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.



Don’t Lose Your Right for Compensation!

Did you know that if your strata scheme has building defects your rights to compensation are subject to strict legal time limits?

If your building is less than 7 years old we can help you navigate through the maze of defect, warranty and insurance claims.

We can provide you with comprehensive advice setting out all of your options for getting the defects fixed or recovering the cost of repairs. We can advise you:

  • Who to claim from?
  • How to go about it?
  • The time limits within which you must act

Miss the time limits – lose your rights!

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.



Eleven Days…Act Now! NSW Home Building Legislation

1 December 2014 the home building legislation in NSW will change. The changes to the legislation may mean that some owners corporations will lose all of their rights to make claims for building defects.

  • 11 Days until 1 December 2014!
  • Do not get caught out!
  • The time to act is now!
  • Have your buildings inspected by a building consultant to check for defects!
  • Avoid losing your rights to make a building defect claim!

At JS Mueller & Co we work with a number of reputable building consultants and engineers. We can organise a building inspection for any building that you manage to check for defects before the 1 December deadline. Act quickly otherwise you may run out of time.

If you would like to discuss the changes to the NSW home building legislation or have JS Mueller & Co organise a building inspection, please contact us now.

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



34 Days to go…NSW Home Building Legislation Changes

1 December 2014 the home building legislation in NSW will change. The changes to the legislation may mean that some owners corporations will lose all of their rights to make claims for building defects.

  • 34 Days until 1 December 2014!
  • Do not get caught out!
  • The time to act is now!
  • Have your buildings inspected by a building consultant to check for defects!
  • Avoid losing your rights to make a building defect claim!

At JS Mueller & Co we work with a number of reputable building consultants and engineers. We can organise a building inspection for any building that you manage to check for defects before the 1 December deadline.

But you must act quickly otherwise you may run out of time.

If you would like to discuss the changes to the NSW home building legislation or have JS Mueller & Co organise a building inspection, please contact us now on the details below.

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



NSW Building Legislation Changes – 39 Days!

1 December 2014 the home building legislation in NSW will change. The changes to the legislation may mean that some owners corporations will lose all of their rights to make claims for building defects.

  • 39 Days until 1 December 2014!
  • Do not get caught out! 
  • The time to act is now!
  • Have your buildings inspected by a building consultant to check for defects!
  • Avoid losing your rights to make a building defect claim!

At JS Mueller & Co we work with a number of reputable building consultants and engineers. We can organise a building inspection for any building that you manage to check for defects before the 1 December deadline.

But you must act quickly otherwise you may run out of time. If you would like to discuss the changes to the NSW home building legislation or have JS Mueller & Co organise a building inspection, please contact us now.

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



Home Owner Warranty Protection NSW

JS Mueller & Co Partner, Bruce Bentley talks Home Owner Warranty Protection NSW with Clive Robertson 2UE Radio.

To listen to the full 2UE Radio interview click here.

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



Owners Corporations be Warned!

Today, 8 October 2014, the High Court of Australia in the case of Brookfield Multiplex Limited –v- Owners Corporation Strata Plan 61288 & Anor [2014] HCA36 unanimously allowed an appeal by Brookfield Multiplex Limited from a decision of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of NSW holding that Brookfield, the builder of a strata title apartment complex, did not owe a duty of care to the owners corporation of the complex to avoid causing financial loss resulting from latent defects in the common property.

The judgment of the High Court now confirms once and for all that generally the only claim available to an owners corporation for building defects is a claim for breach of statutory warranties under the NSW Home Building Act 1989.

Prior to this High Court decision, owners corporations were entitled to sue for breach of statutory warranties under the Home Building Act and also for breach of duty of care, i.e. in negligence at law.

Unfortunately, the High Court has now held that in general an owners corporation can only sue for breach of statutory warranties, but cannot sue a builder in negligence for a breach of duty of care because the builder does not owe a duty of care to the owners corporation.

For further commentary on this recent judgment of the High Court of Australia please view the following links:

1. Brookfield Multiplex Ltd v Owners Corporation Strata Plan 61288 & ANOR
2. Brookfield Multiplex Ltd v Owners Corporation Strata Plan 61288 [2014] HCA 36 (8 October 2014)

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



Strata Management Agency Agreement

Bruce Bentley, Partner JS Mueller & Co presented this week at the REINSW Conference 2014 on ‘Trading Within Your Strata Management Agency Agreement’. To see a copy of Bruce’s presentation please click the link below.

Click here to view the full presentation – 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.



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.