Can a body corporate invest sinking funds in a high interest cash ETF instead of term deposits?

By Neziah,

Our body corporate maintains several term deposits, timed to mature around key expenses each year. Each time one matures, we review the available rates and estimate how much we can afford to lock away for different periods. This distracts from our main business of managing the building. I have recently seen personal financial management advice suggesting term deposits are old-fashioned and inflexible, and that modern practice is to use high interest cash ETFs.

Is a caretaker required to submit an incident report for a false alarm fire event?

By Neziah,

The committee for the building I manage have requested I complete an incident report for a false alarm fire event. I was not onsite when the alarm went off. The Queensland Fire Service (QFS) attended and classified it as a false alarm.

Am I required to do an incident report?

How do we get the body corporate to approve ventilation ducting in a heritage-listed building?

By Neziah,

Our apartment is in a heritage-listed building that has been retrofitted, with split-system air conditioning connected to the garage below. The apartment has only one window, on a busy, traffic-heavy street. Testing shows excessive CO2 levels and low oxygen levels unless windows are open wide most of the day, which creates significant noise and pollution. We're not allowed to keep the front door to the atrium open, and we can't keep windows open in wet weather due to water ingress into the apartments below. The result is severely inadequate ventilation.

Sarah Price

By Neziah,

Head of Community Success, partnering with strata communities to unlock energy value, to complete complex initiatives, teaching sustainable practices, and building trusted relationships that deliver measurable outcomes.

Benjamin Sasson

By Neziah,

Ben is a dedicated lawyer with valuable experience across a range of legal areas in the Federal Court of Australia, Supreme Court, District Court, Magistrates Court, arbitrations, and State Administrative Tribunal.

Ben’s practice includes advising and representing lot owners, strata companies and strata managers across a vast range of matters, such as resolving scheme disputes, defective workmanship claims, alterations to lots and common property, enforcement of by-laws, and responding to alleged by-law breaches.

Craig MacDonald

By Neziah,

Craig MacDonald is a Chartered Building Surveyor and Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS), with over 20 years' experience diagnosing building defects and advising on property risk across Australia. He is Chair of the RICS Member Engagement Group in Queensland, an accredited RICS Assessor, and author of The Building Detective. Through Beyond Condition — the consultancy and property technology firm he co-founded — Craig works with bodies corporate on defect investigations, sinking fund forecasts, and the procurement of building works.

Caren Chen

By Neziah,

Client success sits at the heart of Caren's practice. She combines broad industry resources with highly specialised knowledge to deliver optimal outcomes for those she works with.

Recognising that every client's needs are different, Caren works closely with clients and their stakeholders to develop tailored, fully compliant solutions. This collaborative, detail-driven approach allows her to address specific goals and challenges directly, building lasting professional relationships grounded in trust and real results.

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