The art of civility appears to be dying. When people are willing to sue each other over a bad date, or even over the length of a sandwich, the urge to hit speed-dial to call in the lawyers has never been greater. Earlier this year we reported on a defamation case that cost a tenant…
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Summer time is historically the peak period for storm season so now is the time to get prepared if you haven’t already. From past experiences, we know that intense weather events can occur with very little notice if any at all and when they hit, it is usually with devastating consequences. Storm and particularly cyclone…
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Its coming up to Christmas again so the decorations have been dusted off and hung up ready for Santa’s arrival in the coming weeks! Christmas light decorating is a tradition that many enjoy at this time of year however; residents need to be aware that they can also pose fire risks and electrical hazards if…
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Have you ever faced the conundrum of deciding if an improvement such as an awning affects the external appearance of any lot enough to reasonably refuse approval? Or maybe you have been an owner looking to make an improvement to your lot and wondered whether a Committee has authority to grant approval or is it…
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A recent decision of the Queensland Court of Appeal has cast a long shadow over the right of lot owners to install solar PV panels, despite restrictive covenants or by-laws. The court’s decision, while correct at law, opens the way for bodies corporate or developers to effectively ban the installation of solar PV cells. Prior…
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The Queensland State Governments introduced new Smoke Alarm laws which came into effect on 1 January 2017. The new laws were developed following the recommendations made after the 2011 fatal house fire at Slacks Creek in Brisbane’s south, which tragically claimed 11 lives including 8 children. The full coroners report can be read Here. Almost…
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If you’ve been following my articles over the last couple of years, you know I have a friend who became a community manager. She, like all of us, loves it while simultaneously wanting to poke her eyes out. So, normal, right? Much to her amusement I have written several articles about the various scenarios managers…
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Schoolies week is now officially underway so residents in strata buildings in the many QLD tourist hotspots have seen an influx of teenagers celebrating the end of their high school years. Air BnB properties located in the party zone that provide a teen budget friendly price point and no traditional Schoolies rules most apartment buildings…
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The timely payment of contributions and service charges by each owner is essential for the ongoing operation of a body corporate. Regardless of an individual’s personal or financial circumstances, it really is unfair on all other owners if one owner does not pay on time (and in full) any amounts owed. The paying owners end up subsidising…
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Have you ever received a valuation when seeking insurance renewal terms and thought, this value seems way less than what the building is worth? There is a good reason for this common misconception. We will explain the difference between market and insurance valuations and also the basis for preparation of an insurance valuation by a…
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