There has been considerable recent media coverage concerning proposed changes to laws regulating short term lettings in apartment buildings in NSW.

Many in the media are saying that owners corporations are going to lose the right to prohibit short term lettings in their buildings. Is that right? What does the NSW Government really have in store for short term lettings?

To read the full article – Short Term Lettings – Changes in the Air

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

It’s the Gold Coasts crumbly ‘faulty tower’ with almost 1,000 building defects. Building experts have described the building as life threatening.

Only seven years old and the apartment block may have to be demolished. Literally sick of living with leaks, rust and mould the long-suffering residents of the Silverstone apartment complex are taking ASX-listed property developer Villa World, seeking $20 million in damages.

View the full article here Silverstone Apartment Defects

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

The new strata laws will commence on 30 November 2016. Will you be ready?

To help you get ready, the team at Muellers will be running training seminars across Sydney in September and November 2016.

We will explain the most important aspects of the new strata laws and tell you what you need to know to be ready come 30 November.

We will review the new laws concerning strata managers, by-laws, renovations, NCAT, building bonds, collective sales and more.

Look out for the invitations to our training seminars as places are limited and will book out quickly.

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

Come November 2016, throwing a snag on the barbie or having a puff on a ciggie could be considered a ‘nuisance or hazard’.

Under the new strata reforms owners corporations will be able to enforce a ban by issuing a notice to comply with smoke drift, such as that from tobacco and barbecues, under the by-law changes.

Fines

If the barbequer or smoker fanatic fails to comply the matter could be taken to NCAT, who has the power to issue fines of up to $1,100 (double that of the old laws) and if the offender repeats the offense within 12 months, double it again – $2,200.

The owners corporation will be able to take action against offenders rather than leaving this to individual owners.

By-laws

The proposed model by-law provides 3 options:

1. Smoking in a lot is permitted but there must be no smoke penetration into any other lot or the common property.

2. Smoking in a lot is permitted but there must be no smoke penetration into any other lot or the common property. Smoking on the common property is also permitted but only in either designated smoking areas or with the written permission of the owners corporation.

3. Smoking in a lot is permitted but there must be no smoke penetration into any other lot or the common property. Smoking on common property is expressly prohibited.

It’s also important to note that there are currently no options in regards to the complete ban on smoking in schemes.

Also, any new model by-laws generally do not apply to existing schemes. They’ll only apply to strata schemes registered after the commencement of the 2015 Act if and that’s if the developer chose the option to go with model-by-laws.

For more information visit NSW Government Fair Trading.

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 here to assist you every step of the way.

Nikki Jovicic, LookUpStrata interviews Adrian for the ‘Strata Snapshot Series’.

In this interview, Adrian addresses the NSW Strata Reforms and the new strata laws, looking at how the top five ways the new laws and the changes to body corporate fines will affect you.

For more information visit New Strata Laws and How Fines will Affect Body Corporates

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.

JS Mueller & Co Headquarters
Level 1, 240 Princes Highway
Arncliffe Sydney Australia 2205
www.muellers.com.au

Media inquiries: Contact Julie Schoneveld on 02 9562 1266 or 0435 939 491

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

NSW Fair Trading recently announced the commencement date for the new Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 which will come into effect on 30 November 2016.

A key challenge for strata managers, tenants and owners to ensure they’re across the 90 odd changes, bringing strata into the 21^st century.

However, not so for the new building defect bond scheme which will commence on 1 July 2017, allowing for builders, developers and the strata community time to prepare for, and comply with the changes.

The reforms will benefit more than two million people in NSW who manage, own or live in strata.

The final details of the new laws will be published in the coming weeks.

For more information on the new laws visit NSW Government Fair Trading

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

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.

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.

Late last Friday the NSW Government released consultation drafts of the Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 and Strata Schemes Development Regulation 2016, with their accompanying Regulatory Impact Statements (RIS).

To read the new proposed draft regulation please click below:

1. Consultation draft – Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016
2. RIS – Strata Schemes Development Regulation 2016
3. RIS – Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016

To read the current legislation please click below:

1. Strata Schemes Management Act 1996
2. Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2010

If you have any comments after you’ve read through the regulations, please send them directly to SCA’s General Manager, Rachel Lynn (rachel.lynn@stratacommunity.org.au) by Monday 11 May 2016.

Rachel will ensure a response is sent to meet the Government deadline of 27 May 2016.

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.