Embattled Couran Cove Island Resort owners face bill shock

A Couran Cove property owner is raising the alarm on an ‘absurd’ charge in his latest body corporate fee notice, months after essential services were cut to the entire resort.

Mum and dad property owners of an embattled Gold Coast island resort are still being billed for essential utilities cut off three months ago.

A Couran Cove Island Resort property owner raised the alarm on the “absurd” situation after he received his latest body corporate levies notice last week.

The body corporate manager for the resort’s eco precinct described the matter as a “legacy issue” and said a resolution would be sought at an upcoming annual general meeting.

The levy notice a Couran Cove Island Resort resident received, with utility charges includes.

Essential services such as power and water were cut off to eco precinct residents on South Stradbroke Island three months ago – and to the rest of the community a month ago.

It occurred amid allegations of $25m in unpaid body corporate fees.

An eco owner – who asked not to be named – said he was shocked to find out he was still being charged for the utilities during a period when they were not supplied.

The owner said he had raised the matter with the eco body corporate committee.

“Considering we get nothing, they must call it out as wrong and it should be stopped immediately,” he said.

“There is some backlash about being charged for it from a few of us owners.

“If they don’t supply the services, why should we pay? It’s mindless.”

The levies notice was issued by Pinnacle Strata, which is the body corporate manager for the eco precinct.

Pinnacle managing director Duncan Lee said the utility infrastructure fees that appeared on the current levy notice were introduced in 2013.

“Levies approved at a body corporate general meeting can only be changed by a vote at another general meeting,” Mr Lee said.

“The committee for the body corporate is working tirelessly to meet the needs of all proprietors of eco lodges and all items relating to the levies will be considered before new levies are put to the next annual general meeting, due in August to September.

“In the interim, the committee encourages all proprietors to pay their levies when possible.”

Couran Cove infrastructure operator Simon Napoli cut essential services to the entire resort on April 17 due to the alleged unpaid fees.

Mr Napoli said other services – in the order of $50,000 to $60,000 worth per week – were still being provided at Couran Cove.

It is understood a majority of resort residents are exploring their own off grid energy sources, such as solar, in a bid to reintroduce services to the community.

There are five bodies corporate involved on the island, with the Community Body Corporate governing four subsidiaries – eco, marine, lodges and villas.

Originally published as Embattled Couran Cove Island Resort owners face bill shock