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Flat Chat

September

Consumer groups want the competition regulator to investigate deals between developers and strata companies.

How investors can avoid being ripped off by strata firms

At the slightest hint of unscrupulous behaviour, ask questions.

  • Jimmy Thomson
Keep a close eye on any required repairs.

Why it’s important to maintain the rage in your unit block

Property investors can be drawn into a conspiracy of mutually enabled silence with rental agents – neither party wants any hassles. But that’s ultimately a costly strategy.

  • Jimmy Thomson

June

ATO warns property investors not to ‘double-dip’ on expenses

Rental property taxes can be tricky, and that’s before you add in the strata factor.

  • Jimmy Thomson

May

Outgoing NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler worked hard to improve the quality of apartment towers.

Building commissioner’s parting warning for property developers

David Chandler’s legacy includes an army of inspectors able to identify the developers most likely to produce suspect buildings.

  • Jimmy Thomson
Owners have been questioning whether their strata managers can truly be trusted to be acting in their best interests

There’s more trouble coming for apartment owners. Here’s why

The Netstrata insurance scandal rocked the strata management industry in NSW, but that’s just the beginning as an independent inquiry starts to dig deeper.

  • Jimmy Thomson
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February

What the new strata laws on apartments mean for you

NSW, Victoria and Queensland are reviewing their unit regulations, but it’s still up to owners to take action against dodgy contracts.

  • Jimmy Thomson

January

Three things you should know before buying your coastal retreat

Investing in apartments near the beach has a sustained appeal for a variety of reasons – but be aware, life is different out there.

  • Jimmy Thomson

Investors to miss out on Mascot Towers rescue plan

Most owners will get only modest compensation in the exit offering – but investors will get nothing except some tax deductions.

  • Jimmy Thomson

How to avoid buying an apartment in a problem building

Owners of units in defect-ridden Mascot Towers have a chance to put their financial nightmare behind them – but it comes at a price.

  • Jimmy Thomson

Time to curb the real costs of living in an apartment

There are things you can do to make strata life better –  but they shouldn’t cost anything.

  • Jimmy Thomson

December 2023

Three traps to avoid as more apartments come on stream

As state governments get to grips with the housing affordability crisis, this is what buyers and investors should be watching in the new year.

  • Jimmy Thomson

How to party without being an animal

These are the five things that will drive your neighbours nuts – this is what you can do to avoid them.

  • Jimmy Thomson

Good news for apartments as defects crackdown bites

Buyer confidence is low, but help is on the way after the release of three reports.

  • Jimmy Thomson
A government buy-out may be the only solution to the Mascot Towers mess.

The latest twist in Mascot Towers saga means more heartbreak

There’s one last option for unit owners caught in the Mascot Towers mess. It may be that a government buy-out and repair program is the only viable answer.

  • Jimmy Thomson
Apartment block owners were asked to approve a $50,000-plus budget item for maintenance even though the lifts were still under warranty.

Up the garden path with dodgy developers

What’s missing from the new strata laws is any reference to the scandal of embedded networks or, indeed, any duty of care by strata managers.

  • Jimmy Thomson
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November 2023

What constitutes a visitor? Is it someone who drops in for an hour for a cup of tea or a romantic partner who stays all weekend?

Visitor parking is driving apartment owners mad

What defines a “visitor”? Is it someone who drops in for an hour for a cup of tea or the romantic partner of a resident who stays all weekend?

  • Jimmy Thomson

This is the one thing you shouldn’t miss when you buy a new apartment

The initial AGM of a new block may feel like another meeting that you could happily skip, but your new neighbours really need you to be there.

  • Jimmy Thomson

Hell on wheels as e-bikes face bans from apartments

Charging lithium-ion batteries inside unit blocks is rapidly becoming a burning issue for strata committees – and firefighters.

  • Jimmy Thomson

October 2023

How to check if your apartment developer is telling fibs

NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler’s ratings are so valuable that some companies are falsely saying they’ve got them when they haven’t even been tested.

  • Jimmy Thomson
Prepare to be persuaded, cajoled and even bullied into collectively accepting contracts for which there are no competitive quotes.

A showdown with strata shonks is coming for this columnist

At the first AGM of a new apartment block, owners are expected to approve all sorts of contracts. But what if they are being misinformed, misled and ripped off?

  • Jimmy Thomson

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/flat-chat-1mwu