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Welcome to the 50th edition of our strata newsletter.

We would like to share this special milestone with you. This is LookUpStrata's 50th Newsletter! Over the years, the style of newsletter has changed and the content has grown, but we continue to bring you the latest independent information from and about the strata title industry across Australia.

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Escalate your insurance claim to FOS for a change in direction

John Cox, Whitbread Insurance Brokers
Financial ombudsman services can give you a welcome alternative to launching legal action against an insurer, which could end up being hideously expensive!

QLD: Working at heights in management rights

Frank Higginson, Hynes Legal
Management rights remains a far less risky business from a whs perspective than most industries. However, care must be taken when working at heights.

Insurance valuations – why are they important

Peter Greenham, Independent Inspections
Some strata schemes are under-insured and it is best practice to obtain independent insurance valuations once every five years. This valuation will determine if the building is adequately covered to be replaced in case of an event.

VIC: Does my Building need New Customised Owners Corporation Rules?

Nicole Wilde, Tisher Liner FC Law
Owners Corporation Rules are an invaluable tool for regulating people’s behaviour in apartment complexes and high rises: Do you have clear and accessible Owners Corporation Rules?

Professional Building Inspectors and Strata Manager Working Together

Chris Walsh, Houspect WA
Protect your strata properties, and the residents who live there, by scheduling regular strata building inspections by professional building inspectors.

NSW: What to do if the Executive Committee is not Acting Appropriately

David Bannerman and Sven Bjerkhamn, Bannermans Lawyers
It is quite an issue if you think the strata executive committee is acting improperly, or doesn’t care enough. If this is happening with your owners corporation there are a number of things you can do.

QLD: How To Find Who Manages The Body Corporate Records

Lisa Rutland, MyBodyCorpReport.com.au
If you need to get in touch with the body corporate for a scheme, how do you go about locating the body corporate manager? It may be more difficult than you think.

Gazebo Penthouse – Exclusive Use By Law NSW

Michael Pobi, Pobi Lawyers

The decision serves as a timely reminder that by-laws should be reviewed regularly and updated as required to ensure that they meet the owners corporation’s objectives.

The Construction Company as the Building Manager. Is this a conflict of Interest?

Nigel Wraight, Thomas Wraight

Should you engage the construction company which built your new apartment building to manage your apartment building? How is this a conflict of interest?

Breaking News

Our latest popular Tweets & Facebook posts:

High Rise Fires: Rethinking Exit Strategies The advent of supertowers coupled with an ageing population have prompted engineers & fire officials to take a fresh look at fire safety & evacuation options for high rise fires.

NBN Co sets target of 90,000 fibre-to-the-basement connections in 2015 NBN Co is having a few problems with strata boards.

NSW: Price Trends Show Sydney Prefers High Density Housing Contrary to general perception, Sydney residents are showing a marked predilection for residential property in high density areas.

QLD: Fire-ravaged Cathedral Place doesn't meet standards Large sections of a Fortitude Valley apartment complex severely damaged by fire in 2013 were not built to national fire safety standards, according to Queensland Fire & Emergency Services.

VIC: Secure underground carparks not so secure. A significant increase in the theft of & from cars parked “securely” in Melbourne underground apartment blocks has prompted authorities to issue a serious warning to residents.

WA: Getting untrained ‘professionals’ out of WA strata industry WA's two largest peak property groups along with the state's foremost legal society are calling on the state government to take action to rid the strata sector of a small unprofessional element that is in effective control of millions of dollars in cash and assets.

SA: More than $400 million in city apartments under construction or in pipeline Adelaide's CBD is experiencing an apartment boom, defying industry claims of a slump in the state’s housing sector.

NZ: The leaky home/leaky building crisis appears far from over as new cases continue emerging & affected owners still battle for solutions

Queensland Waters Down ‘Off the Plan’ Protection Laws - See more at: http://sourceable.net/queensland-waters-down-off-the-plan-protection-laws/#sthash.Y9OIcQxd.dpufVIC:

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NSW: Security Cameras – Who is Watching and Listening to you?

David Bannerman and Sven Bjerkhamn, Bannermans Lawyers
Strata security cameras are becoming more common. Owners corporations need to consider what cameras can legally record, who retains footage and who has a right to view it.

Strata Events Calendar

APR 14:
SCA (WA): The Essentials of Strata Company Council Membership

APR 22
SCA (WA): Mega Legal Bonanza

APR 24:
(WA) Central Institute of Technology: Cert. IV Property Services

MAY 5:
(NSW) The DC CODE - Downsizing 101

MAY 6
BCCM: Body Corporate Information Seminars (Maroochydore)

MAY 13:
BCCM: Body Corporate Information Seminars (Brisbane)

MAYMAYSustainable Residential Tower set to Commence after Two Week Sell-Out - See more at: http://sourceable.net/brisbanes-sustainable-residential-tower-set-commence-two-week-sell/#sthash.UTKuXh6q.dpu

Visit our Strata Events Page