Your Strata Property With Amanda Farmer

Michael Teys joins me for a “grown-up conversation” about extraordinary new laws destined to commence in NSW, which will finally hold owners corporations to account for their failure to comply with repair and maintenance duties. We cover: low strata levies as a sign of poor governance, why strata property owners need to take a good hard look at themselves as corporate citizens with unavoidable legal duties, why Michael is tired of hearing that committee members are volunteers, the need to cut the ‘weasel speak’ from the strata industry and start some plain talking, and so much more.

In this episode Donna Carroll, a strata manager of more than 20 years’ experience, responds to my controversial episode no. 327 (“Peter Blows the Whistle on Overcharging Strata Managers”). We discuss: why strata managers charge the way they do the need for owner education the “inadequate” training some strata managers receive the call for a dedicated strata commissioner, and more.

Reena and I discuss the trouble with Google reviews, while Reena gives her own review of my recent episode featuring strata manager Peter Wilson. I share some tips for owners wanting to get their bathroom reno across the line at a general meeting.

Barbara Gill, the general manager of Garage Sale Trail, joins me to explain how our apartment residents can get involved in the nation’s largest garage sale. In doing so, Barbara shares a frightening statistic that puts Australia second only to the United States…

Strata manager Peter Wilson regularly inherits the management of small buildings from large management companies. In this chat, he reveals how these buildings are often being charged for services they don’t need, including the lodgement of tax returns and BAS when they have no taxable income and aren’t registered for GST. He calls for more honesty, transparency and competition in the sector, so that owners can receive the personalised service they deserve.

This week: – Reena Van Aalst describes the frustration of a new owner who has been waiting too long for her strata committee to make a decision about her renovation works, – I answer the question: what happens when no one nominates for the committee? – With Reena’s intervention, an owner gets their carpet replaced by the OC, and – We share an opportunity for your building to saves thousands per year on running costs.

Angelique Mentis of thatsmyspot.com.au joins me to discuss: – the innovation that’s relieving committee members from their roles as parking cops – why building managers are wasting up to 15% of their time addressing parking problems – the value of the parking data that will soon be collected around the world – why smart buildings have a “digital twin” and more.

James Burgin shares how his self-managed block of 6 in Bondi became a “joy to come home to” after a surprisingly affordable cosmetic upgrade, which has dramatically increased the value of each apartment. What’s more, his community is now more collaborative than ever before.

I’m sharing 4 must-know facts about 2-lot strata plans, relevant to: – voting – insurance – repairs and maintenance – strata committees

Reena and I discuss: – the perfect storm of events that is forcing managers to seek “quotes to get quotes” – the elderly Earlwood couple bailed out of their “cruel” strata levies with public donations – a little known Tribunal procedure, and – what some owners wished they had known before buying in to strata.

Why are some strata owners telling me that their strata manager is making decisions they do not support? What is the “advise vs decide dichotomy”? These questions answered and more, in today’s short episode.

More Australians than ever before are now living in strata and community titled developments. Today, I’m acknowledging the various challenges this melting pot of needs, interests and agendas brings, plus providing some solutions. TIP: there’s a deadline nestling in this episode – don’t miss it 😉

Reena and I cover: – whether an owner making a ‘qualified request’ for a general meeting can dictate the date and method of the meeting – how unequal unit entitlements can lead to dysfunctional communities – the joys of strata management (yes, really) – why I’m thanking listeners this week

Trevor Rawnsley of ARAMA explains how the “management rights” model works and responds to its critics. We discuss what makes a good on-site residential manager, why communities often misunderstand the role, and what to do when things go wrong.

I recently appeared on “A Current Affair”, speaking in support of the installation of equipment that will ensure that a wheelchair-bound 92-year-old man has safe access to his apartment. Having watched, with interest, the discussion sparked by that story, this week I’m covering discrimination law and strata: does it apply in our residential buildings? If so, how? And perhaps more importantly: should it?

Reena and I cover: – what happens when a committee member does not disclose their financial interest in a works contract that’s up for approval – why EV charging and other “sustainability infrastructure” can be approved even if no one votes in favour of it – the compulsory management appointment that took Reena by surprise – a lot owner’s by-law success before the Tribunal

Zinc Apartments in Sydney’s Alexandria recently installed electric vehicle charging infrastructure, making it available to all residents with a parking space. Strata committee member Nathan Hage shares why his community prioritised this issue and steps us through the process.

30 June is looming and this means…new strata law! Mandatory annual reporting for NSW owners corporations is due to take effect soon. Here’s your recap on precisely what this means for owners, committee members and strata managers.

In a first for the show, this week I have THREE guests: Peter Johnsson, Grahame Vile and Caroline McConnachie – each an expert in strata remedial works. We discuss: -why remedial works are so painful for apartment owners -the different fee structures used by contractors and consultants -how to keep costs under control -how strata managers can best serve their clients during a remedial works project, and more. PLUS keep an eye out for my invitation to Friday LIVE tomorrow, where I’ll be chatting further with Caroline McConnachie about this important (and too often, very aggravating) aspect of apartment living. Send through your questions and Caroline and I will be ready to answer them.

I’m bringing you part of last week’s Friday LIVE chat, which has sparked a vital conversation about the impossible pressure being placed on some strata managers at the expense of their mental health and wellbeing. Owners are noticing, and not only are they unhappy with poor service standards, they’re worried about the future of this industry, which has only just started to call itself a “profession”. It’s time for a serious talk about workloads, hours, fee structures and simple kindness.

My third and final guest in the “Strata Powerhouse” interview series is John Coleman. John grew Express Glass into the strata sector in the 1990s, helping it become Australia’s largest glazing business today. John describes the “unfettered access” suppliers had to strata managers back then, why he chose to write a book about the history of strata title in NSW and his hopes for a future female president of SCA.

The second in my series of three “Strata Powerhouse” interviews, today’s guest is Olivera Ferguson. Co-owner of the Strata Plus Group, in this chat Olivera revisits her first impressions of strata management 20 years ago when she left the corporate world. We discuss how today’s “right to an opinion” society is putting pressure on strata managers, why winning back trust is essential and her hopes for the future of our strata sector.

Over the next three weeks, I’m interviewing three “powerhouses” of the strata sector. First up this week: Bill Coles. He shares: – what the strata cleaning business looked like 30+ years ago – the many ways in which strata living has changed for the better (and the few ways it hasn’t) – how he overcame the business challenges of the last 2 years – why his family name changed when his parents immigrated to Australia, and much more.

Warren Livesey of Buy Airspace explains the emerging opportunities for buildings to sell or develop the airspace above their common property rooftops, creating income to fund capital works and improvement projects in aging buildings.

I’m sharing an edited down version of last week’s Friday LIVE chat, where I took viewers through the new NSW government online information resource for strata owners, managers, tenants and purchasers. I also share some more background to the “bankrupt committee member” scenario, discussed last week.

This week: Reena asks whether strata management contracts can roll over, year to year, I query whether there should be a “fit and proper person” test for committee members, we celebrate the effectiveness of the democratic process and, I invite you to join my free webinar next Thursday, 7 April.

Louisa Herbert is the managing director of MBCM Strata Specialists in Box Hill and Hawthorn Victoria. We discuss the skills she developed as a parole officer and how well they translate to strata management, what it is that still surprises her about our sector and the efficient way that she’s training her new staff.

Having recently helped a client avoid penalty proceedings in the Tribunal, this week I’m sharing some common mistakes I see managers and committees making when issuing a notice to comply with a by-law. I’m also giving our members the opportunity to access my next exclusive Pro Member Webinar where we’ll go deep on this important topic (heads up: it’s TOMORROW!)

Reena asks whether a lot owner has any say in the method by which an owners corporation chooses to repair its common property. We also discuss lot owner DAs for change of use and the importance of understanding the mandatory legal requirements for the issue of a Notice to Comply.

Amanda Bombaci of the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils explains the unique difficulties apartment residents experience when dealing with rubbish and waste removal, including the importance of tackling the problem at the ‘move in’ stage. Listen carefully for the details of our free WEBINAR on precisely this topic, coming to you next week.

Stephen Brell, managing director of Netstrata and newly appointed president of SCA (NSW), shares his insights on the evolving strata management profession, including: his creative solution to the recruitment problem how to turn a crisis into an opportunity the urge for business owners to upskill why owner education is on SCA’s agenda in 2022, and more.

Today, I publish the 300th episode of the podcast. In celebration, I’ve invited long-time listeners and members of our online community to share their favourite episodes and key learnings from the giant knowledge library that is this podcast, built up over the past 6 years. On this special occasion, I’d like to thank YOU, my listeners, for tuning in, week after week. Your commitment to improving your experience of strata living is my constant motivation and your success stories born of the podcast, my inspiration. Keep ’em coming.

Reena deals with a frustrating misunderstanding of the role of a strata manager. I share my concerns about a by-law attempting to ban solar panels and we consider why a short-term letting by-law didn’t quite make the cut.

Caroline McConnachie fills us in on a new online course for remedial waterproofing, soon to be released by ACRA in partnership with Construct NSW. We discuss: how waterproofing is the no. 1 defect in apartment buildings the vital role of remedial engineers in even the smallest of projects why new laws are increasing the costs of waterproofing projects and more.

For 20+ years Brendan Cleaver has helped property owners and developers better understand the workings of strata schemes, with a current focus on matching new buildings with the right strata manager. In this chat, we cover: – the advantage Brendan has when conducting strata records inspections – why strata management jobs for mates has to be a thing of the past – where strata managers are letting down owners at First AGMs – how to ease the pain when transitioning between strata managers and more.

In our first chat for 2022, Reena and I cover: – the current pressure on short-staffed building and strata managers – our tips for dealing with “communication overwhelm” – why walking away from a client is sometimes the best option – the new service helping you find the perfect strata lawyer to suit your needs.

Lawyer Bill Kritharas joins me to explain an owners corporation’s work health and safety obligations, including: how the WHS law applies differently to residential, commercial and mixed use buildings his problem with work health and safety reports the important role of the strata manager in guiding their clients, and more.

You may have missed it in the end-of-year rush, but in December 2021 a new regulation was made in NSW making it mandatory for all strata schemes to submit an annual report to Fair Trading. In this episode, I’m walking you through the new regulation and encouraging you to start thinking about how you might ensure your compliance later this year.

  I’m sharing our top 5 most downloaded podcast episodes of 2021. If you haven’t managed to catch all of this year’s episodes, this is your recommended summer listening schedule. I wish you a happy and restful festive season. I’ll be back on 5 January with the first podcast episode of 2022. Links…

  Reena and I cover: what happens if a quorum is not achieved at a meeting conducted solely by pre-meeting electronic voting? is washing on the balcony a problem of the past? the tree dispute resolved with help from the local council the largely unrecognised and incredibly important work strata managers have done this year.…

  Chris Irons of Strata Solve joins me to share: his view that it’s often a clash of personalities that’s at the root of some of the most expensive and conflict-ridden strata litigation why he hasn’t looked back since finishing up his role as QLD Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management his 3 ‘best…

With news last week that police attended a Sydney strata meeting to break up the chaos, today I’m sharing my guide to compulsory appointments: often the last option for a community in distress (ep 222 replay).

Michael Barnes of Credwell estimates that owners in up to 40% of residential strata buildings aren’t properly maintaining essential services, putting property and lives at risk. In this chat, we talk about emergency management plans – including evacuation diagrams – and the high cost of failing to have a comprehensive plan in place.

This week, Reena and I cover: unsigned building management agreements: are they binding? the problem with “pet bonds” upcoming changes to the NSW community schemes legislation.

Tim Fuller of Strata Guardian explains how strata owners can leverage the power of the collective to get better returns on funds invested, defying the current climate of sustained low interest rates and supercharging your rainy day fund.

A source of frustration for many owners, records inspections is one of the subjects I am most frequently asked about. I’m sharing my 4 steps to a successful strata records inspection, including what to do when particular records are withheld for ‘privacy’ or ‘legal’ reasons.

Reena and I enjoy our very first in-person podcast chat, covering: the authority of a strata manager to chair meetings the Common Property Memorandum: a help or a hindrance? the successful resolution of a BMC dispute, and investment opportunities for surplus OC funds.

Dr Laura Crommelin of The City Futures Research Centre shares the essential findings from the “Cracks in the Compact City” report, released last week, including: why it’s not just off-the-plan apartment purchasers who have no idea what they’re getting in to when they buy into strata the heavy responsibility of strata records inspectors and strata managers why quality apartments are a matter of housing equity, to which our government must respond

Dr Cathy Sherry and I answer your questions about NSW’s new public health order, including: whether common property facilities can be restricted to vaccinated people only what to do about in-person meetings over the next 8 weeks what are the new rules about trades and construction work on occupied premises how short stay accommodation is being regulated and more. This is an edited version of our LIVE video chat. You can watch the whole shebang over on the Facebook page (link in the show notes).

A source of frustration for many owners, records inspections is one of the subjects I am most frequently asked about. I’m sharing my 4 steps to a successful strata records inspection, including what to do when particular records are withheld for ‘privacy’ or ‘legal’ reasons.