled roof with limited roof space. This space is essential for accessing common elements like the antenna and video intercom systems and for conducting roof repairs. A locked manhole secures the access.
A resident requested permission to install a duct for their exhaust fan into the common property roof space. The committee is concerned that this modification does not align with the space's original design and purpose.
A committee member has proposed painting the building's exterior in acrylic paint. The exterior is currently coloured render over brick, so this would not be a like-for-like finish.
Would this change in surface texture require a special resolution?
The owners corporation's (OC) insurer offered a cash settlement for a claim on water damage to my lot. Because the OC is registered for GST, the agreed amount was paid to the OC ex GST. I paid for the repairs, not the OC. When the OC transferred the money to me, they paid me the amount ex GST. We are now in a legal battle concerning the GST amount.
The agreed cash settlement was over $100,000, so I've lost over $10,000.
Our strata scheme has 33 units in two buildings. The waterproofing membrane on both roofs needs to be replaced. The roofs are a flat concrete structure, and the building was constructed in 1984.
The engineer's scope of works quoted a $35,000 premium for the HBCF insurance certificate and $20,000 for the lodgement of documents with the DBPA.
How can I check these quotes are reasonable? How do we know the insurance quote is accurate, given we have not yet gone to tender and thus do not have quotes for the repair costs?