Can a strata company pass CCTV footage retrieval costs onto lot owners?

By admin,

Owner's items were stolen from our parking bay area. The council of owners, via the strata manager, notified all owners of the incident and reminded them not to keep valuables in the car park area.

The notification also states that "any associated costs (such as retrieval of CCTV footage) will be passed onto the responsible lot owner in such cases - even if the request has been made from the WA Police". Is this allowed and/or reasonable?

Can a chairperson control a Gmail account in the strata company's name, and are owners entitled to access it?

By admin,

The chairperson created a Gmail account using the strata company’s registered name and uses it for strata business, including communication with owners, the strata manager and contractors. The account contains important strata company documents such as quotes, reports and correspondence. At the last AGM, owners passed a motion requiring the chairperson to grant all owners access to the account, as it holds the strata company’s records. Despite repeated requests, the chairperson refused and later claimed that providing access would breach privacy laws and that the motion was invalid.

Why are shared service costs charged by lot liability instead of split equally among all lot owners?

By admin,

Why is the cost associated with common area cleaning, courtyard gardening, checking exit and emergency lighting, lift contract fees, etc., paid using the lot liability method rather than equal charges, given that it benefits all lot owners equally?

These items and more can benefit all lot owners equally, whereas insurance can be paid using the lot liability method because of the differing area size.

How do we proceed with drainage repairs when the scope of works and costs are uncertain?

By admin,

We own a property in an owners corporation and have been made aware of some drainage issues that may require major works. The owners corporation are asking for consent to proceed with repairs by 9 am tomorrow but have only provided a rate schedule for the plumber and there is uncertainty around who will wear the costs.

This has been an issue in the past that was investigated and we have asked for previous minutes however the strata management company have told us that they don’t have access to these as they acquired a previous owners corporation and no longer have the records.

How do we solve double water charging caused by a mix of shared and individual meters?

By admin,

I live in a strata plan with twelve units and four townhouses. We all share the same lot liability and equal levy payments. The building has a shared water meter for all units, while the townhouses have separate meters. The owners corporation covers the water charges for the units, but townhouse residents pay for their water.

Therefore, townhouse owners are charged for water twice. What steps can townhouse owners take to address and rectify this situation?

Is a strata manager's contract valid if signed by only one owner?

By admin,

I live in a three-unit strata complex. When we engaged a strata manager, only one lot owner and the manager were present to formalise the contract. They decided on a three-year term without consulting the other owners, and the contract was signed only by that one lot owner with the manager. Does this make the contract invalid?

Can an off-the-plan purchaser request accurate levy information from the developer before settlement?

By admin,

I expect to settle on an apartment mid-2026 which was purchased off-the-plan in December 2021.

I am aware of circumstances where conflict arose after developers underestimated levies, resulting in increases. Can owners request that the developer provide details about the determination of levies?

How can I increase the likelihood of receiving an accurate levy figure at settlement?

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