Who pays to strip out a bathroom for spalling repairs?

By Neziah,

We have recently discovered spalling in the slab beneath the bathroom of one of the units in our complex. The committee will repair this, but is the strip-out of the bathroom and reinstatement of fittings the committee's responsibility or the owner's? I understand that the committee is responsible for paying for removal of anything blocking access to common property that needs repairing, as was the case where we paid for the removal of hybrid flooring to gain access to lift magnesite and re-level.

How do we get a former chairperson to return the complex’s keys?

By Neziah,

Our previous chairperson resigned because they were making decisions on their own, and they knew we were planning to vote them out at a meeting.

A few months later, we noticed that the chairperson never returned their keys. They hold all keys for the complex.

What can we do to get the keys back? Changing all the locks would be very expensive.

Can an accessible parking space be used for bin storage?

By Neziah,

Our strata committee has proposed to use a designated accessible parking space to store 12 waste bins while work is being carried out in the garbage room where the bins are normally stored.

Our development approval requires that we have one designated accessible parking space available for visitors.

Is using this space for storage legal? I would have thought that an accessible parking space could only be used for accessibility parking?

Should a balcony garden approval include liability clauses?

By Neziah,

The top-floor owners wish to establish a garden on their balcony, which is above the rooms of the apartment below. A new waterproof membrane would be installed.

The concern from the owner below is the risk of damage from water penetration in the future. Should this be approved with liability clauses on the garden owners?

Does our committee have the power to order a forensic audit?

By Neziah,

We sit on the committee of a 42-lot owners corporation (OC). At our last AGM, we received a qualified audit report, and the auditor noted incomplete documentation, saying this isn't unusual for OCs our size. A few of us went through the financials closely and found several unexplained inconsistencies. We are waiting on more information from our OC manager.

Can our tier 4 owners corporation insure each unit separately?

By Neziah,

Our tier 4 owners corporation disagreed about whether to have flood insurance and resolved by vote to insure each unit individually. The owners corporation insures common areas and the driveway. We are having difficulty locating a strata insurer who will insure individual lots.

We are in a quadplex. Lots are attached via a firewall with common-use post boxes and bin storage, and all pipes go through a common main in unit 1. Are we considered single dwellings if the lots are not standalone? Does the new legislation allow us to continue insuring each unit as an individual home?

Can a committee member with multiple lots outvote other owners?

By Neziah,

I live in a block of 8 units. For the past 10 years, as a committee member, I have raised an issue with our owners corporation manager regarding another owner utilising the common property laundry, common garden and laneway as their personal storage room. This is causing concern and devaluing the property because of its messy appearance.

Why can’t our owners corporation manager email the records?

By Neziah,

Members of our committee have requested copies of invoices and ledgers from the owners corporation management company. This involves submitting a form listing the documents, then scheduling a time to visit their office 14 days later. The manager is using various stalling tactics to avoid handing over copies of our records.

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