Today, we officially announce changes to the JS Mueller & Co team effective as follows.

Retirement
It is with mixed emotions that we announce the retirement of Bruce Bentley, partner of JS Mueller & Co, effective 30 June 2016.

New Partner
We are also proud to announce the appointment of Adrian Mueller to partner, JS Mueller & Co, effective 1 July 2016.

“We’ve been providing a range of exceptional, professional strata legal services for over 30 years. Our success is due to our in-depth experience and comprehensive knowledge of strata law and we will continue to deliver our first class service to clients”, said Jeffrey Mueller, partner JS Mueller & Co.

We are continuing to build our team with expertise in the property and strata areas.  As our firm expands and grows, we will keep you up to date with the latest developments.

To read the full article please click here – Muellers Strata Lawyers Announcement

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266, we’re happy to assist.

Over 90 new strata laws will come into play later this year and of the 90 these are some changes that will most likely make a difference to your everyday.

1. Parking

Owners corporations will be able to reach agreements with local councils to allow parking officers into their schemes to issue fines to rogue parkers. Not only rogue parkers but residents who park over the lines of their parking spaces on to common property or leave their cars in visitor parking (however briefly) could also be ticketed. Read more here.

2. Fines

Almost all fines will be paid to the owners corporation, but this won’t be a cash cow for over-zealous committees; they still have to go through the same tribunal process. Read more here.

3…to read the new ‘top ten’ click here – New Strata Laws – Top 10

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266, we’re happy to assist.

About JS Mueller & Co

JS Mueller & Co has been servicing the strata industry across NSW for almost 40 years. We are a specialist firm of strata lawyers with in depth and unmatched experience in, and comprehensive knowledge of strata law and levy collection. We are there to assist you every step of the way.

In May 2016 the JS Mueller & Co team presented a forum to the strata industry on the new strata laws ‘Out with the Old and in with the New’. This followed the recent announcement that the New South Wales Parliament passed the new Strata Schemes Management Bill 2015 and the Strata Schemes Development Bill 2015.

JS Mueller and Co senior lawyers presented:

• James Moir: Works By-laws – How will they operate under the new laws?
• Adrian Mueller: Meetings – What are the changes under the new laws?
• Faiyaaz Shafiq: Levy Collection – Procedural changes under the new laws?
• Bruce Bentley: Termination & Renewal of Strata Schemes – What impact will the new laws have?

Please click here to view papers and presentations:

JS Mueller & Co Forum Presentations_May16
JS Mueller & Co Forum Papers_May16

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266, we’re happy to assist.

On 1 March 2016, the NSW Parliament made sweeping amendments to legislation regulating valuers. This included amendments to the strata and community schemes legislation that managed to sneak through under the radar.

Now an owners corporation or community association is no longer required to obtain a building valuation for insurance purposes every five years.

Read the full article here – Periodic Building Insurance Evaluations

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266, we’re happy to assist.

It’s becoming increasingly common for strata meetings to be recorded.

So what happens when a person announces that he or she intends to record a strata meeting and some of those present object to the meeting being recorded?

Is it legal to do so?  The answer might surprise you.

To read the full article click here now – Recording Strata Meetings

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266, we’re happy to assist.

The NSW Supreme Court recently found a Local Council which acted as the certifier of a house, liable to the homeowner for structural defects.

This case offers hope to owners corporations whose buildings are affected by building defects.

To read the full article – Building Defects Certifier Liable

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266, we’re happy to assist.

As the holiday season arrives, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support. It is through the satisfaction and loyalty of our clients that we can truly be a success at what we do!

Thanks to you, the Muellers team have been busy helping communities throughout 2015…

New Laws

The new strata laws will kick-in 1 July 2016, so, if you are looking to speak to a team of experts in strata law, we’d be happy to help. The Muellers team has over 130 years’ combined experience so you know you will be speaking to a team with knowledge and experience.

In fact, the Muellers team resolved hundreds of strata legal matters during 2015 including litigation and dispute resolution, building and construction, strata disputes, strata by-laws, levy recovery, management and property development.

And did you know we can also assist with conveyancing, wills and estate planning, and commercial leasing?

Millions of Dollars

We also understand that raising and receiving funds for building maintenance and scheme administration is fundamental to an efficiently-run scheme. That’s why, in 2015, the Muellers team collected millions of dollars in outstanding levies.

Access 24/7/365

Based on feedback from our clients, we also enhanced our levy collection service with a new online system ‘Levy Collect’, making it even easier for you to access your matters 24/7/365, anywhere, anytime from your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone….giving you back time to focus on other things.

No strings attached!

Anyone who would like to trial our new online ‘LevyCollect’ app can do so by sending an email to jsmmarketing@muellers.com.au and we’ll be in touch week commencing 11 January 2016 with the details.

And that’s the wrap-up…

We are taking a holiday break from 23 December 2015 and return on 11 January 2016.

We look forward to working with you in 2016.

We wish you and your families a safe and happy festive season!

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266, we’re happy to assist.

In September 2015 the JS Mueller & Co team presented at a forum to the strata industry the new proposed strata laws.

• James Moir: By-laws – How will they operate under the proposed laws?
• Adrian Mueller: Meetings – What are the changes under the proposed laws?
• Iain Fairholm: Strata Managers – How will the proposed laws affect you?
• Faiyaaz Shafiq: Levy Collection – Procedural change?
• Bruce Bentley: Building Defects – What impact will the proposed laws have?

Since the forum, it has been announced that the new strata laws will come into operation on 1 July 2016.

On 29 Oct 2015, the New South Wales Parliament passed the new Strata Schemes Management Bill 2015 and the Strata Schemes Development Bill 2015.

Papers and presentations are available to view here:

JS Mueller & Co Forum Presentations_Sept15
JS Mueller & Co Forum Papers_Sept15

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266, we’re happy to assist.

The recent media attention concerning smoking in strata buildings reached a fever pitch when NCAT ordered the landlord of a strata unit in Potts Point to pay compensation to his tenant.

The NSW Government said that the new strata laws would make clear that smoking and second-hand smoke exposure could constitute a nuisance that could be outlawed.

So, what can be done about smoking in strata buildings? Can smoking be prohibited? Perhaps a smoking by-law,  let’s find out.

For more information read – Smoke Drift By-laws

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266, we’re happy to assist.

JS Mueller & Co partner and strata law expert, Adrian Mueller, shares the following case  Frankel – v – Patterson [2015] NSWSC 1307 with LookUp Strata Newsletter.

For more information read – Pet By-laws