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Stay up-to-date with all of the latest information from the LookUpStrata site.

Welcome to Newsletter

We have so much happening in our busy office at the moment that I have prepared this fortnights newsletter early to make room for all of the extra activity that is going on this week!

Thanks for your continued support of this newsletter. We have had some excellent articles published over the last few weeks. Thanks so much to all of our recent contributors. Why not join these strata leaders & publish an article of your own. If you are interested, please contact me on nikkij@lookupstrata.com.au - I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks

Nikki

QLD: So what is a transfer fee anyway?

Frank Higginson,
Hynes Legal

This issue isn’t new – the concept of a transfer fee was introduced in 1997 when the Body Corporate and Community Management Act (BCCM Act) first arrived and then tweaked in 2008 when the BCCM Act was reviewed.
The concept of a transfer fee itself is bizarre. A transfer fee is the fee payable to the body corporate if it is required to consent to an assignment inside a certain time frame. Nowhere else in the Queensland legal system is such a fee enshrined in legislation. If yo.......
Read more.....

NSW: How Do Owners Corporations Engage Lawyers ?

Mark Pollinger and David Bannerman,
Bannermans Lawyer

When urgent action is required
Owners corporations often need to take legal action or obtain legal services, the urgency of which precludes a general meeting being convened. Examples include:

dealing with proceedings commenced against the owners corporation, particularly filing a defence, which must be undertaken within a short time frame in order to avoid serious adverse consequences......

Strata Information FactSheets

We have been busy pulling information together from across the LookUpStrata site & around the web about a series of strata title topics. FactSheets contain the latest news, a series of FAQs and some links to other relevant sites or pages from around the web.

Have suggestions about more topics? Please let me know.

Reinventing The Wheel – Building Maintenance

Chris Walsh,
Houspect WA

So many times in life a problem arises, we deal with it and then breathe a sigh of relief – ‘Thank goodness I won’t have to deal with that again!’ Unfortunately in the building maintenance game, problems are usually dealt with until the next time they arise.
Building maintenance is just that, a series of things we do on an on-going repetitive basis to keep things in good order. In a recen...... Read more......

Strata Lot Owner Responsible for Common Property?

This article has been supplied by a LookUpStrata member who wishes to remain anonymous.

Who is responsible for rental loss and damages in a unit when the ceiling collapses due to a leaking roof and is rendered uninhabitable in NSW?

I am the owner of a strata lot in NSW. The apartment was tenanted until, due to stormy weather, the ceiling of the unit collapsed on 28-29 January, 2013.
The quote for the work order was dated 29 January, 2013. It was received after the ceiling collapsed! The strata manager did not follow up.......
Read more......

Sydney Real Estate & Rising Costs of Buying Units in Apartment Blocks

Edwin Almeida,
Just Think Real Estate

Sydney Real Estate: In this report Edwin covers the growing problem of skyrocketing costs associated with purchasing new apartments in Sydney and other areas. For a breakdown of figures covered in the report please refer to the following article written by Jennifer Duke, Property Observer:

The true cost of buying an investment unit: Are these the numbers developers don’t want you to see? – 14 February 2014.

“So, investors and apartment owners, we’re asking you what your costs look like around the country? What are the fees that have increased or have been unexpe....." Read more.....