11 Steps to Combat Short Term Letting

As any Airbnb (and similar sites) convert will attest, where there’s a spare bed, there’s money to be made. But while the rise and rise of short-term letting sites have delivered a windfall to many apartment-owners for some, its days – or nights – may be numbered.

Many residential committees are hitting back at apartment owners who sublet their lot’s, blaming loud parties and bad behaviour for the move to stamp out the unofficial ‘bed-and-breakfast’ businesses.

It’s apparent that many Australians are fed up with the issues surrounding short term letting and are looking for solutions.

Bruce Bentley, expert Strata Lawyer provides ‘eleven steps to combat short term living’ inclusive of case studies and a podcast. Click below to download his paper inclusive of case studies.

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



We Wish You a Safe & Happy Festive Season!

From the entire JS Mueller & Co team we wish you a Safe and Happy Festive Season!

We are taking a short break from the 23rd December 2014 and returning on the 12th January 2015.

For NSW strata legal or levy collection advice please contact us here or call 02 9562 1266 and leave a message and we will get back to you on our return.



Owners Corporations’ Rights Vindicated

Last week the NSW Court of Appeal delivered two victories for owners corporations and in the process clarified the operation of important areas of the strata legislation.

The two victories involved:

  • Access Rights Being Confirmed – The Connaught Case
  • The Right to Start Legal Action Being Confirmed – The Gazebo Apartments Case

Click here to read these strata legal cases – Owners Corporation Rights Vindicated

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



By-laws Within 7 Days or a Guaranteed Full Refund

FAST-TRACK YOUR BY-LAWS – For almost 40 years JS Mueller & Co has proudly built a reputation for providing superior strata legal services.

Our highly-skilled team of specialist strata lawyers has unparalleled knowledge and experience of the strata law that allows us to respond to your by-law requests within 7 days*.

Click here for more information – 7 Day Strata By-laws*

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



Paper unveils Community Schemes Reforms

Key reforms to support residents living in nearly 2,200 community, neighbourhood and precinct schemes in NSW have been unveiled in a new community schemes law reform position paper.

A snapshot of the proposed changes includes:

  • Helping associations to monitor and fund property maintenance by requiring a builder or developer to provide a building maintenance schedule at the first annual general meeting.
  • Limiting proxy votes to prevent an individual or small group controlling a scheme.
  • Streamlining by-law enforcement; making it easier to penalise serial offenders and recover enforcement costs.
  • Boosting industry professionalism and the responsible management of schemes through strengthened accountabilities, including new disclosure requirements.
  • Providing opportunities for tenants to be represented at meetings.
  • Accommodating online technology to help schemes communicate and operate efficiently and effectively.

To find out more visit the review of the strata and community scheme laws where you can read the positioning paper giving details on the reforms.

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



A decision Has Been Made…15 Months in Prison

Strata manager Rachael Kwawegen sentenced to 15 months in prison

A Sydney strata manager who stole more than $1 million from the apartment and business owners whose buildings she looked after has been sentenced 15 months in prison.

Please click here to read the full article – Strata Manager Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison

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

 



Trading Within Your Strata Management Agreement

Bruce Bentley, Partner JS Mueller & Co presented this week at the REINSW Conference on ‘Trading Within your Strata Management Agency Agreement‘.

To view the presentation please click here – Trading within your Strata Management Agency Agreement

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



Neighbourhood Disputes Can Take Many Forms

Disputes between neighbours take many forms. This paper will consider the law relating to some of the most common and challenging types of neighbourhood disputes that affect owners corporations and strata managers. These are: disputes about access to neighbouring lands; hazards such as collapsing retaining walls, landslips and rock falls; dividing fences and tree disputes.

In modern cities, neighbourhood disputes involving strata schemes are commonplace. And these disputes are likely to increase as the drive towards urban consolidation literally pushes neighbours closer together and into greater conflict.

It is therefore important that participants in strata schemes, from owners corporations to strata managers, have a basic understanding of the most common types of disputes and the laws applicable to them.

Click here to download the full paper – Neighbourhood_Disputes

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



Strata Renovations and Applications

Does an owners corporation have to approve development applications and renovations?

Strata buildings are becoming older. This has given rise to an increasing number of renovations that are carried out in strata buildings. This, in turn, has resulted in more owners corporations and strata managers being asked to approve development applications, and building works associated with renovations.

Often requests for development applications or building works to be approved are made urgently and owners corporations and strata managers are threatened with legal action if approval is not given promptly. But does an owners corporation have to approve a development application or allow an owner to renovate his or her unit?

What happens if the owners corporation refuses to approve a development application or permit renovations? Can the owners corporation’s decision be overturned? If so, how? This paper will provide the answers to these questions.

Click here for the full paper – Strata Applications and Renovations

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



Swimming Pool Legislation Deferred

Commencement of the Swimming Pools Amendment Act 2012 has now been deferred for 12 months to 29 April 2015.

For details of the legislation and its ramifications for owners corporations refer to the following article.

Click here for the full article – Swimming Pool Legislation

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