On the Office of Fair Trading website the Minister for Fair Trading Virginia Judge today urged residents of strata schemes to follow 10 tips to avoid potential problems with their neighbours, which would also make the jobs of strata managers less stressful.
Ms Judge said requests for mediation in strata disputes had risen from 1,273 in 2008 to 1,405 in 2009 – an increase of almost 10 per cent.
“Complaints last year ranged from the ordinary to the off-the-wall,” Ms Judge said.
“You can understand differences of opinion over processes – but some behaviour is just peculiar.”
Some of the more unusual complaints received by Fair Trading last year included:
Ms Judge said the good news was that while there was an increase in mediation requests last year, they represent a tiny fraction of the State’s 65,000 strata schemes.
“People want to get along. Whether you live in a unit, a duplex or a house, being happy in your home and having a sense of community is so important,” she said.
“Exercising commonsense and your responsibilities as well as your rights will help avoid frayed nerves.”
Ms Judge said the most common bugbears were associated with alterations to common property, breaches of by-laws, relationships with managing agents and meeting procedures.
“Fair Trading is always on hand to help and has a proven track record in helping strata residents,” she said.
“More than half of annual requests for help are either resolved during that first phone call or the caller chooses not to proceed further.
“Of the matters that do proceed, Fair Trading successfully mediates 70 percent, with the remainder adjudicated by the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT).”
Ms Judge said NSW Fair Trading’s Top 10 Tips for Strata Living include the following:
More information can be found in the following document or call 13 32 20. http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/biz_res/ftweb/pdfs/About_us/Think_smart_newsletter_February_2010.pdf
If your strata scheme needs help then one of our strata managers may be right for you. For an obligation free quote do not hesitate to contact our Business Development Manager Jeremy Stone on 02 8567 6408. Putting management back into strata.
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