NewsBite

Strata

Advertisement
Shahrzad Rafezi and her fiance Nicholas White.

‘Anarchy’: Technicality renders owners corporations effectively useless

Millions of Victorians living in strata have effectively lost the ability to enforce basic rules after a VCAT judgment.

  • Rachael Dexter

Latest

Merrick Morley, who bought an apartment with many defects and high strata fees, along with bills from the embedded network.

‘Death by a thousand cuts’: How strata owners get ripped off

Property developers allow embedded network operators to install the energy and water infrastructure in buildings for free, increasing the developer’s profit. But for many apartment owners, who pay over-the-top levies for the services, it comes at a cost.

  • Cathy Sherry
apartment block Sydney

New strata laws are great, but I can’t get an answer about undies on the balcony

There are many excellent changes in the new NSW strata laws. But they need to be well policed and Fair Trading must step up.

  • Jimmy Thomson
Housing from the 1970s may not have the glamour of some modern buildings, but it is functional and comfortable.

I’m retired and sick of strata fees. Should I sell up and rent instead?

The costs that come with owning an apartment such as special levies and strata fees can quickly build up.

  • Paul Benson
A strata manager has been disqualified.

Apartment owners jubilant as dodgy strata manager banned for life

Michael Lee once hired six burly security guards to prevent some owners attending their AGM. He’s now been banned.

  • Sue Williams
Maria and John Tsolakis bought an apartment in 2021 but it has had multiple defects which have resulted in multiple water leaks and mould issues in their Ettalong Bay townhouse.

Maria thought her townhouse was ‘perfect’. Then her bedroom ceiling began to drip

Defects are being kept out of strata reports and the building commission is removing defects notices from public view - all of which creates a trap for prospective buyers such as the Tsolakis family.

  • Anthony Segaert
Advertisement
Photo of (L-R) Adrian Cropley, Jenny Holmes and Ian Henson in front of their apartment at AC Marriott, Normanby Building in Southbank

Adrian bought a glamorous new home. Then there was a $3000-a-year catch

It looked a fabulous prospect: living above a five-star hotel with a rooftop pool and gym. Then things went downhill.

  • Sue Williams
Stuart McLean considered an apartment for sale, then had second thoughts.

Stuart found the ideal home - until he found out it was tainted

At first glance, it was a stunning $4 million penthouse. But when he looked into the building further, he had second thoughts.

  • Sue Williams
Miguel Frohlich wants to charge his electric car at home, but can’t.

Miguel bought a car. Then there was a $2000 cost to charge it

He was thrilled to have a car that would be so much cheaper to run – but then he drove straight into a metaphorical wall.

  • Sue Williams
Nature’s dryer.

In our block of flats, the majority was hung out to dry

A fraction shy of 75 per cent of the vote supported our right to put a clothes-drying rack on our balconies. That wasn’t enough. Strata law needs to change.

  • Vaidehi Shah

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/topic/strata-hqk