Have your say on Strata Law reforms

Suresh Manickam calls on the community to have their say on the Strata Laws consultation before it closes on 29 February.

As the Executive Officer of Strata Community Australia (NSW), I strongly encourage everybody living and working in strata to voice their opinions on strata at the Strata Laws Online Consultation.

Strata residents, managers and suppliers to the sector are best placed to provide their experiences and views in this process.

Strata is the fastest growing residential segment in New South Wales. SCA (NSW) estimates that more than half of all new residences built in NSW over the next decade will be Strata titled.

Further, that by 2032 more than 3 million people in NSW will live under a Strata titles arrangement.

The growing number of people living and working under Strata title arrangements in NSW now require solutions to issues that are faced on a daily basis, including:

•          the cost of housing;
•          urban renewal;
•          sustainable living;
•          regulatory complexity; and
•          skills shortages

We are now in a unique position to be able to provide these solutions, through the provisions of education, boosting the capacity of the sector and ensuring that equity is applied to both strata and non-strata residencies. I encourage you to get involved in the Strata Laws Online Consultation as well as viewing our 2012 Policy Position, which can be found here.

0 Comments

1. 

   pstempf

   February 18, 2012 at 6:40 am

   Smoking in Stratas

   Today with more & more people living in close Strata communities, it is rediculous that the small percent of residents that smoke a lot have the supposed right to ruin not only the reasonable enjoyment of the home of non smokers but also their health.

   I have spent over two years trying to stop the drift  & awfull smell of a neighbour’s smoke fom entering my unit.  The Strata Managers simply said they could not do anything about it!!  These people were the only smokers in a block of 8.

   In that time I suffered a heart attack partially due to the smoke & the huge stress of it all.

   There needs to be a law that stops the effects of smoking impinging on non smokers rights to breath fresh air!  Especially in their home.

   Most public areas are now restricting smokers – so why not at home if it affects neighbours?  Let them smoke indoors with filtering.  Most do not smoke indoors which means the smoke directly enters my unit via my balcony door & windows.  I have been unable to use the balcony for most of the time I’m at home.

   Surely given the facts concerning the ill effects of smoking & the fact that only about 15% of the population now smoke, it should be their responsability NOT to affect others?

   It’s Time.
   • 

     Greg Webb

     February 29, 2012 at 12:50 am

     Smoking in Stratas

     It is unquestionable the health dangers of cigarette smoke whether a smoker or passive smoker.

     As governments have sought to ban smoking everywhere from public transport to restaurants and now pubs and clubs, governments have acknowledged the health risks.
      

     As a result of the government bans smoking in units has increased and there is no legislation in place to protect non-smokers from exposure to cigarette smoke at home.

      

     Non-smokers and smokers of which non-smokers are today the majority have to share strata living and often the ventilation systems in buildings are inadequate to remove smoke which is toxic and a danger to health. Only option today is that the non- smoker has to move.

      

     Safeguards are required in the Strata act to protect non-smokers from the health risks of passive smoking.

      
2. 

   johnclarke_75

   February 28, 2012 at 8:17 am

   Executive Committee

   I find that allowing the executive committee to be as low as one person is an invitation to the person we find in almost every committee that wants complete control.  I speak from a bitter experience where we had, (maybe still have when our compulsory management expires) who is knowledgable enough to influence a majority of owners to believe in him. This occurs mostly through apathy of an aging population of owners. For over six years this Village has had a dreadful reputation for litigation both in the tribunal and the courts. This is well known to the CTTT. I believe that this situation should have been recognized by the CTTT and acted upon before it got to the stage our troubles did, whatever laws have to be made to impliment that. Our problems were caused by the one man I referred to at the begining of this comment and could have been nipped in the bud had there been some way the CTTT could have seen our plight and interfered.

                  Kind Regards  John Clarke
3. 

   coral mcCumstie

   August 7, 2012 at 3:48 am

   strata management

   I live in a villa complex of 5 villas and have been here 12 years.Tthe people living here are of an aging group who know nothing much of Strata living and recently I had to resort to a mediation meeting to try to get something done re- lighting. Because of the ages of some of the owners one being 95 and not interested in Strata living. I am wondering what the benefits of voting in the agent to carry out the full functions, what would the full functions be for them, and also would that leave the owners not having much say if the funtions were handed over to the agent?

   Thank you