There are many strata managers who are preparing and registering consolidated sets of by-laws for the strata schemes they manage.

We have recently come across several by-law consolidations prepared by strata managers that contain critical and costly errors.

In many cases, the professional indemnity insurance policies held by strata managers may not cover the negligent preparation of consolidated by-laws.

Here are some examples of mistakes we have seen… By-law Consolidations – When they go Wrong?

CLICK HERE FOR HELP WITH YOUR BY-LAW CONSOLIDATIONS!

The five most useful by-Laws inclusive of factsheets.

Muellers has drafted 1000’s of by-laws over the course of 40 years.

During that time we have learnt what does and does not work.

So what are the five most useful by-laws?

We have come up with the following shortlist:

1. Cost Recovery By-Law
2. Master Renovations By-Law
3. Parking By-Law
4. Proxy By-Law
5. Repairs By-Law

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

The deadline for owners corporations to review their by-laws has passed and most owners corporations have now completed their by-law reviews.

So what lessons can be learned from the by-law review process? And, more importantly, what mistakes have been made during that process and how can they be fixed?

Read this paper to find out common mistakes and how you can fix them  By-law Reviews – How to Avoid the Big Mistakes.

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

One year later… what are the 5 biggest impacts of the new strata laws?

In this interview with LookUpStrata, Adrian Mueller, partner, JS Mueller & Co addresses the top 5 new strata laws and the changes to owners corporation fines and how they’ll affect you.

Click on the video below to view Adrian’s interview with Nikki from LookUpStrata as he discusses the following:

1. New Strata Laws in Relation to the Way in which Owners will be Able to Vote at Strata Meetings
2. Prohibition on Proxy Farming
3. Renovations
4. Undesirable Habits
5. Removing Abandoned Goods

And, body corporate fines and the 3 main changes.

The full article can be viewed at LookUpStrata.

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

In a recent decision, NCAT has confirmed that it does not have power to impose monetary penalties on persons who breach orders made by NCAT.

This decision highlights an important flaw in the new strata legislation which needs to be fixed.

Read on to find out more – NCAT Strata Disputes Floors and By-laws.docx

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

An NCAT decision allowing a lot owner to keep unauthorised renovations was recently overturned by the Supreme Court.

In doing so, the Court confirmed that an owners corporation must act unreasonably before NCAT should overturn a decision of an owners corporation not to allow an owner to keep unauthorised alterations to common property.

Read on to find out why Supreme Court Quashes NCAT Decision to Allow Unauthorised Works

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

Can an owners corporation shut down the lifts in its building to refurbish them?

If so, does the owners corporation have to pay compensation to owners and tenants who cannot access their apartments via the lifts during a lift refurbishment? And does a lift refurbishment need to be authorised by special resolution?

There are many thorny issues to navigate, to find out more Strata Building Lift Refurbishments

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

Can the strata committee approve repairs which alter, add to or improve common property?

The strata committee is generally able to organise maintenance and repairs to the common property. But what happens when maintenance or repairs alter, add to or improve the common property? Can the strata committee approve work of that type without the authority of a special resolution passed at a general meeting?

Read the full legal analysis here – Common Property Maintenance / Alterations

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

Current NSW strata laws can make it challenging for owners to carry out minor renovations to their lot, however, come 30 November 2016, there’s good news as the new reforms will provide clearer, common sense approvals for owner renovations.

The new laws will recognise three kinds of renovations:

1. Cosmetic – strata owners will be able to carry out cosmetic work with no approval
2. Minor – a simple majority resolution will be required to approve minor renovations
3. Major – a special resolution and approval is required for major work

Read the Works By-laws and NCAT paper here or purchase your Strata By-law and Meeting Notice Templates now!

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

October 2016 the JS Mueller & Co team presented to the strata industry on the new strata laws ‘Are you Prepared for the New Strata Laws?’ This is in preparation for the new Strata Schemes Management Bill 2015 and the Strata Schemes Development Bill 2015 due to commence 30 November 2016.

The JS Mueller and Co team 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?
• Anna Minassian: Building Defects – What impact will the new laws have?
• Trish Smith: LevyCollect – How can it benefit you?

Please click below to view presentations and papers:

JS Mueller & Co New Strata Laws Forum Presentations_Oct16
JS Mueller & Co Forum Papers_Oct16

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