The following information is included in our insurance Product Disclosure Statement: "we are not independent, impartial, or unbiased." Is this a usual inclusion? Does it apply to all insurers?
I own a lot in a self managed owners corporation in Melbourne. The committee has not replied to emails, sent any OC correspondence, or banked OC fees for over two weeks. They have not updated the service of documents address from the old management company or provided owners with the current committee contact details. It is impossible to communicate with any OC member, as they are all investors living off-site. The committee hasn't sent AGM notices for years.
The Act states that it is unreasonable to refuse an application for the installation of a sustainability item only on aesthetic grounds. If an owner wants to replace windows with more energy-efficient versions, does this fall under the category of sustainability? If like-for-like frames are not available due to the age of the existing windows, can the frames also be replaced as part of the upgrade?
Some owners reported that during the 2024 AGM period, a committee member visited them with a voting paper. The committee member suggested how to answer the motions and urged the owners to sign immediately. After they signed, the committee member took the paper and said they would deliver it to the secretary. Is it permissible for an owner to hand their completed AGM voting paper to another owner or committee member for delivery to the secretary?
The committee received a home improvement request for the exclusive use area of a townhouse. Because the request exceeds $3,000, the committee was advised that the approval must be voted on at the AGM or through a paper meeting, which costs about $1,000. Is this a reasonable cost per meeting? Can the committee pass a resolution at the next AGM or paper EGM to increase the $3,000 threshold for home improvement requests to a higher value?
Can an owner lodge a motion for an AGM requesting that nominees for a council of owners committee lodge a completed nomination form, including their background and capabilities, at least two weeks before the AGM? A list of nominees could then be circulated to all owners at least one week before the AGM.
The current process does not leave adequate time for owners to consider the merits of all the nominees.
I own a ground-floor unit at the front of a small suburban complex. Current access requires me to walk across the front lawn and up three steps to my verandah to open my front door. As I have arthritis and other health issues, I am losing mobility and becoming disabled. Walking across the spongy lawn is difficult, and the stairs are becoming unmanageable. There is no banister.
Under the recent changes to the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 regarding sustainability, would installing screen doors to allow fresh air flow and reduce the use of air conditioning and fans qualify as a sustainable practice? I believe this would fit under NSW Fair Trading’s sustainability category 1, which covers reducing or improving the efficiency of energy or water consumption. Several units in my building have no windows in their bedrooms or living areas, only sliding glass doors.
Without permission, a lot owner is running a recycling business from our strata building, complete with an ABN. The rear courtyard contains about 20 wheelie bins and other recycling containers. Their business website states they collect and sort batteries at their home, and they have placed large collection containers in the common garden area for customer drop-offs.