NSW Living Strata November 2026

About the November 2026 edition

The November 2026 NSW edition of Living Strata focuses on strata finances and governance, covering capital works fund levy increases, special levies for future remedial works, unapproved committee legal spending, and unfair terms in strata management contracts. It also looks at committee issues such as mandatory training for strata committee members and whether a member can be removed for taking the owners corporation to NCAT. Owners, committees and strata managers will also find expert answers on mould remediation, flood claims, fallen trees on common property, carpet underlay disputes, electrical submain upgrades, EV charger fire safety, and liability for decades of neglected maintenance.

Does the upstairs owner have to install thicker carpet underlay? – Matthew Lo, Kerin Strata Lawyers
Are big levy increases justified to build up the capital works fund? – Tim Sara, Sara Strata
Who is liable when a dead tree on common property falls? – Leanne Habib, Premium Strata
How will mandatory training fix strata committee dysfunction? – Angus Abadee, NSW Fair Trading
Can owners recover a large sum of unapproved committee legal spending? – Warwick van Ede, JS Mueller & Co Lawyers
Can the owners corporation seal in mould instead of removing it? – Matthew Armota, Archer Lawyers
Do you need a special fire extinguisher for an EV charger? – Rob Broadhead, 2020 Fire Protection
Can we refuse an owner’s claim after they ignored a flood? – Chris Kim, Benson Legal
When is a strata management contract term unfair? – Matthew Lo, Kerin Strata Lawyers
Who pays to upgrade the electrical submains to a unit? – Joshua Bernie, SWAAB
Can a member be removed from the strata committee for taking the owners corporation to NCAT? – Paul Miller, Vital Strata Management
Can we sue our strata manager for decades of neglected maintenance? – Michael Hopwood, Valen Projects
Can special levies be locked in for future remedial works? – Mia Haas, Construction Legal