FLAT CHAT WRAP

Fake hosts - our scariest podcast ever

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 22:00:00 -0400

We’re back. Or at least, one of us is for real, but the other one is fake, thanks to an Artificial Intelligence app.

This week I fed two articles from the Flat Chat website into an AI app called Jellypod. I chose the one about NSW Premier Chris Minns’ visit to the Netstrata offices and the other about the NSW Fair Trading minister’s announcement that the Productivity Commissioner has been tasked with discovering what would happen if insurance commissions were cancelled.

I asked the app to create a conversation between myself and co-podder Sue Williams based on the article and anything else it could find on the topics on the internet. I also gave it samples of our voices so it could create an audio file, and a short guide to our characters and different approaches to strata issues.

The result was frankly terrifying. Now, the cloned voices aren’t terribly close to ours, so that’s good, but the content of the conversation was scarily on point. It is mostly factually correct and reads, as text, in a similar style to the way we speak and write.

It was also strongly opinionated but completely fabricated an anecdote that neither of us can remember having ever said or written. It also had a problem saying “NSW” and “strata” which came out as “straaaaaata”. Have a listen and see what you think.

Meanwhile, where have we been, you ask? Our recent travels through Europe not only made podcasting hard, it left a mountain of work waiting for us when we returned so it was impossible to sit down and do the podcast for a few weeks.

We are a hand-knitted pod and the fact that it can be a logisitical and technical challenge was reconfirmed when I sat down to record this and my software made me sound like a Dalek with a heavy cold. It’s all good now, I hope, and we’ll be back in your podcast feed just as soon as we have something new to talk about.

And rest assured, it really will be us – promise!

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Flat Chat is all about apartment living, especially in Australia.
Find us on Facebook and Twitter and the Flat Chat website.
Send comments and questions to mail@flatchat.com.au.
Register to ask and answer questions about apartment living anonymously on the website.
Recorded by Jimmy Thomson & Sue Williams; Transcribed by Otter.ai.
Find out more about Sue Williams and Jimmy Thomson on their websites.

Too slow for easy low-cost housing fix

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 10:00:00 -0400

It’s a problem with any bureaucracy, anywhere in the world – and it’s also the reason strong figures in politics prevail – doing the right thing the “right way” takes a lot longer than just getting stuff done when it’s most needed.

The principle of “it’s easier to apologise than it is to get permission” gets things moving but it also leaves the door wide open for knee-jerk, half-baked solutions.

Somewhere in the middle are logical, sensible decisions that can be made quickly and seen through efficiently.

One project that slipped through that net was the plan to turn a former Wesley Mission hostel for the indigent elderly into affordable homes for essential workers.

How that all fell apart, despite a $3m city grant, and why it’s now being sold for commercial development, is our main topic in this week’s podcast.

Meanwhile we leave Poland with fond memories of some fantastic buildings and arrive in Prague disappointed that the only freely accessible paternoster elevator left in the city (the one shown in this video) is out of action for repairs.

And finally, Jimmy has a brilliant plan to solve special levy stress. That’sall in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Simple but significant rewards for our key workers

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Don’t be put off by a tinkle or two of classical music at the start of this week’s podcast. It’s just a small acknowledgement of the fact that we are in Warsaw, where Polish-born piano master composer Frederic Chopin was raised.

What do Warsaw and Gdansk have to do with apartments? Heaps as it turns out. Having been flattened by the Nazis during the Warsaw uprising of 1944, the city was completely restored to its former glory by Soviet overlords after WWII.

And you can take a guess at what the reward was for outstanding contributions to the project, whether it was as an architect or a bricklayer.

A couple of hours north in Gdansk, the shipyards made famous by union leader and eventually president Lech Walesa are mostly silent now. But there are still cranes sweeping the skyline – only now they are building apartments rather than boats.

Oh, and in out mini-rant about how to keep electric bikes and scooters under control, we should have said they have similar system in Hobart.

Closer to home we examine the result of wayward strata manager Whitney Wang’s appeal against having his licence cancelled.

And we look at the pile of money it took to by Australia’s most expensive property -almost as high as the building in which it sits.

That’s all in this weeks’ Flat Chat Wrap (although Jimmy can’t believe he didn’t describe Warsaw as a Chopin centre). Enjoy.

Going Dutch on rent controls

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 08:00:00 -0400

This week we’ve taken the podcast overseas as we’re recording on a cruise ship off the coast of Norway.

But it gives us an opportunity to look at one of the vexed questions of living in strata in Australia.

You may not know this but there is already one city in Australia that has rent controls. Do they work? Do they keep rents low or just set a benchmark for rent hikes at every opportunity.

We take advantage of a stop-over in Amsterdam to find out how rent controls work there – where 45 per cent of the population are tenants – and do they solve the housing problems that it too suffers?

And we take a look at the strangest “hotel” rooms in the world and what our cities might be like if everyone rode bikes. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Is this the end of balcony laundry bans?

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 19:00:00 -0400

Last week Sue dropped a bomb into a discussion about new strata laws in NSW, one of which will invalidate by-laws that block sustainability changes because they would alter the look of the building.

Does this mean the end of by-laws that forbid drying laundry on balconies? Surely not using a tumble dryer and instead using the wind and sun is a sustainability issue?

And, if it is, doesn't that mean, at the very least, out-of-date laundry bans can be changed with a simple majority, meaning that a no-laundry minority of 25 per cent can't veto change.

This week we look at the new laws and the current model by-laws and ask if the government hasn't inadvertently started a war between NOOOBs (Not On Our Balconies) and Greenies.

And speaking of wars, we also look at a new book about missing anti-development activist Juanita Nielsen which suggests her campaigns to halt unfettered high-rise developments, and her disappearance 50 years ago next month, may have led to the current housing crisis.

That's all in this week's Flat Chat Wrap.

New strata laws tested - the best and the rest

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 20:00:00 -0400

If you've been hiding under your bed - and who isn't tempted these days? - you may not have heard that NSW is about to see a second tranche of strata law reforms become a reality on July 1.

What are the new laws and what do they mean? We invited Robert Anderson, President of SCA-NSW, the state's professional body for strata managers and service providers, on to the podcast to explain some of them.

We discussed the fact that strata contracts will come under Federal consumer protection laws for the first time, and what that means - especially in relation to SCA's much maligned standard contract.

Did you know Fair Trading is planning to issue a standard strata management contract, like the one for rentals? Me neither.

We also touched on estimates for legal services, new processes for minor renovations, embedded networks, common property repair delays, the doubling of fees for seeing strata records, and the behaviour of committee members at meetings.

And Sue thinks she's found a wrinkle that will make it harder for buildings to ban drying laundry on balconies.

That's all in this week's (legal) action-packed Flat Chat Wrap.

It's real! Building faster, cheaper, better apartments

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 22:00:00 -0400

Imagine if you could build apartments in half the time at 15 per cent less cost and a guarantee of no waterproofing, fire safety or structural defects.

‘Tell ’im he must be dreamin’,” say strata’s Darryl Kerrigans. Apartment blocks take longer to build than ever, cost more, and fire and waterproofing are still endemic defects across the industry.

Enter Wayne Larson of PT Blink who is already constructing hundreds of new blocks with the promise that the process will be faster, less costly and with a much, much higher level of quality control.

How do they do it? It’s been described as a cross between Lego and Ikea flat pack furniture.

Quite simply, at the same time as the steel frame is being constructed on-site, the floors, walls, bathrooms, windows and balconies are being manufactured in factories hundreds of kilometres away.

Okay, but doesn’t that mean identical looking chicken coops springing up all around the country?

Far from it, says Wayne. They take architect drawings, pull them apart and create the individual components, which then all come together, ready to occupy the spaces created on the steel frame.

Have a look at this video and it will make even more sense. But first, listen to this week's Flat Chat Wrap. Enjoy.

On ABC radio Afternoons with James Valentine

Wed, 28 May 2025 21:00:00 -0400

As many of you may already know, every second Tuesday, JimmyT goes on ABC Radio with James Valentine on his Afternoon show to chat about apartments.

Last week, Jimmy and James took calls from listeners about what you can and can't put on balconies, compulsory training for strata committees, tradies who block car spaces, and car lifts that break down.

They also heard from one gentleman who hates strata and everything to do with it. As usual, it's a lively segment, so we thought you might like a taste of what you get on the radio.

Jimmy is on with James on Tuesday afternoon, June the 3rd at 2pm. Why not send them a text on 0467 922 702 or call on 1300 222 702 and ask a curly question of your own.

And you can hear more of James (without Jimmy) on ABC Afternoons.

Hot seat part 2 - Vexatious litigants and embedded networks

Wed, 21 May 2025 04:00:00 -0400

In this second part of Lawyer in the Hot Seat, recorded last week, strata legal eagle David Bannerman fields questions from Flat Chat's Jimmy Thomson about a range of issues, starting with what is vexatious litigant and how do you deal with them?

Then there's the matter of disputes between neighbours and whether or not the strata committee should get involved - and what they can and should do if they go down that road.

We look at embedded networks, how they are used to rip off apartment buyers, who should be warning strata newbies about them, and the very simple way purchasers can make sure it doesn't happen to them.

And finally there are webinar viewers attendees' questions. That's all (only without the pictures) in this week's Flat Chat Wrap.

Lawyer in the Hot Seat 2025 - Part 1

Wed, 14 May 2025 22:00:00 -0400

In what has become an annual event here on Flat Chat, this week we were invited on to a webinar run by leading strata lawyer (and Flat Chat sponsor) David Bannerman for the Q&A session that we call Lawyer in the Hot Seat.

In it we discuss such diverse issues as Lithium battery safety, a Vegepod balcony plant system that's been banned becasue it's not in keeping with the look of the building, the surprisingly widespread problem of mould and explore the vexed question of underperforming committee members.

This is a long session so we have split it and will run the other half next week. There's a lot in it because, as is the nature of strata, one answer leads to a Jenga stack of other questions.

You can check out the Bannerman's website for a stack of strata-related information

Training wheels and strata manager myths

Thu, 08 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The week’s podcast covers a wide array of topics, from your thoughts on strata committee training, and the ups and downs of the property market to common myths about strata managers. And we’ll throw in a reference to photography as well.

We have a look at Amanda Farmer’s survey into strata owners’ thought on training for strata committee members. We won’t do too many spoilers but it’s worth hearing what you, the owners and tenants really want.

Then we look at how volatile the building industry has become, with record number of small builders going out of business while the government’s housing targets seem to be as out of reach as ever.

Then we have a chat about some of the main myths about strata managers, as highlighted by Bobby Lehane, CEO of the Pica Group.

And we give a nod to a photograph that accompanied one of Sue’s stories about boarding house residents being evicted to make way for luxury houses in Sydney’s Paddington.

All in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Why green flats are good buys

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0400

The Wrap is back with a look at sustainable apartments and the reality of spending a bit more to make a unit cheaper to live in.

The latest message is that even if the average ‘green’ unit costs $11k more, it will save you heaps of money… and salve your conscience too.

We also uncover two worrying trends in one of our states where developers are loading up strata committees with their employees – ignoring any allegations of obvious conflicts of interest.

Meanwhile, apartment owners seem blissfully unaware that there may be any potential problems. “They say they’re going to take care of defects and it’s in their best interests to do so, isn’t it?”

Well, is it? Or are there some developers who are more concerned with profits than their reputations – since they can change their names any time they like?

And finally we look at the conundrum of increased immigration putting pressure on the housing stock versus the need for skilled migrants to build more apartment blocks.

Is temporary accommodation in migrant camps the answer? Make them attractive places to stay – they don’t have to be like prisons. And would it be any worse than migrants having to share a two-bed flat with a dozen other renters?

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

All the strata stats that matter

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Did you know that getting on for 4.5 million Australians live in strata? And who do you think comprises the single largest demographic group, from singles and couples through to one-parent families?

Can you even take a wild guess at the total value of strata properties in Oz, or what percentage of strata schemes don’t have strata managers?

This week we take a deep dive into the latest Australasian (it includes NZ) Strata Insights report from UNSW and SCA.

By the way, we got ourselves into a bit of a fankle over the Nepali language, which we mispronounced “nepawlee” rathere than “nepa-ly”, and which we partially correctly said was Nepalese – as in, the official language of Nepal.

In fact, Nepali is spoken by more than up to 20 million people, mostly in Nepal and neighbouring parts of India. Smaller speech communities exist in Bhutan, Brunei, and Myanmar. And in Melbourne too, it seems.

We also take a quick check on what the various political parties are offering by way of tackling the housing crisis and we talk briefly about why it’s such a surprise to see one of our apartment developer giants exposed in the news.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Defects, solar snub and commissions

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0400

There's a lot going on in the strata sphere this week, starting with the Sydney Morning Herald's big expose on building defects.

It's well worth reading but it's funny how every time a new reporter writes about this stuff, it's treated as if it's just been discovered.

Speaking as people who have been on this beat for two decades, we are just glad that the issues are being aired again.

Meanwhile strata managers nationally want to know why apartment buildings have been excluded from the multi-billion-dollar boost for solar panel battery storage. By the way, in the podcast we erroneously referred to solar panels, not batteries, as a sharp-eared listener has pointed out.

And we dig into the three-way fight over commission payments between owners (in the shape of the Owners Corporation Network) plus the Australian Consumers Insurance Lobby (ACIL), strata managers, and strata insurers.

That's all in this week's Flat Chat Wrap.

Election fever, defects call and rents on the rise

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 20:00:00 -0400

We’d love to ignore the election but we can’t, so this week we look at what our nation’s political parties are offering apartment buyers and renters as we hurtle towards polling day.

Everybody agrees we need more housing – and that means more apartments – but the policies differ, including one that an economist has dubbed “the worst economic policy of the 21st century.”

And we look at Victoria where the state government is pushing through a no-nimby policy to force councils to accept low-rise apartment blocks.

We have a chat about Strata Community Association, the strata managers' peak body's call for national protection for apartment owners from defective buildings.

And we look why rents of apartments are rising faster than rents of houses, and where this is happening, including one holiday letting hotspot that’s been hit by a 60-night a year limit. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Tenants' pets unleashed and flat-finding for a friend

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

We are getting into two of the topics that cause most angst in apartment living, this week: pets and buying property.

Firstly, we take a spin around the question of landlords in NSW no longer being able to ban renters’ pets for no good reason – and how that will affect the more than 50 per cent of apartment residents who are tenants.

This is a question I asked in the Sydney Morning Herald: Will our apartment blocks suddenly be awash with furry friends?

Or will property investors – confronted by the other regulation changes, both recent and impending – decide “stuff this for a game of Monopoly” and sell up or switch to Airbnb and its ilk?

Then we look at a story Sue wrote for Domain (also in the SMH) about how she went looking to find a new flat for a temporarily overseas friend with the instruction to spend up $1million.

What’s it like flat hunting for a friend, knowing that if you have made the wrong suggestion that’s a million bucks worth of misery for them and you?

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap?

Strata managers 'not in disarray' says prez

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Last week we said that Strata Community Association NSW - the states' strata managers' professional body - was in disarray. Objecting to that negative characterisation, NSW President Robert Anderson agreed to come on to the podcast and answer a few questions.

We had no shortage of those. For instance, we asked what the changes at SCA-NSW are. Has SCA-NSW been getting it wrong? Is there a new philosophy or culture, following changes on the SCA-NSW board?

Are the changes in the standard agency agreement a recognition that there was something wrong with the previous much maligned version or is it just to comply with changes in legislation?

What does SCA-NSW have to do to regain owners’ trust? What about training for committee members? Who should do it: SCA, the Owners Corporation Network (OCN) or Fair Trading?

And finally, will the SCA continue to claim that it represents owners?

It's a slightly longer than usual session and the sound quality is OK but, thanks to the interview being conducted over Zoom, not up to our usual tip-top standards.

Enjoy.

Five years on, strata pets are here to stay

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0400

This week we look back at what has been described by some lawyers as one of the most significant legal decisions of the 21st Century – right up there with Donald Trump’s court losses.

We are talking about the “Jo Cooper” decision five years ago which said strata schemes couldn’t impose blanket bans on pets.

So many strata schemes have pets these days that it feels like dog and cat ownership is almost compulsory – and no, the sky hasn’t fallen in and so far, no frail or elderly person has been savaged to death by marauding chihuahuas.

We will also be looking at how the state government is claiming that its moves to ban rent bidding have meant rents have gone down. And hearing why they are likely to start rising even faster.

And we will be answering a question that was asked on radio on James Valentines Afternoons on Tuesday (click here and whizz forward to 1h 35mins) – do you need to have a second, separate laundry sink when you move your washing machine and drier into your renovated kitchen?

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Netstrata: The facts and the frictions

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 02:00:00 -0500

The long-awaited report into what has become known as the Netstrata Scandal came out last week – too late for the podcast – so we bring it to you in all its glory this week.

Fair Trading NSW have, unusually for them, hopped in with a fairly strident comment and Netstrata has responded with vehement denials of wrong-doing and assurances that anything than needed fixing has been fixed.

You can find our report on the McGrathNicol findings HERE, the McGrathNicol report HERE, Fair Trading’s response HERE, and the Netstrata reaction HERE.

So what’s the truth? We have had the dubious pleasure of owning in a strata scheme managed by Netstrata and seeing the way they work at close hand.

What are they really like? Listen to this week’s Flat Chat Wrap to find out.

Fast track flats and Airbnb tax

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 04:00:00 -0500

This week’s podcast looks at the renewed concern about the effect of short-term holiday lets on affordable housing, following City of Sydney’s request to the state government to change the laws to curb Airbnb and its ilk.

Last week CoS said about 1000 homes would come back into the residential rental market in central Sydney alone if the government put limits on commercial STHL operators.

And we hear rumours that a Victoria-style tax is being considered, with the proceeds going to build new homes.

And can we trust an Airbnb survey that says people who can let their homes all year would just shutter them, rather than return them to the residential market?

And speaking of new homes, the government has fast-tracked planning approval for a number of high-rise blocks that will house 8000 families.

But are they building communities?

By the way, the news about the Netstrata report came in after we had recorded the podcast so we will definitely pick that up next week.

New laws put strata cops on the beat

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The podcast this week is almost entirely taken up with the new laws that passed the other day in the NSW parliament.

We won’t see most of them kick in until later in the year, but the effects could be immediate.

Dodgy contracts that could see off-the-plan sales rescinded might be being rewritten as we speak.

Building managers and strata committee chairs might well be asking what they have to change to fulfil requirements to act in the best interests of strata schemes.

Developers’ low-ball estimates of levies for new blocks might be getting pumped up a little if a $55k fine could be imposed for deliberately underquoting.

But the one unanswered question – in the podcast, at least – is what form the Strata Taskforce is going to take and how it will operate.

Such are the vagaries of online publishing that we answered that question in this story, after we had switched off the mikes. But we can have a chat about that next week.

And finally, we welcome our new sponsors Strata Community Insurance to the Flat Chat fold. Insurance is all about risk, but we reckon SCInsurance is a safe bet.

Secretive strata managers face $110k fines

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In this week’s podcast we wonder whether the announcement of fines for strata managers who don’t reveal the various deals and relationships they have with developers and service providers signals a sea change in how NSW Fair Trading regards strata professionals who play fast and loose with the facts.

Quite clearly, this is a response to the revelations last year about how Netstrata allegedly hid insurance commissions from its clients. But is it enough?

Netstrata is not the biggest strata management company involved in this, nor, in all likelihood, will it be the worst offender. Will we ever find out? Manwhile, strata schemes should not be mistaken in thinking it’s your strata manager – the one who turns up at your AGM who will be fined.

This is about the companies, large and small, whose culture has evolved from support and service to profits at all costs. Your strata manager is only doing what their job description dictates.

Also in the pod, we look at a new drive to build homes specifically for essential service providers like nurses, cops and firies.

We discuss the likely impact of the new releases of designs from the NSW pattern book for low-density apartment blocks.

And we mull over what should be done about a spare chunk of common property that has been annexed by an enterprising owner.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Contract killers - the strata law that's simply ignored

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 23:00:00 -0500

In this week’s podcast we ask why it is that, while the so-called Arrow decision has established that pre-sale strata contracts are invalid, some developers can get away with signing them.

As raised by our friend Francesco Andreone at GoStrata, what needs to be done to the laws to stop this pernicious exploitation of strata owners’ lack of knowledge and experience?

And why do we apartment owners have to risk our money in taking developers to court to re-litigate these cases every time they turn up.

On a lighter note, we ask how over-50s would cope with having to share homes again. Sure it would help with loneliness and isolation, as well as being financially prudent. But what would other Boomers' behaviour do that drove you mad?

And finally, Flat Chat has a new media outlet and a whole new readership (we hope) who have missed out on our 20 years of fighting the good fight for strata owners and residents.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Strata pantomime villain takes centre stage

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 23:00:00 -0500

It seems strata may have a new pantomime villain (like we need one). This week we look at multi-millionaire developer of fancy pants apartment blocks Tim Gurner.

He once shocked an economic conference by saying the country needs 40-50 per cent unemployment.

If that wasn’t bad enough it’s alleged he was the first public figure to draw parallels between young people eating smashed avocado and not being able to afford to buy a home.

Now this Melbourne developer of luxury apartments, and some of his customers, are in conflict as defects start to surface in his uber-fancy St Moritz block in the Victorian capital.

It’s not so much how the mighty have fallen (because he hasn’t) as how the prices have fallen, and in a rising market.

But before that, we look at the new regulations for strata managers that come in nest week (Feb3) and wonder how much difference they will really make.

And finally, Jimmy comes up with his radical plan to build more affordable apartments, saying that affordable luxury is impossible but liveable affordability may be the way forward

If you can tolerate a bit of noise from your neighbours, and one lift instead of two, surely apartment blocks could be built more cheaply without the risk of them falling down.

That’s all in the Flat Chat Wrap.

Economic hogwash, strata dog wash

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 04:00:00 -0500

With half of Australia still in holiday or hangover mode, and half of Sydney stuck on a railway platform somewhere, this is a short and (we hope) sweet Flat Chat Wrap podcast this week.

First, we look at a new trend in affordable and comfortable co-living, which already exists in two completed blocks in Sydney, with another one on the way.

Then there’s the revelation that the price gap between houses and apartment narrowing dramatically, as houses get a bit cheaper and apartments get dearer.

And finally there’s news of a new and possibly trend-setting addition to a planned apartment block which will doubtless get tongues and tails wagging with its direct appeal to dog owners.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Fast-track for flats puts Nimbys on notice

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 23:00:00 -0500

We are back in the saddle for the new year with the news that the NSW government has come up with a new way of tackling the bureaucracy and red tape that’s holding back housing construction – by adding what looks like another level of bureaucracy and red tape.

To be fair, the intentions are good. Maybe more really is less, and the new Housing Delivery Authority will accelerate the construction of “State Significant Developments”, especially in areas ripe for development but where Nimbys rule the roost. We shall see.

However, one of the more remarkable achievements around this is that the government has managed to announce this without even mentioning one significant and controversial word.

Also we hear about the apartment residents who turned their harbour view flat into a huge, expensive New Years Eve event venue … only it wasn’t their flat.

And we point the fingers at the Sydney residents who have taken Nimbyism to a new low – kicking locals who are already down and permanently out.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Plusses and perils of strata in 2025

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 22:00:00 -0500

Looking forward to 2025 involves a certain amount of looking back. So we wonder this week what will happen, if anything, as a result of the long-delayed outcomes of investigations into Netstrata in particular or strata management in general.

And we look at the proposed new strata laws for NSW. Jimmy speculated that the least likely to make it all the way is the plan to bring strata contracts under Australian Consumer law.

Why? Because the parties with the most to lose – Strata Community Australia and the NSW Attorney General’s office – are pretty powerful voices.

And we look at our poll on what Flat Chat readers like most about the proposed changes.

There’s a clear split between laws that affect existing owners and buyers but there’s one proposal that will affect everyone in strata that stands out from the crowd.

That’s all in this week’s and 2024’s final Flat Chat Wrap

Strata's naughty and nice in 2024

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:00:00 -0500

From the scandals around Netstrata - and the harsh scrutiny all strata managers have faced as a consequence - to the departure of Building Commissioner David Chandler, 2024 was a huge year in strata.
We look at those events as well as the roller-coaster rides for apartment owner clients of two now notorious strata managers who have found it just too easy to convince NCAT members to do exactly what they want, rather than what apartment owners need.
In fact, we ask the question, is the NCAT tribunal so ill-equipped to deal with strata issues that it is actively undermining Fair Trading's efforts to improve public confidence in apartment living.
And finally, we highlight a new build-to-rent development in the heart of Sydney which will allow long leases and pets, but remove toxic strata committees, rampant rent increases and the threat of Airbnb displacing residential renters.
Ooops! In the podcast we said we were going to mention two ambushes in the Four Corners TV episode that brought Netstrata to book. We talked about Stephen Brell but forgot to mention former Strata Commissioner John Minns. However, we covered him in detail last week, so you're not really missing out.

Sins of commission - why Minns has quit

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 23:00:00 -0500

This week we say farewell to former Strata Commissioner John Minns who has decided to quit, despite a months-long inquiry into allegations of conflict of interest finding nothing untoward.

Jimmy had a long chat with him (off air) which he relates in the podcast, covering his frustrations during his tenure and his fears for the future – not least who will take over his role.

The we turn our sights on NCAT – the NSW Tribunal which seems to be doing more to undermine efforts to build confidence in strata than all the dodgy developers and suspect strata managers combined.

Can we trust a body that has untrained Members making decisions about our lives when many of them clearly don’t know or care about strata?

Separate to the point of being in opposition to Fair Trading, the whole Tribunal system is clogged with regurgitated cases that could and should have been dealt with at the first time of asking.

Justice delayed is justice denied – and that applies in strata too.

And finally it’s time to inject some pre-festive cheer with a story of owners who would rather share their new apartment block with low-income tenants, than live in an ivory tower.

Strata law changes, sliced and diced

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 03:00:00 -0500

Our deadlines meant we missed the chance to talk about the new strata laws proposed for NSW in last week’s podcast but that has given us time to think about the proposals and what they mean.

For instance, is compulsory training of strata committee members a good or bad thing?

Will fear of having sales contracts rescinded deter developers from using embedded networks to save money and cheat their apartment buyers?

Will heavy fines stop them from underestimating levies to make their apartment sales unrealistically attractive?

Will coming under Australian consumer law mean the end of one-sided strata manager contracts?

We can only touch on a few aspects of the proposed new laws but you can find out more about them HERE … after you have listened to this week’s podcast, of course.

Triple threat: Guide gaps, dodgy contracts and rotting blocks

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:00:00 -0500

Three big stories get most of our attention in this week’s podcast.

Firstly there’s the publication of the new Guide to Strata Living, which earns some praise, but a few brickbats from JimmyT. You can judge for yourself HERE, where there are also links to the actual guide for you to download.

Then there’s the recent attack on unfair strata management contracts by eminent construction lawyer Bronwyn Weir. And, once you’ve listen to the podcast, you might want to read more about it HERE and HERE (with links to the original ABC news story).

Two years ago, Jimmy wrote that apartment blocks in Victoria were rotting from the inside. Now a report by the strata government’s Cladding Safety Victoria has confirmed that half the buildings they inspected were doing exactly that. You can read about it HERE.

And finally, would you leave a spare key with someone, in case of emergencies? Should it be compulsory? That’s all in the Flat Chat Wrap.

Noise annoys as city wakes up to 24-hour bars and gyms

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:00:00 -0500

We’ve been catching up with all the strata stories that emerged while we were away – and there’s a lot of them, covering just about every aspect of apartment living.

The plan to boost Sydney’s night time economy with 24/7 bar openings has alarmed well-heeled resident so Circular Quay (according to this video on the Sydney Morning Herald website).

And there’s more angst over noisy gyms which we first highlighted in this podcast and Sue’s SMH story before we left for Europe.

We discuss why strata schemes are way behind free-standing homes when it comes to installing solar, prompted by this story. Does it have something to do with embedded networks and devious developers?

We look at a renewed push to wash away outdated and anti-sustainability by-laws that forbid drying laundry on balconies.

And we wonder if councils could be doing more to encourage the inclusion of creative spaces in new apartment blocks, following this report.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Talk about unaffordable - the $30k-a-night apartment

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:00:00 -0500

Can you imagine paying $30,000 a night for a pad in London? Yes, that’s thirty thousand dollars, in case you thought it was a misprint.

And this is in a city that has its share of homelessness and has had to introduce a 90-night limit on short-term holiday lets to combat the drain on residential properties caused by platforms like Airbnb and their ilk.

Also in Britain, a government survey has revealed how many previously unidentified apartment blocks still have potentially fatal flammable cladding, more than seven years after the Grenfell disaster.

Meanwhile the contrast in Australian political approaches to the housing shortage – lack of supply or excess of demand – was brought into stark relief by the result of the US presidential election.

One side said it was a failure of investment, the other that it was caused by immigrants.

Spoiler alert: Donald Trump will be back in the White House until J D Vance slips an overdose of moonshine and opiates into his diet Coke then announces he was secretly a liberal all this time.

Seriously though, as we discover, even a socialist republic has trouble building apartments ordinary people can afford (unless you’re Aussie – then they’re a bargain).

This week’s podcast is the last to be recorded on our travels and is a bit shorter than usual, not least because we were cramming the last of our journalistic tasks in between trying to make the most of our dwindling days in France.

Next week we’ll be back to whatever passes for normal in strata.

London calling with renters' advice, unit prices and a high-rise tragedy

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400

Your intrepid Flat Chat team’s travels take them to London this week but that doesn’t mean they have lost touch with what’s happening in Australia.

For a start a boost to funding for tenants’ supports agencies has been announced by the NSW state government.

That will no doubt be very useful when the inevitable confusion arises from the raft of changes to tenancy laws, passed by state parliament last week, come into effect in the new year.

That doesn’t just help tenants. As Jimmy says, if landlords or even owners corporations want to know what renters’ rights and responsibilities are, check the websites that offer advice to tenants and you’ll know exactly where they are coming from.

Then we have the latest apartment prices from the last quarter with Queensland outstripping Melbourne.

And finally, a sad story that has a bit of everything: A pregnant mother of five falls from a tenth-storey window, a boyfriend with a criminal history, conspiracy theories on the internet and a miracle of survival.

But seriously, if as Sue says, you find the story disturbing or know someone who does need advice and support, you can always call Lifeline on 131 114 or go online HERE.

New commissioner named, Netstrata dodge exposed

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 04:00:00 -0400

This week’s podcast comes to you from less-than-sunny Glasgow, which may explain the slightly different sound quality.

But the chat is up to its usual standards as we speculate on what new Building Commissioner James Sherrard will bring to the job as he fills the substantial shoes recently vacated by the redoubtable David Chandler.

Then we have a look at the recent revelations about Netstrata allegedly slipping old receipts and invoices into their strata schemes’ portals.

This has led to some strata owners realising for the first time how much extra they have been paying for compulsory insurance, thanks to hidden brokerage fees and commissions.

And we speculate on what the next strata scandal will be – the potential misuse of “full delegation” clauses in contracts, which allow strata management firms to take over the running of strata schemes with little or no consultation with their owners.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Pumping irony - Airbnb on defensive, pro gym offensive

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0400

There are so many issues it strata that are “he said, she said” - or “they said, they said”, to put it in a more contemporary context – that the temptation to not take sides is sometimes overwhelming.

But consider the plight of an owner on the first floor of a block who has a noisy commercial gym operating from 6am until after 7pm every weekday.

Then add in the fact that most of her strata committee’s members live several floors away from the noise are undisturbed and therefore unperturbed.

And, for the cracked and uninviting icing on the strata cake, the role of chair and secretary has been taken by a strata management firm that’s rapidly becoming synonymous with shady practises.

Should commercial gyms ever be allowed in strata buildings? The local politicians and council officials who can’t see any problem don’t spend nearly enough time in gyms, or strata for that matter.

Also, this week, we use the excuse that we are travelling overseas to look at how the anti-Airbnb backlash is spreading, the form it’s taking and how a TV ad campaign is hitting the global holiday rental platform right where it hurts – in the big lie about “sharing”.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap

Buyers locked out of flawed strata gem

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 02:00:00 -0400

There’s a lot of anger and frustration behind this week’s edition of the Flat Chat Wrap.

The fury on display on a recent episode of A Current Affair on Nine is both clear and understandable.

Prospective owners in the Sapphire apartments in Gosford on the Central Coast of NSW had been told to be ready to move in, only to discover that work has stopped on the near-complete block and there is no occupancy certificate.

The developer has long ago gone into receivership and the Receiver says they don’t have the finances to complete the building, which would include a slate of defect rectifications identified by the NSW Building Commission.

Jimmy and Sue discuss how this mess came about and if anything can be done to remedy it.

And they also have a chat about whether strata managers are entitled to be angry at Press coverage. It’s never ideal when good professionals are tarred with the same brush as bad operators.

But is it a case of “don’t shoot the messenger”? That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Scary smart: Could AI kill Flat Chat?

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 22:00:00 -0400

When it comes to getting your attention, there’s nothing quite like being warned that the latest innovation could put you out of business.

Okay, we’ve heard it all before, but imagine if a friend was able to access a reliable response to a strata question instantly, wherever you happen to be.

And we’re not talking technical, jargon-ridden geeky stuff. If you everyone was able to get an instant answer to a normal question, like what to do about an annoying but scary neighbour, that could put paid to Flat Chat and especially the Flat Chat Forum.

That’s why this week’s podcast started with an experiment over a glass of red (or two) in a pizza restaurant. The results were fascinating, for good and bad reasons, so don’t be put off by the fact that we’re talking computer stuff.

Leading on from that, we look at how spectacularly wrong an AI survey was when asked what you get for your money in real estate.

And that in turn takes us to where rents are rising fasts – and not at all – across Australia.

Lots to think about, as ever, in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Conflabs not conflict the answer says top SM

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 23:00:00 -0400

It’s been a tough few months for strata managers, especially the good ones – and there are many of them – who have been trying to do the best they can for their customers while the industry as a whole has been exposed to strident and mostly valid criticism.

The irony for the honest and decent players is that they have been copping the additional scrutiny and suspicions directed at the whole industry without reaping the financial benefits of their vertically integrated, conflicted and less scrupulous rivals.

Coincidentally, we recorded this week’s podcast with friend-of-the-Wrap Tim Sara, Associate Director of Strata Choice, our sponsors and one of the original strata management firms, on the morning that the NSW government announced it had passed the new laws on conflict of interest, insurance commissions and transparency in strata.

Strata Choice has turned its back of vertical integration in recent years, to concentrate solely on its core business - strata management.

So we had a chat about that, as well as the the idea of split first AGMs, how to make strata communities better, and asked who would make a better strata manager – a former hotel concierge or an ex-cop?

Notwithstanding some technical audio difficulties (which we hope have been cleared up by our podcast platform Buzzsprout’s Magic Mastering), this message from the other side of the strata divide is well worth a listen. Enjoy.

Another strata trap sprung - dealing with defects

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We start this week’s podcast by looking back at the previous episode which has broken all our records for regular downloads.

It’s not surprising really, given that it was a chat with ABC TV Four Corners investigative reporter Linton Besser about how and why he pulled together the Strata Trap report.

At more than 450 downloads after only a week, this one will run and run, as they say in showbiz.

This week we look at another of strata’s big problems – defects – through the eyes of Acting Building Commissioner Matt Press. What’s happening with defects now that Building Commissioner David Chandler has retired?

One thing that hasn’t changed is the Building Commission’s tendency to use initials, acronyms and fancy techie terminology.

So, just in case you are wondering, the “LDI” referred to means Latent Defects Insurance or it could be DLI (Decennial Liability Insurance).

Either way, it’s a 10-year insurance against defects that the better developers are able to take out. Maybe they could call it Defects Insurance. Too on the nose?

Apart from that, Matt Press assures us that even though David Chandler has gone and Project Intervene has been absorbed into the Building Commission’s complaints process, the good work in making sure apartment owners get what they paid for continues unabated.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Behind the scenes with the Strata Trap reporter

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 04:00:00 -0400

We’re rolling the Wrap out a little early this week because it’s connected to the hottest topic in strata right now.

Linton Besser, the reporter who brought you the Four Corners report The Strata Trap on Monday, has come on to the podcast to answer our questions about what he’s found in the strata industry, not only in NSW, but across Australia.

What questions? How about what piqued his interest in the story that led to the exposure of strata management firm Netstrata and the resignation of its General Manager Stephen Brell as President of Strata Community Association (SCA-NSW)?

Linton admits he almost ignored the story when the first email landed in his in-tray. But when another came in a few days later, he thought he might start digging.

That led to the 7.30 report on Netstrata and that sparked a tsunami of tips and complaints that led, in turn, to the Four Corners episode.

The podcast is a wide-ranging chat about the culture of the strata business – not just in NSW – that leads to big strata management companies believing they can act with impunity while apartment owners are left “incoherent with rage”.

Everyone from complacent politicians to apathetic media operators cops it in this fascinating chat, but he does think some strata managers are suffering too and believes, despite it all, that there is a solution.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Are your appliances giving your kids asthma?

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 23:00:00 -0400

Are your cooking and heating appliances giving your kids asthma? This week in the Flat Chat Wrap, Sue talks about a story she’s been chasing where families have found that switching from gas to electricity for their heating and cooking appliances has seen their kids’ asthma disappear.

As we head for net zero emissions and electricity becomes the affordable power source of choice, you might want to start checking your pots and pans to see if they work on induction stoves.

Before that, with Spring definitely in the air, we’re turning down the heat in the podcast this week as we examine why the majority of tenants – especially younger ones – are in favour of the Victorian government’s incoming regulations about insualting homes being introduced nationwide – and why two-thirds of landlords are against them.

Then there’s a question of what to do in strata when a number of owners want one thing and an exactly equal number don’t.

And when we say “equal”, we mean that the unit entitlements on one side add up to precisely the same figure on the other.

As this story plucked straight from the Flat Chat Forum explains, it has led to a strata stand-off in one small Sydney block.

And finally we look at how an ailing RSL club has been turned into not just one of the coolest venues in a booming Sydney suburb, but one of the hottest properties on the apartments scene.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Sins of commissioner - or just bad timing?

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 20:00:00 -0400

There’s been considerable speculation about NSW Strata Commissioner John Minns this week after the revelation on an ABC news report that he has retained a significant holding in a property management company, albeit through a family trust.

Is it a serious problem for the man tasked with overseeing strata management (among other things), especially in the wake of the Netstrata scandal?

Or is it just an unfortunate embarrassment at a time when NSW Fair Trading has launched new legislation intended to boost transparency and combat conflicts of interest? We give that question a good kickaround in the playground.

We also look at the new legislation in Victoria which imposes a 7.5 per cent levy on short-term holiday rentals and allows apartment blocks and local councils to curb Airbnb and the like. (We can’t help having a good chortle at Airbnb’s typically left-field response).

And we have a serious disagreement on whether the reduction in student visas is going to help ease the housing crisis or is just a response to the dog-whistle politics of racist right-wingers.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Company title chaos and strata commish game-changer

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 21:00:00 -0400

In this week’s podcast, we look at why a problem in a company title block .would have been much easier to resolve had the apartment been in a strata building.

The story in the Sydney Morning Herald is about a 71-year-old woman who has had to move out of her home because of damp caused by faulty water pipes in common property.

We explain why that problem could have been much more easily resolved had it been in strata.

We also touch on the recent albeit modest recruitment drive in the Strata Commission, and the areas where the profits from selling apartment are outstripping the gains from flipping houses.

And finally, Jimmy asks whatever happened to Strata Commissioner John Minns’ brilliant idea to have a two-stage First AGM for new strata buildings so that strata committees have time to examine the contracts and reject those that are designed to rip them off.
NB: This was recorded and posted before accusations aired on the ABC that John Minns had not told the government that a family trust had retained substantial shares in a property management company called IPG. We'll cover that in this week's podcast.

Sound and fury at soft response to strata scandal

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 01:00:00 -0400

So the NSW Fair Trading Minister has revealed his law changes in the wake of the Netstrata scandal and they are, as one strata insider put it, like being slapped on the wrist with limp spaghetti.

With the news hot off the printer, Jimmy jumped in with both feet to claim this is a pretty poor response to the revelation that apartment owners are being misled and ripped off by some of the people whose job it is to look after them.

Admittedly, this was recorded before he got the response from Fair Trading that you can read here. Maybe it will all make more sense once everyone has calmed down but for now Jimmy is ropable, which if nothing else makes the podcast more entertaining.

Also in the pod this week, the “wellness” benefits of buying the most expensive home in Australia.

And the areas in your state and across Australia where you are least likely to find apartments that are designed with the health of their residents in mind (according to Dr Sarah Foster of RMIT University in Melbourne).

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Future looks bright but present is tense

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 03:00:00 -0400

Having been to more conferences that they’ve had Ubereats deliveries – and with drawers full of lanyards to prove it – Jimmy and Sue headed off to the Gold Coast last week to the Strata Impact conference full of hope that this wouldn’t either be another whinge-fest (not least because JT was MC).

In fact, it turned out to be absolutely fascinating with all sorts of interesting research from why the wrong apartments are built in the wrong places, to why new buildings are infested with mould and, along the way, how to deal with disruptive committee members using tried and tested psychology.

Both of us were impressed by presentations on amazing whizz-bang technology that allows you to get a 3D, virtual reality, fully detailed and inspectable images of your apartment block for about the same as it costs to have a bloke in a hard hat wander round with a clipboard.

You can read more about the conference here but it’s worth a listen to discover what got Jimmy and Sue excited about our strata future, and alarmed about how things are now, in almost equal measure.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Renters boost and $235k safety alarm

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 19:00:00 -0400

Three serious stories straight off the website have caught our attention this week – but there’s a bit of fun too.

The first two reports are changes planned in NSW laws to make life more secure and a bit easier for renters.

Premier Chris Minns announced last weekend that the government is going to stop no-fault evictions – where landlord move tenants out of their properties because that’s the easiest way of pushing rents up beyond what might be considered reasonable.

At the same time the government in going to bring in transferable electronic rental bonds for tenants who are on the move (willingly or otherwise).

When finances are tight, and moving home is costly anyway, people can’t afford to have a chunk of money tied up in their old bod when they are having to pay their new one. You’ll find both stories HERE.

Then there’s the question of the strata scheme that was fined $235,000 for breaches of Workplace Health and Safety regs. Does the fact that it was non-residential mean we won’t be affected?

Or are we liable for WHS if there are Airbnbs in our blocks – or even if we are just working from home?

And finally, we launch Hug Your Strata Manager Day and you can do that HERE. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Struck off and probed in the naughty corner

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 20:00:00 -0400

Oh, dear. Not another swipe at strata managers, please! Yes, OK, it’s a well-trodden path but, to be fair, the baddies have made themselves easy targets for the past few months.

As for the goodies, we’d say, as we often do, that they are in the majority. And how frustrating must it be to try to earn an honest buck and provide a good service to your customers, knowing that your rivals are getting ahead by playing fast and loose with the rules and regulations?

And it’s with that in mind that we venture into the strata naughty corner this week, to discuss two pieces of information, both of which we hope will encourage the many honest and decent strata managers to keep doing what they’re doing.

One topic is news that a well-known strata manager, who had been sacked several times but then promoted by NCAT into an all-powerful compulsory role, has now been struck off.

Yes, you read it right. On a total of six occasions, his contract was not renewed or he was even replaced with a statutory manager, but then appointed to exactly that role, taking over from the strata committee and owners corp in another strata scheme.

And we have unearthed the amazing, deep-dive parameters of the $300k investigation into Netstrata which looks like it’s going to leave no stone unturned.

Now, to be scrupulously fair, the independent inquiry could discover the whole problem was little more than a misunderstanding about who was paying how much to whom for what (“what” being insurance premiums and fees to contractors).

It’s as deep a dive into a company’s structure, business practises and culture as you will ever see, so we hope you’ll forgive us for spending a little longer in the naughty corner than usual.

That‘s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Chandler's challenge, crowd-funding property buys and forum funnies

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 03:00:00 -0400

In this week’s podcast we look at NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler and how he’s ramping up his efforts to get his message across before he retires next month.

And that message is, basically, if you are buying off the plan right now and you don’t go with a developer who has an iCirt gold star rating, you’ve only got yourself to blame when it all goes pear-shaped.

We take a look at Sue's story about people buying property, not only with the help of Mum and Dad, but with investment from extended family and even friends through a kind of crowdfunding.

And we look at some real-life issues that occurred when family members based their deals on trust but then, years later, fell out. Ouch!

Finally we explore some quirky tales from the Flat Chat Forum, including strata managers who are trying to get round the three-year limit on contracts, the AGM election that never happened (so there is now no committee) and the strata management contract that says they get the frequent flyer points from payments by credit card.

All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

SM crackdown and luxury threat to low-cost homes

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 04:00:00 -0400

It’s a bit of a catch-up in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap and a look to the immediate future, too.

We’ll be getting abreast of the news that NSW is planning to tighten regulations on strata managers in the state – a move that was announced a couple of weeks ago when Sue was off air.

What will this so-called crackdown mean? Will really bad strata managers lose their licences? Not very likely, we say, and for a number of valid reasons.

We’ll also be looking at a story that appeared this week in which “unelected bureaucrats and boffins” were accused of hampering the development of much-needed new apartments.

And in between we’ll be talking about a trend we are calling “luxureduction’ where low-cost homes for poor people are being threatened by luxury dwellings that will house a fraction of the number of people they displace.
Sue's alarming report on this growing trend is currently slated to appear in the Sydney Morning Herald this weekend.

Big issues, all three, and heaps of grist to our podcast mill.

Strata lawyer answers your questions

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:00:00 -0400

In this week’s podcast we ask leading strata lawyer David Sachs to run the rule over some of the questions in our Forum.

For instance, can the owners corporation charge Airbnb hosts the difference if insurers increase premiums because there are short-term holiday lets in the block?

Is it okay to have a paper only AGM with the committee elected by pre-meeting electronic votes?

Who pays the costs when a renovator has to get a retrospective by-law for works done without permission?

Which law – anti-discrimination or building codes – takes precedence when an owner wants a chairlift installed in a common property stairwell?

Can an ordinary owner take a strata manager to the tribunal for failure to fulfill their responsibilities?

What can an owner do if their motion for the AGM is left off the agenda when it is published?

There are answers to all those questions and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Chandler chats: five years of the good fight

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 01:00:00 -0400

This week on the Flat Chat Wrap we get a glimpse behind the scenes as NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler is a guest at a “town hall” meeting for members of his team.

In it David outlines some of the Building Commission’s achievements over the past five years, including the creation of a “defects library” so that certifiers, owners corporations and eventually universities can access the same information about defects, employing the same definitions, so that everyone is on the same page when it comes to claims and remediation.

He also outlines his plans for post-retirement – he’s not leaving, just winding back a little – celebrates the fact that a team from another state has been looking closely at how the NSW BC works, and relates how inspectors from flammable cladding Project Remediate discovered serious defects in a newish building and got them fixed by the developer without needing to go to court and at no cost to the owners.

Just to clarify, David is introduced by Elizabeth Stewart, associate director of Building Compliance, and the other voices you will hear are Assistant Commissioners Tom Carney and Matthew Press. And the Yolande to whom he refers is Yolande Nyss who built and leads the Project Intervene section which helps strata schemes navigate defect rectification with their developers.

All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Tax cheat landlords, 'CSI Strata' spies, and recording meetings

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 20:00:00 -0400

The tax office is coming after double-dipping landlords who claim all sorts of things they shouldn't, or just claim for stuff the wrong way.
And what about levies? It turns out some are tax deductible and others aren't. But which?
By the way, in the podcast we say 86 percent of owners who use tax agents get their returns wrong, in fact the ATO says the majority of investors make mistakes in their tax returns despite 86 percent of them using tax agents. Oops! Big difference.
Moving on, we also look at how the NSW state government is pumping millions into the Building Commission - turning it into an effective CSI-Strata as they track down dodgy developers before they can do too much harm.
Turns out it's a case of "round up the usual suspects" as they said in Casablanca (the movie, not the city).
And finally, we look at if or when you can record strata committee meetings, and whether or not you should.
That's all in this week's Flat Chat Wrap.

Cheap shots and gentrification Vs affordability

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 01:00:00 -0400

A slightly shorter but more pointed podcast this week as Sue reports on plans to demolish two affordable-rent apartment blocks and replace them with one luxury block with fewer, but presumably high-end apartments.

It's another potential blow to the supply of affordable housing in desirable areas. City of Sydney have said “no” so the developers have appealed to the Land and Environment Court (LEC)– which held a kerbside hearing outside the site, the other day.

Apparently there are half a dozen other blocks of affordable homes in the Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay area – all marked for gentrification, and we’ve just heard it’s happening in Bondi too.

Now we know why there aren’t enough materials or skilled workers to build enough affordable apartment blocks – they’re all working on luxury pads for the privileged few while reducing the number of available homes.

Meanwhile Jimmy has taken serious umbrage at a report in the SMH Domain section which is a typical “neighbours from Hell” yarn. Which is all very well, but it’s not even here in Oz and, he says, gives a completely false (and predictably biased) impression of living in apartments.

And finally, on her way back from the LEC hearing, Sue chanced upon a vivid example of how hard it is to find somewhere affordable to rent in Sydney.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Nimby dog whistles, company title and micro apartments

Thu, 06 Jun 2024 03:00:00 -0400

This week we take a swing at polarising polititicians who are hoping to fire up the Nimbys against medium-density housing.
They know it's what the state needs, they know it will help resolve the housing crisis, they don't have a viable solution, but hey, if it means they can get a few more votes in marginal constituencies, to Hell with the homeless.
Then we go back to the future with Company Title. Are apartment blocks where owners set their own rules and have nothing to do with strata law the answer for the strataphobic?
Even today there are company title blocks that can ban pets, Airbnbs and even kids. What's the catch? We have a look.
And finally a new development of micro-apartments with shared common areas and compact living areas is already oversubscribed. Sue gives the concept the thumbs up, Jimmy likes a bit more space. You can see inside one in a clip from the Today show HERE
That's all in this weeks' Flat Chat Wrap

Balcony singer creates his own soap opera

Thu, 30 May 2024 03:00:00 -0400

The Podcast takes a musical twist this week when we discuss the ear-bending plight of residents of four apartment blocks in the Sydney suburb of Meadowbank who have been subject to an opera singer practising his scales for 90 minutes every Sunday.

How bad can it be? The perp is clearly talented and may even think he’s doing his neighbours a favour by standing on his balcony belting out his do-re-mis, but really?

Oddly enough, music-loving Jimmy thinks hitting the high notes for a non-consenting audience is a bit of a low blow while self-confessed tin-ear Sue thinks it’s all in the ear of the beholder.

You can judge for yourself when we play a clip in the podcast or follow the links in the accompanying story HERE – and you can even vote on whether to call “encore” or shout “shut up!”.

Also in the Wrap this week, we look at why apartment rents are rising faster than houses’.

And while everyone else is focussed on the suburbs that are being pressured to allow more apartment blocks to be built, we take a swing through the councils that will be allowed to buck the trend in a review of NSW government policy.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Best and worst embedded networks... with bees

Thu, 23 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This week’s podcast is mostly devoted to embedded networks, what they are, why they can be good or bad, and what you can do to make them work for your strata scheme.

To that end, we chat to Joseph Arena of Embedded Networks Arena, a company that will analyse your embedded network contracts – e.g. for energy and hot water systems – and tell you how you can get a better deal.

This was recorded via Zoom so the audio may not be up to our usual standards but if you listen to the end of the segment, you will hear about a terrific offer for Flat Chat readers and listeners. You can read all about Embedded Network Arena on its website HERE.

Another link you might want to follow is to Amanda Farmer’s audio summary of the case she discussed in her live podcast last week. It’s an interesting case where the committee in a resort scheme pushed through a special levy and a by-law that would have benefitted a minority of strata owners to the detriment of the majority. You can find out what happened at NCAT, both in audio and print, HERE.

And the Forum is abuzz (sorry) with discussions about a townhouse resident who put a beehive in their garden, conveniently away from their own back door, but annoyingly close to their neighbour’s.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.
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Challenges and changes as Chandler checks out

Wed, 15 May 2024 06:00:00 -0400

The only story in strata in the past week has been the decision by Building Commissioner David Chandler to hang up his hard hat and retire in August.
So we thought the time was right to look at what he has achieved, the challenges he's faced - like being encourage by his then Minister to have a sit-down with a very dodgy developer - and the legacy he leaves behind for his successor.
He says his challenge for the last few months of his tenure is to get the message out there that there are more protections for consumers than there ever have been.
And you can see his point - people who haven't lived in strata before have zero interest in the stuff we discuss here.
But there is a strong message and it's worth spreading. He and we just need more people to listen.

Hot seat 2: By-laws, bathrooms and ebikes (really!)

Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This second part of Lawyer In The Hotseat opens with an apology for promising a discussion on ebikes in last week's podcast, forgetting that it's actually in this, the second part (promise).
Otherwise our discussion with strata lawyer David Bannerman covers renovation by-laws and the value of by-laws that would stand up if challenged at a Tribunal but send out a signal about what is unacceptable even if it's legal.
We also look at strata managers acting unilaterally, the controversial Building Design Practitioner's Act and how it adds a lot to the cost of home renovations.
We look at who's responsible for repairing and replacing bathrooms in older blocks - especially when they have never been renovated.
And, yes, we discuss eBike and scooter batteries, especially in older less fire-resistant unit blocks.
And finally, for all the questions we couldn't get to, we point listeners to the very slick Bannermans Lawyers website.
That's all in this week's Flat Chat Wrap.
,

Hot Seat pt 1 - Strata rolls and new laws

Thu, 02 May 2024 03:00:00 -0400

As promised, this is the first part of the recording where JimmyT fires questions at leading strata lawyer David Bannerman.
Topics include:

Does your strata manager have to give you access to the strata roll (including other owners' email addresses)? And what do you do if they don't.
What are the new strata laws all about?
What do you do about do-nothing strata committees.

All this and more in this week's Flat Chat Wrap.

Cell in a studio flat and suspicious pictures

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

This week’s Flat Chat Wrap covers a lot of ground. including a prison cell in in a studio flat – seriously! – in the same small town in England where our very own Sue Williams cut her journalist teeth.

We take a long, hard and highly suspicious look at how real estate pictures are altered to make us think we’re getting something that just isn’t there. You'll find a link to the video HERE.

We get a preview of Jimmy’s “Lawyer in the Hot Seat” chat with strata lawyer David Bannerman – including whether or not strata managers have to let you see other owners’ email addresses and how the Design and Building Practitioners Act is making renovations a lot more expensive.

We hear about a strata manager who revealed that dubious insurance practices are more widespread than we thought – but then took a pop at Jimmy for writing “clickbait” articles.

And Jimmy wonders if he’s been blacklisted by the Strata Community Association … or is it the other way round? That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Simple fixes that Strata Managers desperately need

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

It feels like the dust has settled a little too quickly on the Netsrata Scandal, as exposed by ABC TV. There has been no public statement on it from the state government or their professional body, Strata Community Australia (NSW).
But strata managers are hurting, as even the most cursory skim of LinkedIn posts will attest. The good operators know they are being tarred with the same brushes that have seen the SCA-NSW President resign - and it doesn't feel fair or good.
You could argue that they only have themselves to blame. Did they know what the bad actors in their industry were doing? And if they did, why didn't they ring that alarm bells?
Well, we know the answer to that. Whistleblowers soon find themselves out in the cold and out of work in this country.
That said, it was a senior strata manager who first brough the dodgy dealings of embedded networks to our attention. And an ex-employee of Netstrata contributed to the report that blew the lid off those shenanigans.
With all that in mind, we set out in this week's podcast to find a way forward for the strata management industry - some simple fixes that would restore some pride and confidence in the profession.
However, as we discovered, once you open any can of worms, there's a lot of wriggling going on.

Family unfriendly - are our flats the wrong shape?

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 20:00:00 -0400

Are we building the wrong kind of apartments for families? There’s a very interesting report in the Sydney Morning Herald about a survey that suggests that the cookie-cutter apartment designs we see all around us may be fine for singles and couples but are all the wrong shapes and sizes for families with growing kids.

How can this be? For a start, a two-bed units – three-bedders are well outside the price range for most young families – are configured with a main bedroom, maybe with an ensuite (if you’re lucky) and a smaller room as the guest bedroom.

OK, Mum and Dad can give up the big room if they have two kids and let them share it (as they do in the SMH story) but surely it would make sense to have three smaller rooms and call it a family unit, or have more flexible internal configurations. More on that in the podcast.

We discuss the suggestion that we should be building more apartments over railway stations and rail lines.

We hear about Sue’s new book Run For Your Life, the true story about a family fleeing Russian oligarchs by hiding for three years in the Dampier Peninsula in the remote north of WA. What’s the connection with Flat Chat (apart from Sue)? Dad was structural engineer who was an expert in steel and glass (okay, a bit tentative).

If you are interested, the book’s first launch in Sydney (there are others in Perth, New Zealand and London) is on Wednesday April 17 from 7pm-8pm at the Mosman Library. Sorry, apparently you have to book in advance, ie asap, and pay for it too ($11 or concessions $9). Click HERE for more details to book.

The second Sydney launch is on Thursday May 2 from 2pm-3.30pm at the Australian National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour. This event is free but you also have to book asap in advance. Click HERE for details.

And finally our Great Escape this week follows Jimmy to Saigon, Vietnam, where he was “doing the Graham Greene thing” and finishing his new novel.

All that and more in the Flat Chat Wrap.

Look back in laughter - our PodCom revisited

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0400

It's interesting listening to the podcom Hyperbole Towers - the podcast comedy we recorded almost four years ago - to hear how much has changed.
There's a reference in there to pets not being allowed - that's gone. And the whole episode centres around a by-law permitting owners to meet online. That's now part of the fabric of strata law.
But some of the issues are timeless, not least how strata committees bring together hugely diverse people who under other circumstances might cross the street to avoid each other.
Add in characters who work from home in their underwear, use “you’re breaking up” as their get-out-of-jail card and get involved in the usual committee power struggles, and you have a potent recipe for some serious fun.

The Hyperbole Towers characters are:

· Charlie, the long-suffering chair;

· Alfie the manipulative and scheming building manager;

· Brooke the hopeless secretary;

· Steve, the committee treasurer who sees everything in terms of money;

· Wendy a do-gooder who is also a nasty gossip and a racist;

· Joe a class warrior retiree for whom nothing is Left-wing enough (until it affects his hip pocket);

· Damien a manic day trader for whom the committee is his only social contact

· Amber a "massage therapist" who says it as she sees it

There is also a cameo guest appearance by star of stage and screen Todd McKenney, adding some pizzazz to the proceedings.

The Story centres around the Hyperbole Towers committee in online crisis meetings to discuss the potential conversion of their former meeting room turned commercial space into a day spa … or is it a massage parlour?

Meanwhile, constant thumping sounds, are driving everyone mad, especially since building manager Alfie seems very reluctant to do anything about it.

In its style and format, this is like a classic radio sitcom with some very modern themes. But it’s a work of fiction and any similarity to anyone living or deceased is purely coincidental.

I you enjoyed it, please share it with your friends and fellow strata dwellers and professionals through this link, and encourage them to do the same.

Credits: Hyperbole Towers featured Tsu Shan Chambers, Valentino Arico, Amelia Conway, Eveline Schubert, Michelle Rouady, Robin Queree, Matias Klaver and David MacPhail.

It was narrated and directed by Warren Coleman.The podcom was written and produced by Jimmy Thomson and Warren Coleman. Audio editing and effects were by Sydney Sound Brewery under the watchful ear of John Hresc. Phoebe Armstrong was production assistant.

Hyperbole Towers is a Flat Chat Production, copyright (2024) Words Worth Pty Ltd. It could not have been made without the financial assistance of City of Sydney Council.

How Netstrata scandal has exposed a culture of rorts, scams and double dealing.

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 04:00:00 -0400

As you’d expect, a lot of this week’s podcast is taken up with the resignation of the SCA-NSW President and Netstrata boss Stephen Brell, as well as the ABC News story and its follow-up that exposed his company’s business practices..

We’re taking the stance that Netstrata is not the only strata management company engaging in dubious (though not illegal) practices and allegedly concealing what were effectively strata insurance commissions is not the only breach of trust between many strata management companies and their customers – strata owners.

In short (and at greater length in an accompanying article – coming soon) we highlight all the areas in which the strata management culture in NSW is failing both strata owners and the strata managers who simply want to make an honest buck.

But first off, and at no cost to its members, SCA-NSW needs to disband its owners’ section and stop saying they represent owners. That’s like banks saying they represent account holders, car sales people saying they represent motorists or Uber drivers saying they represent Friday night drunks.
And listeners might want to click on one of the links to the ABC stories (above) and scroll down to the section calling for your stories about strata managers.

Also in the Wrap this week we discuss the new Pattern Book about to be released for comment by the NSW state architect, in an effort to show that apartment blocks don’t have to be huge and ugly.

And our Great Escape takes us to India with a couple of Masterchef judges. That’s all on the menu for this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Different country - same high rise problems

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The Flat Chat Wrap comes to you from a whole other country – or at least half of it does – with Jimmy in Saigon trying to finish his fourth novel (writing, not reading).

While there he has discovered that there are very similar problems with overseas investors as we have here in Australia.

Continuing the travel theme, Jimmy and Sue discuss the proposed changes to Airbnb laws intended to correct the “light touch” legislation currently in place.

And we can’t mention travel without referring to Mild Rover which this week has pictures to back up Jimmy’s jaunt with Bafta-winning writer Kieran Prendiville, as well as a liverish look at the best and worst in-flight food services.

And finally there’s a touching story by Sue about how an artistic tribute to her late Mum became part of the healing process.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap

Why unit rents are closing the gap on houses

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 06:00:00 -0400

There are myriad reasons why apartment rents are getting closer to and even, in a couple of areas, have overtaken the rents demanded for houses.
Is it because the immigration tap has been turned back on for people from countries where they aren't horrified by the prospect of living in apartments/
Is it because more, especially younger Aussies (wherever they originated) are seeing the benefits or apartment living outweighing the drawbacks.
Or is it just that landlords have decided its time to stop discounting units just because of a fear of flatophobia?
Also we take a look at the perils and potential benefits of asking for the compulsory appointments of strata managers and ask if there's any chance that NSW Fair Trading and the Attorney-General's office (which looks after the Tribunal) could start talking to each other about strata.
Honestly, guys and gals, we can set it up for you. We'll even buy the tea and bikkies.
And finally, Jimmy and Sue recall the journey from Hell that almost ended their marriage before it had even started. That's all in the Flat Chat Wrap.

'Worst block ever' and big plans for the trendy burbs

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast we look at a report that building commissioner David Chandler has issued a stop-work order at a Wollongong construction site after structural defects were discovered in a 149-unit apartment block.

According to a story in on the ABC news site, Mr Chandler said the prohibition order followed the detection of a number of issues in the Crownview building in the last few years with $37m already spent on remediation but new problems with critical cable tensioning were discovered during remediation work.

As a result, he announced that he was pushing to have regional offices across the state because standards are so lax outside of Sydney – and we have a take on that too.

We glance in the direction of government moves to nudge baby strata managers to get themselves qualified and gain expertise in a bit more than gouging Schedule B fees from unsuspecting apartment owners.

And we look at news that already has the trendoids of Sydney’s inner-west suburbs in a tizz; the NSW government wants councils in these areas close to the city centre to stop blocking low-to-medium rise apartment blocks.

Add that to the Greens’ demand that the Federal Government should build 360,000 homes to be available for low-cost rents and purchases and all those former workers cottages in streets with no parking will be swallowed up … or probably not.

We look at what you really want in the shops in your block and a slight change of direction for Great Escapes.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Shops you want in your blocks

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0500

In this week’s pod we look at “placemaking” which seems to be designing communities just to make them nicer places to live.

By nicer, of course, we mean places that don’t stress you out in the walk to and from the station every day. More trees and open spaces are a start, but then open spaces are exactly where developers want to put buildings. And trees generally get in the way of that.

We look at the NSW government’s plans to bring more high and medium rises to where there are shops (rather than the other way round).

And we ask what shops we would like in our block - by way of introducing this week’s poll which asks readers what they would like to see in their building.

All that and more in the pod, this week.

Email madness - $17k charged for five messages

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We’ve lifted a post from the Flat Chat Forum this week to illustrate two issues – one basic common sense, the other highly contentious.

The post explains how a strata manager managed to legitimately charge $17,000 for sending out five emails.

Obviously, our advice would be to read the small print in your strata management contract with a focus on what the worst-case scenario might be.

The other is the issue of whether the strata committee should have every owner’s email address – something way too many strata managers are not prepared to allow, regardless of what the law says.

And this is a case in point. Had the strata committee sent these five emails out themselves, it would have cost them nothing apart from the time it took to click on “forward”, “group” and “send.”

But you have to have the email addresses first. You can read the detail on how five emails cost $17,000 HERE.

Also in the pod, we look at the measure spreading across Australia to curb Airbnb and other short-term holiday lets to get homes back into the residential rental market.

We examine, the improved but still “least-worst” deal that will probably be accepted by enough Mascot Towers owners to make it happen.

And there’s a terrific 70 per cent off deal for a posh hotel near marvellous Maloolaba.

That’s all in this week’s packed podcast.

Your pet hates (and it's not pets)

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:00:00 -0500

This week on the podcast we are talking about YOU. At least, we are talking about your pet hates, as defined by our highly unscientific and totally skewed poll on who irritates you most in your strata scheme.

The poll is on the Flat Chat home page and you can see the results when you vote. Sneaky way to get clicks? Not really. We simply don’t want to influence your choices.

Also we have a look at what’s happening – or not happening – at the Balmain Leagues Club site where plans for a new block have been put on hold again (but, it seems, for a good reason).

And we check out a report that renters could have saved thousands of dollars – or even have been able to find somewhere to live – if a critical planning restriction had been eased just a little.

Finally, there’s our Lock Up & Leave – a designer cabin in the bush that’s just far enough away from civilisation. Race you there!

And now the good news ... for some

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0500

There’s some good news, some bad news and some great news in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

The good news (for investors) is that apartment prices and rents are going through the roof in Brisbane. The boom is being stimulated by preparations for the 2032 Olympics and an influx of new residents.

Of course, what’s good news for investors is generally bad news for tenants and not only are they facing rising rents and shortages of available properties in the Sunshine state, they’d think twice before escaping to Victoria.

There rents are rising but properties are falling, as in falling down. An “undercover” inspection of properties offered for rent in Victoria by the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) and Tenants Victoria revealed one-third of them failed to meet some of the basic living or safety standards.

And if you want to get away from all the doom and gloom, our Lock Up & Leave this week is a half-price, food and drink included, no-kids stay in a fancy hotel in Sorrento – the one in Italy, not the one in the Mornington Peninsula.

All that for $2k – less than a long weekend in a party flat in Docklands. It’s all in the Flat Chat Wrap.

BS-busting strata reforms in detail

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This week we take a deep dive into the next swathe of proposed NSW strata reforms which will include attempts to cut through the baloney and BS and make it easier for owners to overturn unfair contracts.

What does that mean, exactly. Well, when you realise that the maintenance fee for your stormwater drains actually includes the cost of installing them – which should have been borne by the developer – then that would be unfair.

Or when your strata management contract has a clause that says you and not they will be liable for bad decisions they make on your behalf, that seems kind of unfair too.

By the way, the final proposals will be posted for consideration and comment in April, so keep your keyboards poised for that. There’s a lot more about this and other proposals in the pod.

Also this week we wrap up our trials and tribulations over our legal right to hold the strata roll and emails, and a very big strata firm’s country branch’s efforts to keep them from us.

Finally we have a very spicy Lock Up and Leave tour of the sub-continent. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Lachlan defects alert crosses the line

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:00:00 -0500

When newspaper reports presented the story about the defects in the Lachlan's Line apartment block in Macquarie Park, as if it was another Mascot Towers, Building Commissioner scolded journalists, assuring everyone that there was no need to panic.
There would be no evacuations, he said, but admitted his department might need to consider the language it uses when alerting the public to problems in apartment blocks.
Meanwhile a fire that gutted a unit in Bondi has alarm bells ringing over eBike batteries. Should we panic over this? Or is just the combination of flats shared by delivery riders that need closer scrutiny.
A webinar hosted by the OCN in a couple of weeks promises to get to the bottom of it (and provide a model by-law for members).
And finally, our Lock Up and Leave this week features the foodie tour with celebrity chefs that you have without the celebrity chefs ... or the eye-watering price tag. That's all in the Flat Chat Wrap.

Coastal boasts and Mascot backlash

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 21:00:00 -0500

After three pods in a row about Mascot Towers, we decided you (and we) needed a break so we are heading off to the seaside – figuratively, not literally – to see how property prices are doing on the North and South coasts of NSW.

One report has said that prices in some coastal areas have bounced back more than those in the city, while others have said there are bargains to be had outside (but not too far) the city limits.

So what’s going on? We know office workers are being encouraged to go back to their offices and hybrid working hours are becoming popular.

Maybe all that means that Seachange properties that are within commutable distance are holding the line while weekenders – properties that are outside, say two hours from town – are going back to being what they were intended for and dropping in price accordingly.

After that, we can’t avoid Mascot Towers completely and we’ll be looking at who the winners (if any) and losers are as they hurtle towards the owners vote to accept or reject the David Chandler-wrangled offer early next month.

That’s all in the Flat Chat wrap

Chandler on how he wrangled Mascot deal

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 06:00:00 -0500

We’re back and this is an absolute blockbuster, which, considering the topic, is an oddly ironic term.

Last week Sue had an exclusive interview with NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler about the benighted Mascot Towers – the building that started crumbling about five years ago and whose evacuated former residents have been living in rental accommodations since.

Did I say five years? Turns out the towers had defects long before that.

So how did David Chandler wrangle a possible (read probable) resolution between resident-owners who just want out, commercial lot owners and residents who want to stay, investors, banks and strata lenders?

You could read our very own Sue Williams’ exclusive report in the Sydney Morning Herald … or Jimmy’s column in the Australian Financial Review, but first listen to this merely fascinating podcast where we hear David Chandler himself, make sense of it all.

Chandler army's commission possible

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 23:00:00 -0500

We have an absolute rock star podcast guest this week, in NSW Building Commission Policy Director Angus Abadee.

Angus gave us a good 20 minutes of his valuable time to explain what the recent expansion of the building commission means, as well as the significance of the new laws passed recently.

The topics touched on included how they identify and approach developers they think might be cutting corners and building defects into their blocks – with a 90 per cent hit rate in that regard.

How they are helping low-rise developers who want to move up in the world, literally, by building medium-rise developments but lack the skills and experience to make the transition efficiently and effectively.

He spoke about how they and their counterparts in other states confer on key issues, and he confirmed that there are fewer reports of apartment building defects in Victoria simply because they are a couple of years behind NSW in identifying the problems – not because the problems don’t exist.

And he addresses the next challenge for the Building Commission – dealing with defects in older buildings that are outside their warranty periods.

We should note that this podcast came with its own construction problems. It was recorded using a hand-held device next to a computer speaker because Zoom had decided to remove or hide its “record” button. It was edited on a laptop on our flight to Fiji then compiled into this post and uploaded to the internet from inside our holiday “bure” on Malolo Island.

All of which is to explain the less-than-perfect audio as well as to hope you think it was worth the effort when you hear it.

Building Commish gets his Christmas wish

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 07:00:00 -0500

Don’t know if Building Commissioner David Chandler has a hotline to Santa but with the Building Commission being boosted from 40 to 400 inspectors, you’d have to think his Christmas wishes have come true.

Then there’s the government plan to compel developers to include affordable and social housing in their schemes if they want to get approval – no trade-offs or sneaky deals for added floors.

And there are the first hints of the proposals to open up land around rail hubs – which would be accidentally posted online, just as we were recording the pod.

We talk about the valid concerns over e-bike and e-scooter batteries, and some solutions, but point out that apartment blocks are far from being the most at risk.

We thank the people who contributed to our being the most successful fundraising team in the MedEarth Trails For Change walk (but it’s not too late to contribute HERE).

And we discover that this week’s Lock Up and Leave is not only close to home but close to Sue’s heart as one of her favourite holiday resort hotels in the whole world. That’s all in this weeks’ Flat Chat Wrap.

Starry-eyed buyers, more Mascot misery

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

It’s a packed Wrap this week with a lot happening in and around strata. Global credit rating and data analysis agency Equifax – the people who measure how many of David Chandler’s gold stars developers should get – have conducted a survey into how confident apartment buyers are in the properties they plan to purchase.

The answer is “not very” … unless they have a few of those highly sought-after gold stars to add some shine to their sales spin.

The Mascot Towers saga has taken another twist with owners refused permission to terminate the strata scheme with a view to walking away from their mounting debts. What now for this benighted block and its emotionally and financially broken owners?

And talking of defective buildings, what does the supercharging of NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler’s powers in legislation that’s about to become law actually mean.

And finally we celebrate a travel writing award for Sue and join her on our Lock Up and Leave “Pick of the Trips”, by train across India – recalling a journey she took with her late Mum.

Designer blocks and Broadway shocks

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 01:00:00 -0500

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap we talk about the proposal to introduce architectural pattern books in NSW.
Will they mean even more cookie-cutter apartment blocks or will it simply result in the buildings that we need in a hurry not looking like they were designed in a primary school handicrafts project?

Then we look at what has happened at an apartment block that was only a few years ago named as the best residential building in the world.

Falling planter boxes and rising concern about flammable cladding have blotted the Central Park tower’s copybook. Now the truly iconic building in Broadway, Sydney, has to work through these issues with multiple strata committees each having their say. Wish them luck.

Next we pick up on perennial parking problems and some innovative (and only slightly illegal) methods for dealing with rogue parkers (aka parking thieves).

Parking illegally in a multi-storey car park is wrong on so many levels. (Joke Stolen from Tim Vine).

And finally, our Lock Up and Leave Pick of the Trips takes us on a small group tour to the Land of the Rising Sun.

How selling your rights became a multi-billion-dollar business

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 18:00:00 -0500

Some big, big issues have shuffled shamelessly into the glare of the podcast spotlight his week.

Firstly we talk about the buying and selling of management rights and how that has become a huge, $8billion dollar business nationally.

Should we be worried that this is starting to creep into NSW and Victoria from Queensland, where the legalised rorting of apartment owners through pre-selling the rights to run their buildings all began?

What does it mean for owners in new buildings in the other states who will doubtless be told that selling 25-year contracts to commercial entities is “standard practice”?

And what are the implications for Queensland owners’ desperate attempts to get its pro-developer state government to put a cork in the bottle even if the genie can’t be persuaded to get back into it?

The other big issue is the appalling state of rental affordability in Sydney, especially, which includes a dire prediction from Jimmy that sounds suspiciously like a disruptive call to action.

Finally, we have big news about the podcast itself, plus our Lock up and Leave Pick of the Trips, and a tribute to our most dedicated listener of all.

Electric dreams and escooter schemes

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 02:00:00 -0500

The Wrap has gone all-electric this week, starting with Sue resolutely defending her e-scooter in the face of growing fears about fires from Lithium-ion batteries (and Jimmy’s column from the AFR).

So what causes ebike and escooter battery fires? How do you prevent them? What is “thermal runaway”?

And what can apartment blocks do to keep its residents safe when there are potentially dangerous batteries being charged up inside units in the block?

Also, without the slightest sense of irony, we discuss the NSW government plans to offer $80 million in grants to more than 100 apartment blocks to help with the costs of installing EV charging points in apartment block car parks.

And Jimmy talks about the initial AGM of a new apartment block where efforts to pass embedded network contracts were up for a challenge. (Just to continue the electrical theme, there was another embedded network contract for electricity that was debated but we don’t really talk about that in the pod).

And finally, there’s this week’s Lock Up and Leave – a hike in southern France which sounds like it involved more eating than walking.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

The other Minns - our strata commish speaks

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:00:00 -0400

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap we welcome freshly minted Strata Commissioner John Minns (not to be confused with NSW Premier Chris Minns) to tell us about his new role, his challenges and hopes.

For the past two years John has been NSW Property Services Commissioner, keeping an eye on real estate agents, strata managers and building managers – and lots of ancillary professions and trades.

Now he’s taking strata under his wing in an expanded role – and it’s quite an expansion.

In today’s podcast we talk about “cradle to grave” regulations for strata schemes, training and licensing, transparency and the 139 recommendations for strata law reforms currently before parliament.

We touch on Airbnb and unlicensed operators, embedded networks and initial AGMs. John even listens to Jimmy’s “out there“ idea for fast-track dispute resolution and how it could be turned into a TV show combining the appeal of Judge Judy with The Block.

It’s a longer-than-usual episode of the podcast, and the Zoom audio quality is not perfect, but it makes fascinating listening, hearing what John’s priorities are and the challenges he faces.

Green green grass of affordable homes

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 01:00:00 -0400

We’re heading across the border to Victoria this week where the Greens are flexing their balance-of-power muscle by demanding changes to the state housing program, as detailed in this post on the Flat Chat website.

We ask what it is that they want, and which demands they are most likely to negotiate away to get other elements of the deal over the line.

Will it be their demand for 30 per cent of all schemes to be affordable or social housing?
Or will it be the stringent curbs on Airbnb and its ilk.
The latters may be low-hanging fruit but nationally the Greens have a patchy track record when it comes to short-term holiday lets.

And if you’re thinking, “it’s Victoria, so what?” don’t forget that the states use each other as guinea pigs and any policy that works in one territory is likely to find its way to its neighbours before too long.

We also relate how NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler’s iCirt gold star rating system has become such a valuable asset for developers that some are saying they have it when they haven’t even applied. Naughty, naughty!

And we introduce an escape from the stress and tension of apartment living with our new “lock up and leave” feature that highlights our personal choices from all the terrific holiday deals on our Mildrover website.

By the way, if the sound quality isn’t quite up to our usual standard it may be because it was a Zoom call to a motel in Lismore.

Strata scam right on our new doorstep

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0400

In this week’s podcast we find ourselves victims of the kind of scams we have been warning people about for a couple of years.

We are about to go to the first AGM of our new apartment block and have discovered there is a very meaty embedded network rort afoot.

Rather than pay for a vital piece of infrastructure, our developers want us to lease it at an exorbitant rate and one which will add up to be double what they say it costs.

How can that be? What can we do? You’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out.

Also we go through all the nitty-gritty of the changes in NSW strata laws – it’s not all about pets and forced sales.

And we discover why strata managers think Jimmy is running a vendetta against them. Hey, it was just one joke in which a strata manager was a homicidal maniac.

Where’s the harm? Judge for yourself, in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap

Anti-pet deterrents to be swept away

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 21:00:00 -0400

There’s good news for those abandoned covid fur-babies and the apartment residents who’d love to offer them new homes.

The highly dubious tactics clearly aimed at deterring people from having pets in apartments – workarounds for the ban on blanket pet bans, if you like – will be knocked over in proposed changes to NSW strata law.

Application fees, pet bonds and demands for additional insurance cover will be no more.

These are among several tweaks to strata law on the way in NSW but you’d better believe policy wonks in all the states watch each other’s laws like hawks – and any or all of these changes could be coming your way soon.

Also on the hit list, Fair Trading will be able to recommend dysfunctional schemes have compulsory strata managers appointed to take over the running of the block, putting failed strata committees into deep freeze for a couple of years.

Opportunist developers will have to declare conflicts of interest – and face having costs awarded against them – if they try to use strata funds to combat competing plans.

And all strata schemes, regardless of size will need to get two quotes for work that’s going to cost more than $30,000.

Finally, we have a strata commissioner. Property Services Commissioner John Minns has had strata added to his portfolio.

We examine how that could be a good or bad development, and pick the bones out of all the above on this week’s podcast.

Minions on front line of war on Nimbys

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 18:00:00 -0400

This week, we open up with a chat about our increasingly popular polls and the surprising results this week revealing what annoys you most about your neighbours.

Then we take a look at what NSW Premier Chris Minns really means when he “declares war on Nimbys”.

If as this article suggests, he may use his power to let his minions, aka senior civil servants, rule on projects held up by recalcitrant, backsliding local authorities, what does that mean for suburbs that have steadfastly held out against medium to high rise developments in their low-rise avenues?

Then we hear about a Canadian “urbanist” who has come up with a new style of communal living, turning apartments into “friendship machines”, whereby families get together to inhabit blocks where everyone has their own living space but they share cooking facilities and child care.

It all seems a bit commune-like and will doubtless have some citizens of Queensland reaching for their pitchforks when he presents his thoughts at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit in Brisbane next week.

And finally, we can’t avoid having another look at how Airbnb is under serious pressure, now that the mainstream media is getting the message that throwing renters out so that investors can make more money, specifically from from tourists, is necessarily good for our society as a whole.

Airbnb again? Hey, it’s all grist to the strata mill.

Minds over strata matters

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 04:00:00 -0400

Busy, busy, busy in the Flat Chat bunker this week. We start with a wrap-up of what went on at the Owners Corporation Network (OCN) Strata Matters conference last week including a grab-bag of politicians talking about what’s been done and what still needs to be achieved in strata.

Then, prompted by a thought from Sydney MP Alex Greenwich that NSW might consider a tax on short-term holiday lets, like the one announced in Victoria, Jimmy rips into the “idiotic” discussion of the proposed tax on Victoria’s short-term holiday lets (aka Airbnb) on the ABC TV Q&A panel discussion.

Back to the Strata Matters conference, and we go through the card, picking up on topics as diverse as water saving, levies debts, strata loans, remediation, repairs and adaptation of older buildings.

Finally we discuss one of the major themes of the conference collective sales – whereby 75 percent of owners can force the other 25 per cent to sell to developers and how it has all gone horribly wrong in one scheme where the owners and their prospective developers ended up paying the legal fees of an unsuccessful bidder as they fought to prevent the redevelopment going ahead.

All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Downvesting - working at taking it easy

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 09:00:00 -0400

This week we introduce you to the concept of “downvesting” – no, it’s not a singlet fashioned from duck feathers, but a growing trend whereby impending retirees buy a property that they plan to downsize into but rent it out until they are ready to make the life-changing move.

And we investigate the challenging concept of de-cluttering and how getting ready to move house could change your mind about moving at all.

We take another look at Build-To-Rent and how one superfund, the majority of whose members work in health and social services, is investing in a BTR block of which many of the residents will be exactly that slice of essential (but often underpaid) workers.

And we have a look at how the new tax proposed for short-term holiday lets in Victoria is long overdue and could and should spread to other states.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Smart thinking means Happy Days aren't here again ... yet

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 20:00:00 -0400

This week in the podcast, Sue reports back from a two-day seminar about property investment with the news that, yes, more apartments are going to be built in Australia and yes, some people are worried that there simply won’t be enough skilled labour or materials to get it done as quickly as we all want and need.

However, there is some innovative thinking, whether it’s about how to deal with Nimbyism – bribe the buggers with tax breaks, says Yellow Brick Road boss Mark Bouris – or allowing “mum and dad” investors to put money directly into build-to-rent projects without having the hassle of managing tenants and property.

There’s a push to promote “Fonzi Flats” to make use of the space above garages and storerooms, not to mention empty basements and other unused areas in existing homes.

And there’s the OCN's Strata Matters conference where both Jimmy and Sue will be wrangling speakers and making sure you, our listeners, have your questions answered and your concerns aired.

That’s all on this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

How local councils block new unit blocks

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 07:00:00 -0400

Sue is back from Europe – Huzzah! And that means not just a return of her dulcet tones but an injection of common sense into the proceedings. And those proceedings are a discussion about the “missing middle” – low to medium rise apartment blocks and how some councils have managed to keep them out of their suburbs.

We look at the cute and occasionally evil tactics that home buyers resort to, in order to get to the head of the queue to purchase the house of their dreams.

We look at how efforts to curb the rampant spread of Airbnb and other short-term holiday lets have fared in cities that have brought in draconian laws.

And we wonder if game theory might help us to solve the housing crisis (as discussed on the Flat Chat website).

That’s all right here in the Flat Chat Wrap.

Why bankrupting struggling owners is a bad idea

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 02:00:00 -0400

No sooner had we written about how paying levies is often the first thing to go when apartment owners are facing a cost-of-living crisis, than this story pops up on the ABC.

It’s about a woman that got into so much debt that her owners corp eventually had her declared bankrupt.

In today’s podcast, Paul Morton of Lannock Finance explains why that didn’t need to happen and what the owners corp could have done – at no cost to the scheme – to give the struggling home owner another way out.

Also we talk about an SMH report about the “missing middle” in apartment building, and how the small apartment block that was once the standard model throughout Australian cities could be the compromise solution when the need for more homes butts up against anti-apartment Nimbys.

And we look at proposed body corporate reforms in Queensland – and what’s missing from their modest proposals for change.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat wrap.

Upgrade your address and save millions

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 21:00:00 -0400

Flying (almost) solo this week, Jimmy looks at a Sydney Morning Herald story which reveals the posh areas in Sydney where you can upgrade your address without paying the multi-million dollar costs of buying a trophy house.

Karen Stiles, EO of the Owners Corporation Network (OCN) reveals the line-up for the upcoming Strata Matters conference.

And, as the backlash against his revelations of even more dodgy dealings in Queensland’s iniquitous caretaker manager contract system heats up, Jimmy admits that he is biased – albeit against entities that rip off apartment owners, and the politicians who routinely fail to protect them.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Rent caps and Airbnb backlash

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 12:00:00 -0400

The podcast has an international flavour this week – and not just because co-host Sue dropped in just before she jetted off to Europe.

Reports from Scotland suggest that build-to-rent apartments, one suggested solution to the housing shortage – and rent caps, one proposed solution to the cost-of-living crisis – don’t sit easily with each other.

There are also reports from New York where Airbnb has sued the city for imposing rules on such trivialities as fire safety, over-crowding and building codes, saying they are an attempt to drive short-term holiday lets out of the city.

You can see their point – it’s like claiming that allowing Airbnb is effectively creating a campaign to drive locals out of their homes. (Thinks) Wait a minute!

We look at the Queensland government’s response to our question about its stated plans (but lack of action) to do something about the iniquity and inequity of the pre-sale of management rights.

And finally, we look at the best places to buy apartments if you want to make some capital gain.

Council cops repair order, Qld quandary, savings for seniors

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 01:00:00 -0400

We’re going interstate and all-ages this week but we start with a council on Sydney’s North Shore that has been served with a repair order for defects in a block in which they were co-developers.

According to this story in the SMH, Lane Cove council is finding out the hard way what happens when you get into bed with a developer who goes bust.

After that we look at serious rumblings from Queensland where the government is trumpeting a plan to see 600,000 new apartments in the south-east corner of the state – doubling the number of units in the state in the next 20 years.

Somewhat ironically, that time span is less than the onerous, presold 25-year caretaker contracts that owners will be saddled with, whether they like them or not.

Queensland’s strata managers want to know what happened to the state government’s plans to change the laws into something less… um… anti-democratic... corrupt(?).

And finally we look at how over-55 downsizers and retirees could save between 20 and 80 per cent on the cost of a home by moving into schemes where doof-doof music and screaming kids are effectively banned.

Sounds like a win-win-win to us, and it’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Built-in cheats, property prices and victory for Vicinity

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 01:00:00 -0400

It’s very much a mixed bag in this week’s podcast, not least because what’s good news for some in property prices is, inevitably, bad news for others.

But first, we have a chat about embedded networks, what they are and how apartment buyers get tricked into paying for things that should be charged to developers.

And, with mainstream property media finally catching up – we first raised this issue a couple of years ago – we suggest a way apartment buyers can get around these scandalous rorts.

Then Sue brings us up to speed on property prices, including what’s going up and where. And we examine how realistic it is to want to put a freeze on rents – and have a look at the one are in Australia where rent caps are working.

Then we look at a victory for the benighted residents of the Vicinity building – the one that’s being propped up, literally, while the developer has gone into receivership and the company’s supremo has disappeared somewhere in the Middle East.

And finally, we celebrate the publication of Jimmy’s new novel – and explain why it has been published under a different name.

Two towers - from just fine to way too fancy

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 22:00:00 -0400

This week we look at two apartment blocks that it’s pretty safe to say are at the opposite ends of the social spectrum.

The first is a Housing Commission block that has just won the NSW Premier’s architecture award, stimulating serious high-rise envy and which could be an antidote to Nimbyism as well as the new form of property selfishness, ANTE …“And Not There Either”. (We call it ANOTE in the podcast, but, hey, it’s new to us too!)

At the other end of the scale, there’s the block being built in Brisbane which is six levels of whole-floor apartments that allow you to park your car next to your home.

Seriously. You drive into the parking bay, the lift takes the car up to your floor and you drive the vehicle into a glass-walled garage that allows you to drool over it from the comfort of the adjoining pad.

And let’s face it, if you can afford $9million for a flat in Brissie, your car is likely to be pretty drool-worthy.

We have an animated chat about whether Housing Commission tenants should be allowed to put their subsidised apartments on Airbnb (or similar holiday rental websites).

And we discuss how dubious, non-academic surveys are of little value except to generate clickbait stories to promote the purveyors of “lies, damned lies and statistics”.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Tribunal logjam and crazy decisions

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 03:00:00 -0400

This week we look at why so many strata disputes are getting stuck between NSW Fair Trading's mediators and NCAT's tribunal adjudicators - maybe it's because they don't talk to each other.
And maybe it's because some disputes are between right and wrong and compulsory mediation can be a big fat waste of time.
As if that weren't bad enough, NCAT doesn't even communicate internally. Why else would a strata manager sacked from not one but two large buildings be given total control - with no owner input allowed - of another scheme?
We look at the places where rent is more than mortgage repayments and we look at moves to get gas cookers out of apartments.
They're coming for your stoves! Well, no, they're not - unless you believe the rabble-rousers and dog-whistlers at Fox News.
That's all in this week's Flat Chat Wrap.

Anatomy of a high-rise disaster

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 02:00:00 -0400

There’s only one story in strata this week – Toplace, the developer of the benighted Vicinity building, went into receivership, leaving owners with an estimated bill of between $50m and $100m to rescue the sagging high-rise.

Sue and to a lesser extent the Flat Chat website has been following this saga from day one. And it has a lot of moving parts, reading more like crime story than a property yarn.

There are disgraced politicians, anonymous death threats, absconding directors, fist fights at strata meetings, conspiracy theories (and genuine conspiracies), misinformed overseas and absent investors and heartbroken resident families.

And there, right in the midst of it all, NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler holds the line, refusing to be seduced, deterred or intimidated in his relentless pursuit of quality building practices in the apartment industry.

This week’s Flat Chat Wrap lifts the lid on all that and, sounding more like a true crime podcast than a chat about apartments, follows the timeline from high-rise dream to low-rent disaster.

Hey, Airbnb, get a room!

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 20:00:00 -0400

Whether you love or loathe Airbnb, you have to admit its founder, Brian Chesky, is a pretty smart guy. Anyone who can parlay an idea to rent an airbed in a spare room into an $80 billion industry has to have more than good luck going for him.

So when he starts promoting a shift back to people welcoming travellers into spare rooms in their homes – rather than letting whole homes to complete strangers – you have to assume there’s something afoot.

There’s a “perfect storm” brewing in the holiday and residential rental market and it’s all pointing towards simple economics forcing Airbnb to embrace the genuine sharing model it first launched all those years ago.

Could market forces do what cities and states around the world have failed to achieve – get tourists into spare rooms and renters into empty flats?

This week the Flat Chat Wrap lays out the elements that could, at long last, turn back the holiday letting tide.

Chandler unpacks defects study facts

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:00:00 -0400

Last week we discussed the new report from the NSW Office of the Building Commissioner – they’re calling it a case study – titled “Broken Promises, Blame Games and Balconies”.

It’s a big document but essential reading for anyone in an apartment block that’s about to pursue a claim for defects or is concerned about the way the whole housing industry is going (or not).

The case study follows, in granular detail, the trail of disastrous attempts at defect rectification at the Otto 2 building in Roseberry, Sydney, where residents have been denied access to their balconies after four years and $2.5 million in legal fees.

This week, as promised, Building Commissioner David Chandler hooked up with the Flat Chat Wrap podcast and fleshed out some of the major points of the report.

Our chat covered issues from why he decided to commission the study in the first place to investing in the fight rather than the fix and other expensive legal follies.

This longer-than-usual podcast also touched on how the additional costs of more thorough certification checks pay for themselves many times over, driving “cowboys” out of the industry and, as we try to get more homes built, not allowing quality to be sacrificed in favour of quality.

Commissioner Chandler also revealed that Fair Trading is preparing a defects kit for strata committees – not individual owners – to take them step-by-step through identifying defects and getting them fixed by the developers without needing to embark on expensive and emotionally destructive litigation.

It’s a long chat and we’ve broken it up into chunks for your listening convenience. If you don’t pod, have a look at the transcript (right here) when it’s been tidied up. And you can read Broken Promises, Blame Games and Balconies on this link.

A $2m case of defective thinking

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 21:00:00 -0400

When NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler commissioned a case study into what happened when serious defects were discovered in a new block's balconies, it revealed a trail of denials, delays, obfuscation and bloody mindedness.
That deeply flawed process just to see residents being allowed to step out on to their balconies cost the owners and developers a combined total of more than $2 million in legal fees, and still didn't get the problem fixed (at least in the short term).
Needless to say, if the defects had just been dealt with as soon as they were identified, the cost in financial and emotional terms would have been considerably less.
In this week's podcast, we pick the bones out of the case study “Broken Promises, Blame Games and Balconies” and ask if it helps or hinders the commissioner's aims to make people feel more confident about buying apartments off the plan.
On a lighter note - or maybe not - we look at the potential use or misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in apartment blocks. That's all in this week's Flat Chat Wrap.

Lawyer in the Hotseat - Part 2

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 23:00:00 -0400

This week we bring you the second part of Strata Lawyer David Bannerman's Q&A session with Flat Chat's Jimmy Thomson asking the questions sent by Flat Chat readers and Bannerman Lawyers' clients.
This week the topics include:

Reclassifying common property in community schemes (to avoid paying levies);
Fraud on the minority;
Cost recovery by-laws to deter action by owners;
Breaches of property development deeds;
By-laws about drying laundry on balconies;
Renter's objection to renovation;
Banks paying levies for properties called in after mortgages unpaid.

Yes, there's something for everyone. And, if you missed it, you can catch up with the first part of the Hotseat session here.

Strata lawyer in the hot seat - Part 1

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 04:00:00 -0400

There’s a change of pace in the Flat Chat Wrap this week as we replay the first 30 minutes of our online chat with leading strata lawyer David Bannerman.
Jimmy was invited on to his podcast channel to fire questions at him in a session he calls “Lawyer in the Hot Seat".

In the first 30 minutes we covered topics as diverse as the Design and Building Practitioners Act, new building defects, retaining walls, by-law disputes, how to deal with a nuisance “keyboard warrior” and combustible cladding.

It’s interesting to get a definitive lawyer’s opinion on topics that affect many of us at some time in some way.

The second half of the session will be posted here next week. And if there are issues that interest you more than others, you can use our indexing on Buzzsprout.com to get you exactly where you want to be.

Govt. advisor hands Albo the poisoned chalice

Wed, 31 May 2023 06:00:00 -0400

The housing crisis is still uppermost in many minds but there's a new twist with a former Mirvac boss, now an advisor to the government, telling the Prime Minister to do something he knows is right but is political poison.
Then there's a new way of investing in rental properties without becoming an evil landlord (or lady).
Airbnb founder Brian Chesky "airbrushes" the global holiday letting monster, saying he wishes he'd never let it loose to take people's homes. (Pauses to sniff away a tear.)
And Sydney MP Alex Greenwich wants to make life just a bit easier for renters.
Also, before we go, next week we'll have the first part of the recent Lawyer in the Hot Seat webinar here as a podcast. Enjoy.

Blame it on the Nimbys

Wed, 24 May 2023 13:00:00 -0400

It seems we have a new culprit on whom to blame Australia’s housing shortage – Nimbys.

Sue has collated a raft of newspaper articles here, here and here, all of which state or imply that the fault for not enough homes being built lies with local authorities who cave into their constituents’ demands not to have high-rise buildings in their burbs.

Look, there are many factors that have led to the current lack of housing and the subsequent soaring rents in Australia, but there is no one, single contributing issue.

That said, one of them doubtless is having too many residents saying Not In My Back Yard to development proposals

Fortunately, we have a solution that.., well, it won’t keep Nimbys happy – nothing will do that – but it might make them less unhappy than they otherwise would be.

And we follow-up a story about yet another supposed crackdown on dodgy real estate agents, extending that into a minor rant about Fair Trading’s pee-weak responses to complaints about strata managers. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Connection (almost) lost in France

Thu, 18 May 2023 20:00:00 -0400

There’s a different sound to the Flat Chat Wrap this week,

Firstly it was recorded over Zoom, then Jimmy seems to have acquired hay fever in the south of France, the lavender-growing capital of the world.

And then it’s been hastily edited on his laptop in between hikes, hotel moves and failing internet.

But the show must go and and this week Jimmy and Sue talk about what difference (if any) last week’s budget meant to the housing crisis,.
There's the Sydney council that wants to tax owners who leave their properties empty while it also wants to ban no-fault evictions and allow tenants to sign leases for several years at a time.
And finally, the strata scheme that’s in dispute with Sydney city over a tree that could be a killer.

That’s all in this week’s French- flavoured Flat Chat Wrap.

Doomsayers, scaremongers and party poopers

Mon, 08 May 2023 04:00:00 -0400

It's a mixed bag in the podcast this week - but there's a lot of doom and gloom about.
We have the Reserve Bank threatening more interest rate rises (to try to get us to keep our credit cards in our wallets).
There's a story in a Sydney paper that investors could be paying $17,000 a month AFTER they've collected their rent on their property, thanks to interest rate rises.
There's (our) concerns that a fire in an apartment building garage, which caused the block to be evacuated, will spark unfounded fears about the alleged dangers of electric cars.
And there's a woman who's shocked, stunned and disgusted that her parents' retirement complex has banned large gatherings after her "modest" party of 30 or so - including young kids - took over the common areas.
All human life is here ...

Stuck in a lift and soft landings

Mon, 01 May 2023 16:00:00 -0400

If you’ve ever wondered whether you really need to set aside funds or organise a loan for future lift repairs or replacement, try getting stuck in one for half an hour.

Jimmy tells of his brief incarceration (and escape) in this week’s podcast and he and Sue discuss maintaining old lifts and even adding new ones to older buildings.

But first they look at property prices, with the latest figures suggesting there may already have been a soft landing. That’s good news for apartment owners and even prospective purchasers, and renters, as Sue explains.

Then there’s a chat about all the bells and whistles you can now get with luxury apartments and the key element missing from less salubrious unit blocks.

Plus, there’s a survey about your relationship with your strata managers (or lack thereof) which could score you a $50 gift card.

And finally, there’s news about Sue’s new book, out today – nothing to do with apartments, except that it was written in one. Enjoy.

Bank of Mum & Dad makes a bold investment

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 03:00:00 -0400

With the media dominated by the passing last week of Barry Humphries and Fr Bob Maguire, our Artificial Intelligence first-rough transcriptions service managed to conflate our brief tributes to both and come up with Barry McGuire.
Boomers may recall that that Barry was the singer of the Dylanesque Eve of Destruction, back in 1965. Although we will miss our Barry and Bob, both giants in their fields, it’s not quite that bad. Or is it?

In any case Sue spent a large chunk of last week remembering her friend (and Biograpy subject) on radio and TV before jetting off to New Zealand for interviews for her next book, from where she recorded her end of this podcast.

Among the topics are new NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey who says he’s focussed on solving the housing crisis, inspired by some radical icons, such as Barack Obama, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.

We look at parents who’ve taken the “Bank of Mum And Dad” concept a stage further to make sure their son has somewhere he can afford to rent.

And we welcome our new Victoria correspondent Julie McLean. You can read more about her HERE.

Lost in translation while airbnb deny causing rental crisis

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 10:00:00 -0400

We wander down some well-trodden tracks in this week’s podcast, but there are a few twists and turns to keep you on your toes.

We dissect the arguments in a long missive from Airbnb about why it’s not their fault that there’s a housing crisis.

The basic flaw in their argument – we need to build more homes (true) - is that building homes takes years but banning short-term lets could put more than 60,000 houses and apartments back on the market overnight.

We look at the benighted Aurora building in Melbourne and claims that non-English speaking owners didn’t know what they were voting for when they signed proxy forms.

And that segues into a discussion about how to get anyone to read anything to do with strata, ever. As usual, we have a couple of cunning plans.

And we explore new laser goggles which will apparently let builders spot defects even faster than David Chandler. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Rent rise shocks and new kids on the blocks

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 06:00:00 -0400

There’s been a lot happening behind the scenes in Strataland over Easter. For a start, there’s the latest astonishing figures on booming rent rises across Australia.

Is it any surprise that the area with the lowest rent rises just happens to be the one with the only rent caps in the country? You awake, Chris Minns?

Speaking of whom, NSW has a new Fair Trading Minister, Anoulack Chanthivong, and with all respect to cultural differences, you have to wonder how long it will be before his name is distilled down to AnnaVong.

New Customer Services and Digital minister Jihad Dib has no such issues. We take a look at the qualities these high achievers bring to their jobs.

We wonder what Australian Resident Accommodation Managers Association (ARAMA) CEO Trevor Rawnsley has been putting in his tea. It’s one thing to think people in houses are more deserving than people in apartments, but to come out and say the former should be protected from Airbnb while the latter can cop what's coming to them is another thing altogether.

And finally we look at the house that collapsed in Condell Park, Sydney, and wonder if this will send shivers through the whole free-standing home industry. Those shivers can be very destructive.

Sunshine state gets serious about housing

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 07:00:00 -0400

Queensland held a round table about housing and homelessness recently as the Sunshine State faces a similar crisis to the rest of Australia when it comes to a shortage of housing – including apartments – and a lack of available rentals.
We pick the bones out of the proposal to limit rent rises to once a year and the dismissal of other radical reforms that were proposed.
You can read the ABC news report on the Queensland proposals HERE and the report on the original summit HERE.
Meanwhile, skipping lightly over the fact that we completely failed to predict who the next NSW Fair Trading Minister would be, Sue had some good news for apartment owners (and bad news for prospective buyers) in that it looks like the market may have bottomed out.
Is it time to “buy, buy, buy”? Or might you be saying bye-bye to your savings if you jump in too soon. Sue has some sound advice for prospective buyers and sellers in the podcast.

Power shifts but does strata matter?

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 03:00:00 -0400

Ah, the perils of trusting poll predictions immediately after an election. While Labor have definitely won and Chris Minns is definitely the new Premier of NSW, the balance of power is still in doubt (at time of writing).

Does that mean that the Greens have regained considerable influence – something that we say in the podcast has slipped through their fingers? Apparently not.

A couple of independents have spiked their guns on that front. In any case, the basic issues we take up in the podcast remain – rents, housing availability, short-term letting, embedded networks and dispute resolution.

By the way, if you are reading this in Victoria and Queensland, apologies for being Sydney-centric this week. But the truth is that whatever happens here often follows changes in Victoria – like the ban on no-cause rental terminations – or Queensland, like the curbs on proxy farming.

And, of course, ideas flow in the other direction too with proposed changes to Queensland’s rental laws having been trialled in other states.

Meanwhile, back in the pod, with John Ibrahim and James Packer both getting involved in apartment development in Sydney’s Potts Point, we indulge in a fantasy “who would you invite to dinner?”

What it might be like if those two larger-than-life characters sat down with Building Commissioner David Chandler, we muse? It would be entertaining, if nothing else, a claim we often make about our podcast.

Airbnb facing Braveheart backlash

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 01:00:00 -0400

This week sees us return to familiar ground both geographically and in terms of our topic as we take a look at an SBS Dateline episode set in and around Edinburgh, Scotland.

Five years ago, Jimmy was in Edinburgh and was interviewed for the Scottish edition of the Times newspaper (see above), warning the city that it faced a rental crisis if it didn’t curb Airbnb and other short term letting agencies that were moving into residential apartments.

Now, rental availability has plummeted and rents have soared, and an SBS crew has visited Scotland which is about to impose among the toughest restrictions in the world on hosts who use the holiday letting internet platform and its ilk.
You can read about how the rest of the world is dealing with airbnb compared to Australia's "light touch" in this article in The Conversation.

Closer to home, we look at why real estate agents think the ban on rent bidding has backfired. And we come up with a solution to end it once and for all.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

State of strata chaos

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 12:00:00 -0400

It seems as if every time we look away from Victoria, some thing new and awful happens in that state’s strata system.

If it wasn’t the best buildings in Melbourne being handed over wholesale to Airbnb, with no meaningful restrictions, it was the cladding fires, then the cladding remediations revealing buildings that were rotting from the inside and now we have the Aurora shambles.

This week in the Flat Chat Wrap, we pick the bones out of the fiasco surrounding Melbourne’s third-highest apartment block and wonder what, if anything, the state government is going to do about its crumbling strata and tribunal system.

And on a brighter note, Sue has discovered a Melbourne-based initiative to recycle glass as fire-proof cladding. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Pets, guarantees and refugees

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 11:00:00 -0500

This week’s podcast may have an international flavour – Jimmy is in Scotland and Sue in Sydney -- but it covers familiar territory.

First up we talk about a campaign to bring NSW’s rental laws into line with Victoria’s where landlords may not unreasonably refuse a request by a tenant to bring a pet into their property.

Given that both states now have strata laws that mean schemes can’t impose blanket bans on pets, could it mean an open-door policy for pets in apartments?

It will be interesting to see what compromises either of the major parties will come up with becaue they won't want to be left behind but they won't want to copy Victoria either (for reasons too dumb to explain).

Meanwhile we also discuss the first win in Building Commissioner David Chandler’s campaign to get insurers to offer guarantees for new-build high-rises.

And Jimmy discovers a novel plan to rescue Scottish apartments and house Ukrainian refugees, plus an Art Deco flat in Glasgow’s city centre for about $200k.

Buying and selling the air above us

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 02:00:00 -0500

We are all used to being told that we only own the air inside our apartments’ walls, although not the walls themselves, depending on which uniquely quirky set of strata laws you live under.

But how about owning the air above your apartment block? Or even the apartment block next door?

What would you do with it? Whay would you need it? And what if the developer has already sold it to someone else.

Also this week we look at the NSW government’s crackdown on embedded networks – and we start by explaining what they are.

And then we find the building all over Australia that are defying rising energy prices by becoming so energy efficient that their apartments’ bills can be less than $10.

Forced sales plan for hold-out apartments

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 23:00:00 -0500

No sooner had we said last week that Queensland needed to look at their “collective sales” laws – allowing a super majority of owners to compel the minority to sell their units – than the state government there announced that’s exactly what they plan to do.

The precise process for this remains to be thrashed out in parliamentary committeesn, but you are dealing with a community that values – possibly over-values – property owners’ rights to do what they want with the home that they own (unless, of course, those rights have been sold off by the developer).

And there’s a reason this was known as “forced sales” when the idea was first mooted in NSW that 75 per cent of owners could over-ride the wishes of the other 25 per cent and sell off their building – especially one that was well past its use-by date and could be replaced by something that made more efficient use of the available space.

We also take a quick squiz at other body corporate law changes on the table, such as removing unreasonable bans on pets, curbing smoking on common property and allowing bodies corporate to tow vehicles that are blocking common property.

Later on, we discuss the announcement that the Victorian Building Authority is teaming up with the Australian Tax Office to identify phoenixing builders and prevent them from starting up again after they have shut down and walked away from their debts in previous projects.

And we’ll be looking at a massive much-rejected development project that just won’t go away and which we’ve called “Big Trouble in Little Bay”.

All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast.

Beating the drum for strata votes

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 23:00:00 -0500

This week we offer you a podcast with all the bells and whistles – more accurately, it’s drums and gongs, as we take a brief detour to listen in on the community group that hilariously drowned out Sue’s latest talk on her books.

On more serious issues, this week’s Podcast covers three contentious areas of apartment living and the first two concern apartment blocks that have been rendered uninhabitable – although for very different reasons.

First up, we look at a block in Queensland which has suffered terminal damage from floods in the past few years but owners can’t access funds available through a buy-back scheme because of archaic Body Corporate laws.

Then we look at the pre-NSW election political bidding war surrounding the Mascot Towers building in Sydney, in which Labor is offering to provide loans and guarantees to fix the apartments while the Liberals, slamming that plan, have launched an inquiry into what is needed to fix the block.

Are the two plans mutually exclusive? We don’t think so. In fact, we’re calling for a radical approach that would achieve the best possible fix in the shortest possible time. Or will it all be forgotten as soon as the last vote is counted?

And finally we plug into another pre-election sales pitch – this time to get strata residents easier access to electric vehicle charging … and why some apartment blocks just don’t want to know.

And Jimmy's environmentally responsible reason for not buying an electric car even though he really wants one. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Units boost too late for returning students

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 04:00:00 -0500

There’s some good news and some possibly calamitous bad news in this week’s podcast.

Firstly, the number of apartment building approvals was up by more than 50 per cent in December, month on month.

Then a major league developer has told state governments they need to make much more of an effort on affordable and build-to-rent apartments.

But all of that is in the future. Right now, tens of thousands of Chinese university students have been told they need to get back to in-person tuition.

That means an incoming surge of students, all of whom need to be housed somewhere in a market that’s already collapsing under the strain of massive demand and critically low availability.

Does this mean we’re heading back to overcrowded apartments and slumlord head tenants renting apartments then cramming them with overseas students?

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

Waterproofing and Brisbane booms

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0500

The issue we raised last week rumbles on with experienced waterproofers claiming they are being driven out of the industry in NSW while engineers and builders line up to take sides.
We can see why there was a need to tighten the regulations but if it ends up with competent operators being forced out of the industry, leading to strata schemes not being able to fix their common property or, even worse, going to the "dark side" to get things done, what's really been gained?

And we take a look at Queensland property prices. Why have they been soaring when most other states are falling? Is there room for more growth? Or has the bubble burst?

And, while we're at it, we spell out what we'd be looking for in a Queensland apartment, with one eye on the state's cockamamie management contracts, if we were thinking of investing there.

Garbage chutes, paparazzi plight and builders' despair

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 02:00:00 -0500

This week we look at how one of the greatest conveniences in apartment blocks could be not only costing you money but undermining efforts at recycling.

The humble garbage chute can be a major pain in the wallet if it’s misused, and a threat to recycling if residents chose to drop rather than sort.

We have advice for a radio superstar who’s having to move out of her home because of paparazzi pests.

We hear about a builder whose ready to retire because the laws brought in to clear the cowboys out of the industry are making his life impossible – and he’s one of the good guys.

And we chat about an increasing dilemma in apartment blocks – living with people with mental health issues – and how one couple are trying to prevent their son from being driven out of his home.

Rents, roof space and EVs

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0500

We all know there’s a housing shortage and we are seeing signs of overseas workers and students coming back to our cities, so it should be no surprise that rents are going up.

Yup, that old supply and demand equation never fails. But the surprise part of all this is how rents on apartments are going up by so much more than on houses.

We kick that around with some astonishing figure on this week’s Flat Chat Wrap – especially looking at some unexpected areas where unit rents have soared.

Then we look at the potential for apartment blocks to go up in the world. Got a crumbling block that badly needs fixing? Add a couple of penthouses and sell them to rescue the rest of the building.

It’s not quite “the sky’s the limit” – the height restrictions in your local council area are. However, according to an expert in roof space additions, there’s billions of dollars of untapped potential right above our heads.

Finally, we look once again at electric cars and growing grumbles that being forced to install the infrastructure for car charging will add extra costs to new buildings.

How much? Listen to the podcast or read the transcript.

Podcast: BBQs and secret committee meetings

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 06:32:17 -0500

A couple of issues popped on to the Flat Chat radar while we were off being festive.One was all about smoking on balconies which, if that wasn’t serious enough, raised the spectre of barbecues being banned from apartment blocks.Is the threat real and would anyone care? Or could we expect to see Sam Kekovich leading a protest march on state parliaments to deter our politicians from making any such unAustralian decisions.While we’re on the subject of threats to democracy (he says, drawing an extremely long bow) why are owners welcome to attend strata committee meetings in some states but not in others?When we say “welcome”, of course we mean tolerated. But at least that’s better than the situation in Victoria where you have to be invited to see what your elected reps are saying and why they make the decisions they do.If they don’t want you to observe their deliberations, you are stuffed if their agendas and minutes are less than painstakingly accurate.But then what do you do about the angry owner who takes the rule that they can't speak without permission as a provocation rather than a protocol?And finally, did you know that while we are celebrating Australia Day morning (or not, depending on your political inclinations) the Scots will still be celebrating Burns night with their traditional haggis-laden feast, complete with a recitation of the Bard’s ode to Scotland’s national dish (if you don’t count curry and chips).In recognition, with half an eye of an alternative to the BBQ burger burners, we offer you a healthy but tasty option: vegetarian haggis. Not sure if that's unAustralian - maybe you'll need to check out the video below. But, as we say on the podcast, it’s delicious and won’t stink out your or your neighbours’ flats. Enjoy.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq3UpFAwPbATRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Another Christmas and New Year behind us!Sue 00:02Yes, and a whole new year ahead!Jimmy 00:05 Right.Sue 00:07That's the difference between us, Jimmy. You're kind of like "oh, the year's gone, Christmas is gone... Oh, woe is me." Whereas, I'm thinking "wow, 2023! A whole new year, of new possibilities!"Jimmy 00:18Well, yeah, I wasn't thinking "woe is me;" I'm happy that Christmas has gone.Sue 00:24So the Grinch who tried to ruin Christmas?Jimmy 00:26Right. I think it was 'stole Christmas.' We have a couple of things to catch up on, since we've been silent over the holiday period. There was the couple who managed to (finally) get a ban on their neighbor's smoking on their balcony, because the smoke was coming into their house.Sue 00:48Took them a long time, didn't it?Jimmy 00:50Yes, and then that prompted a comment by the President of the Strata Community Association, that a blanket ban on smoking could lead to a ban on barbecues.Sue 01:02You'd be happy to see that!Jimmy 01:05Well, we'll have a chat about that. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:12And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:14 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyBarbecues on balconies... Yes, I know I've got history in this. What do you reckon, Sue?Sue 01:37Well, I know it's your bete noire, isn't it, really? You feel that barbecues have no place on apartment balconies, because the smoke goes into other people's apartments, and so many people just burn off the residue of their last barbecue; that's how they clean it, which can really stink. Look, I have a lot of sympathy with that. But at the same time, a barbecue is part of the Australian way of life. If people look after their barbecues correctly, and they make sure lots of smoke doesn't drift into their neighbours'...Jimmy 02:10But they don't...Sue 02:12Well, yes. But if they looked after them properly,

A funny thing happened on the way to the podcast

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 02:48:13 -0500

OK, I admit it – we’ve been in holiday mode. Could we have cobbled together a podcast on Sunday morning after New Year’s Eve (or Hogmanay, as we call it in “ma hoose”)? Maybe. Would it have been uplifting, entertaining and enlightening? Maybe not so much.However, we will be back, renewed and recharged next week when we will have plenty to talk about, starting with the 15-month battle it took for a couple to get the Tribunal (NCAT) just to follow the law on tobacco smoke drift.And we’ll get into the ongoing debate about whether or not owners should be allowed to attend strata committee meetings.It’s a right enshrined in law in NSW (although you have to get permission to speak). It’s also your right in Queensand (although you have to let the secretary know in advance that you’re planning to attend).But it’s an invitation-only privilege in Victoria. Why would strata committees want to have their meetings in secret … sorry … private? We’ll pick the bones out of that next week.Meanwhile I notice that, during our break, a lot of readers have been catching up on episodes they may have missed. Just click on the "Our Podcasts" link at the top of the page and it will take you straight there.And, in that spirit, here’s another chance to listen to our podcom Hyperbole Towers, a comedy specially written and performed via Zoom during covid, including a guest appearance by our good friend Todd McKenney.It features a controlling and conniving building manager, a put-upon committee chair, a rebellious strata committee and a mysterious noise emanating from one apartment. What could possibly go wrong?Enjoy and we’ll be back with a full pod of chat next week.

Podcast: Rent bidding ban and too much information

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 00:38:29 -0500

In this our last Flat Chat Wrap podcast of the year, we kick the tyres of a couple of issues that will have consequences throughout strata. Or will they?And we suggest some holiday viewing aimed solidly at apartment dwellers.Given that half the residents of our strata schemes are renters, recent changes in the law could impact on a lot of people living in and owning apartments and townhouses.The first is the NSW government’s decision to fall into line with Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania and ban rent “auctions”.As of last weekend, real estate agents and landlords will not be allowed to suggest to potential tenants that they offer to increase the requested rent.Will it make any difference to soaring rents? And can tenants still offer to outbid rivals? We take a stab at an answer or two.We also take a look at how much information tenants are expected to give – you will be astonished – just to apply to rent somewhere.With cybersecurity under scrutiny, as exposed in a recent TV report, we wonder is we are giving away too much personal information, and what we can do to limit it without restricting our choices.And finally we talk about three streaming options for your holiday viewing – all with very different strata connections: Only Murders in the Building, The Flat Share on Paramount and High Rise on SBS on Demand.If you don't have the commercial TV services, now would be the time to sign up for their trial periods then binge watch. Don't forget to cancel whn the trial perion is over.And if that’s not enough, you can read the stranger-than-fiction true stories of the “Only Murders…” apartment blocks HERE.Have a great Christmas and we’ll talk to you all again in the New Year.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Christmas is just around the corner.Sue 00:01Yes!Jimmy 00:02I thought we'd sneak in a quick pod, before we go off for a couple of weeks' holiday.Sue 00:08Okay, great.Jimmy 00:10And part of the reason is that not a lot is happening in strata, or anything else. Everybody's sort of geared-up for the holiday season.Sue 00:19Everything's slowing down, I think.Jimmy 00:21But there's been a couple of things that have come up. New South Wales has introduced no bidding on rental properties and there's a bit of a concern, about the amount of information that tenants have to give out. So that gives us something to chat about. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:44And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for DomainJimmy 00:47And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyThis does not feel like summer in Sydney, does it?Sue 01:06No, the weather's terrible outside. It's really windy and it's been raining, but at least we're almost on holiday.Jimmy 01:13That's true. People might be able to hear the wind outside, depending on how effective this editing software is.Sue 01:21Good luck with that!Jimmy 01:22Yes! The biggest news, well, given that 50% or more of people who live in strata are tenants... Last weekend, the government in New South Wales banned rental bidding. So that's basically where you see an apartment for rent, or a house for rent at a certain figure, and you go along, and the real estate agent says "look, if you agree to another $10 a week, you'll definitely get this." Given that there is such a shortage of rental accommodation around, when people are desperate to find somewhere to live, obviously that exploits the situation. I mean, it's the oldest rule in commerce, isn't it? That when demand outstrips supply, prices go up.Sue 02:14Absolutely. But what happens if people who want to rent a place go in and the rent is $500 and they say to the agent "look, I'm going to offer you $530 a week;" is that outlawed as well?Jimmy 02:28I can't see how it could be. I mean,

Podcast: Living the high life and 50,000 listens

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 17:36:23 -0500

What a relief! With Sue back in the podcast saddle, and now that we are very much in holiday season, we can lighten the mood a little – especially since we have just registered our 50,000th download.But first we talk about a block that has a limit on home swaps, where overseas owners exchange homes for a couple of weeks at a time. The restriction may have been legal a couple of years ago but, under NSW Airbnb laws, probably isn’t now.Will the block change its by-law or wait until someone challenges it? It may be a case of “don’t mention the war” at that particular not-very-faulty tower.Then we take a different view of Airbnb from a guest perspective and see how it stacks up against the hotel experience.Sue checks in to the tallest hotel in Europe – and the most expensive she has ever slept in.We both check out the refurbed Rocks YHA with its budget rooms and million-dollar rooftop Opera House views.We compare our hotel experiences with Airbnb stays overseas. And while we’re in the mood, we nominate our favourite hotels in the whole world. Yes, after two weeks of Jimmy’s rants we’ve turned the Flat Chat fury down to a simmer – it is nearly Christmas after all. But don’t worry, we can maintain the rage into the New Year and well beyond.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00You're back?Sue 00:00Yes! Back to the warmth; away from the snow.Jimmy 00:04Right, it sounds as if it's getting pretty cold in Europe?Sue 00:07It is. Well, it certainly was when I was there and it's got even colder. I thought I was going to die at one point; my organs started shutting down I think, from the cold. I'm just not used to it anymore.Jimmy 00:16I saw the British comedian, Rob Beckett the other week, and he was saying that Australians don't deal with cold very well. He said he was in Melbourne and it got to 19 degrees. He said people were walking around with full-length puffer coats on. He said 19 degrees in London, you decide you'll take the day off and go to the seaside.Sue 00:37That is so true!Jimmy 00:38While you were away, we had our 50,000th download.Sue 00:42Wow, that's a lot of downloads!Jimmy 00:44It is. I mean, okay, that's over two years. I mean, don't get overexcited; it wasn't 50,000 in one week. But in terms of the success of our podcast, we are up there in the top 30 or 40% in the world. Because there are people out there, diligently producing podcasts, that get about 12 people to listen. We're doing better than that. And the number of weekly listeners is going up; you know, it's getting up above 300-350, which is great. As somebody once said, if you hired a local church hall and arranged a meeting every week, you'd be really pleased if 300 people turned up.Sue 01:28Yes, that's fantastic. And so many of our listeners seem to be really enthusiastic about the subject and really connected, which is great too.Jimmy 01:35We'll see what we can do about that, then. So today, we're going to talk (because we're getting into holiday season), we're going to talk about Airbnb and hotels. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:51And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:54And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyWe were having a chat with a friend the other night, about the rules in her apartment block, because they like to do house-swaps, or in their case, apartment-swaps. So you know, somebody comes and stays in their apartment, and then they go and stay in their house, overseas. Which sounds like a great idea. This building must have a lot of people who've got that kind of arrangement going, because a while ago, they brought in a bylaw, saying you could have a maximum of 3 house swaps a year.Sue 02:41Well, that sounds kind of reasonable, because you wouldn't want every apartment having 12 house swaps b..

Podcast: Victoria’s strata woes fall on deaf ears

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 19:51:27 -0500

OK, I admit it, I’m becoming obsessed with what is happening – or not happening – in Victoria. And I mean Victoria, Australia, not the capital of British Columbia, as the advertising bot on our podcast provider seems to think.Apologies if last week’s podcast started with a noisy ad for Canadian radio. This is what happens when artificial intelligence turns out to be not as smart as it thinks it is.No, I’m talking about our Victoria where I get a strong sense that strata there is in crisis – and many of the residents don’t even know it while the politicians and the media don't care.If being neglected, taken for granted and exploited is all you’ve ever known, then you think it’s the norm.This also makes me think it’s time our politicians standardised some strata laws. There is no reason why they should be different from state to state.If the way Queensland handles, say, strata committee elections, works better that how Victoria and NSW do it, then everyone should do it the way they do in the sunshine state.There are so many other ways we could standardise strata laws – if only we weren’t all so damned parochial – and I canvass a few of them in the second part of the podcast.And I want you to tell me what laws you think should be standardised – even if you don’t care which version we use – by writing to mail@flatchat.com.au with “standard laws” in the subject line.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLIt's Sunday morning... Sue is still in Europe; she's in Paris, for the next few days. I've just watched the Socceroos get knocked out of the World Cup by Argentina (which, let's face it, it would have been more of a surprise if that hadn't happened). Argentina is one of the favourites for the competition.We better get on with the show. A couple of things I want to talk about. One of them is the state of play in Victoria; we're seeing reports... It's pretty alarming there. So I want to talk about that.And I want to talk about (while we're looking at other states), what laws could we try to standardise across the states, just to avoid some of the confusion? That's coming up.I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review. And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyNow, before Victorian listeners turn off (because we might be criticising Victoria), and New South Wales listeners turn off (because we're not talking about you)...There's something happening in Victoria that affects all of us.My attention was drawn last week, to a story on ABC Radio, about how the cladding remediation programme in Victoria, has exposed (literally), some serious building defects that have been neglected and means that some buildings are literally rotting from the inside-out.Apart from the issue of cladding (which they're dealing with in their own way); and this is flammable cladding, that everybody wants to have off their buildings.So they're ripping off the panelling there and they're finding that the structure of some buildings, especially older ones, are absolutely rotten from the inside.Now this has been caused; normally by water leaks in the building, which means the buildings' have had defects that have not been fixed.Okay.At the same time, I got a copy of an open letter to the Victorian Premier, their Fair Trading Minister and the Commissioner, from some people in a building, who are saying everything in Victorian strata law is stacked up against the strata owners.For instance, in Victoria, owners don't have the right to attend committee meetings.In New South Wales (certainly) and I believe in Queensland, owners do have the right to attend committee meetings, although they don't necessarily have the right to speak at them (for fairly obvious reasons, because otherwise, chaos would ensue).They can speak if they're invited to. But in Victoria, you have to be invited to attend the meeting. There are other little quirks there,

Podcast: Power grabs and fraudsters – two rants

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0500

This week’s podcast is short but not very sweet (despite it being our 200th). Sue is away in the UK, which allows me to vent about a couple of issues that have been bugging me.They are not particularly new – it’s just I’ve been irked by new examples.The first is based on a post to the Forum which details how a small-scale developer and his family have cynically and meticulously manipulated the votes in their strata scheme.Firstly they inflated their voting power to elect themselves as the committee, then avoided paying levies for the Unit Entitlements that they used to dominate the voting.Then they stacked the votes so that they have a veto over any big decisions the purchasers of their homes may want to make.Is it legal? Yes, mostly, but they tripped themselves up over one crucial detail.Then we have the issue of phoenixing and, more to the point, what the government isn’t doing about it.In my book of strata nastiness, phoenixing – where a developer walks away from their liabilities over defects, dissolves the company then starts another doing exactly the same thing – is fraud and the perps should be in jail.There’s no point expecting Building Commissioner David Chandler to come to the rescue. These are existing properties, not new builds and in any case, company law is Federal, not state business and ASIC clearly doesn’t care. They’d rather protect the “rights” of businesspeople to screw up and try again than our right to get what we paid for when we buy a home.Meanwhile, apologies for the late arrival of last week’s podcast (and thanks to Chris for the heads-up). Human error meant it was posted late.And getting back to last week’s references to our automatic transcription service getting things wrong, this week it has “pheonixing” as Phoenix Singh – I think I’ll make that my drag name.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00It's Sunday morning and here I am, all alone in our makeshift Flat Chat podcast studio (which is basically my desk, with the door closed). Sue Williams is not here; she's in London, as we mentioned last week. And that's a shame, because this is our 200th episode. Not only that; we are getting perilously close to having had 50,000 listens to the podcast, over the past couple of years, which is a big milestone for us, that's for sure.So this being Sunday, I have to apologise if what follows turns out to be a bit of a sermon. But there's a couple of stories that have caught my attention in the past week, which are all about doing the right thing and the people who do the wrong thing and get away with it. I'm talking about people who take control of their committees of their strata schemes, by pretty dodgy means.And I'm talking about phoenixing developers, who leave ordinary people with huge debts and defects in their buildings. That's a lot to talk about, so we'd better get on with it.I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review, and this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyA couple of stories have come to my attention in the past week, both of which really bothered me. One of them is in the Flat Chat forum and that's about how a family, who are all connected to a developer, have managed to structure things so that they retain control of the building, regardless of the opinions of people who buy in.The other one is a story (I think one with which we have all become familiar over the years), of a developer, who's gone out of business, leaving huge debts for unfixed defects, and has started up another company with a similar name, doing exactly the same thing, and claims that this is not phoenixing. So we're going to have a look at both and see how this can happen, and what can be done about it. So starting with the power-grab; the family power-grab in this story in our forum. Basically, what's happened here is a developer has started building what they call a stage-development.

Podcast: Trouble with the Hub is TLI – too little info

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 21:34:19 -0500

Are you feeling under-exposed and ill-informed? That may be because the much-vaunted NSW strata data Hub doesn’t tell anyone who doesn’t already know stuff very much about your apartment blocks at all.We take a look at the information available on the Hub to non-residents (not much) and residents (not much more) and what’s in the “coming soon” section (ditto).Which prompts the question – if having strata information on the Hub is a good idea, why isn’t there more of it. What’s so sensitive about some of the info we aren’t getting? Shouldn’t there be an option to provide greater detail, if the strata scheme wants to?Sometimes in life, less is more – but, usually, less is just less.Also this week we dig down into the Building and Design Practitioners Act (whoo-hoo!) to explore why simple renovation jobs are suddenly costing two or three times the original asking price.And we ask why you have to be an expert data miner, digging through layer after layer of building laws, to discover the genesis of the word “exempt” beyond the tail-chasing, tautological, circular meanings you first encounter.And for those of you who are not in NSW, we are spreading our wings and bringing in a strata expert from interstate.Also, we take a moment to wonder how many ways our artificial intelligence transcription service can get the words “Flat Chat Wrap” completely wrong. All that and more in this week's podcast. Enjoy!TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Well after last week's marathon flood chat wrap [I left this in deliberately – JT], we're going to go for a slightly shorter version this week, partly because you're heading off to the UK.Sue 00:10Yes, that's right. Yes, I leave tomorrow.Jimmy 00:13I was just telling somebody about the transcription service we use for these podcasts, Otter AI, which is really good. Except it's completely incapable of getting the words Flat Chat Wrap. It gives us, flat check rip, flat pack rope. But by the time we have tidied it all up, of course it appears as it should.Sue 00:44Yeah, fabulous Rafa, what would we do without her? (Well, this, is the answer. She’s still on a well-earned break so the transcript could make a lot less sense this week).Jimmy 00:48Indeed. Now today, we're going to talk about what is on the New South Wales strata hub information website thing, and what isn't? We're going to talk about problems with the design and building practitioners act. And we're going to briefly mention a new correspondent coming on to the Flat Chat website. He's from Queensland, which is really exciting.Sue 01:12Fantastic.Jimmy 01:13All right, well, we'd better get on with it. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the flight check (sic) column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:20And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:23And this is the flat chat wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySue, you suggested that I should have called us the flight route check and see what Otter did with it.Sue 01:48Anyway, maybe it's your accent, maybe that's what the AI can’t understand.Jimmy 01:52They gotta get used to it. And there must be other Scottish people, other Scottish Australians using Otter. But it is really good. Okay, the data hub, the big information portal for strata owners and residents in New South Wales came in with a big fanfare. And not a little controversy about what it's got on it, but mostly about what it doesn't have on it. So Sue, what would a person who is not an owner in a strata find if they went looking for information on the strata hub?Sue 02:26Yep, let's see the number of lots in a Strata community and the date the strata scheme was registered. So maybe so they'd be able to know whether it was a new building or whether it was on board or whether it was out of warranty. And a map showing where the building is. And coming soon,

Podcast: Political pleas and battle for the soul of Bondi

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 01:22:53 -0500

It’s a longer than usual podcast this week so strap yourselves in. Firstly we look at the Owners Corporation Network’s (OCN) 10-point manifesto which they have announced leading up to next year’s NSW state election.It’s part wish-list and part statement of intent and you can read it in detail here. What we discuss is why those demands are there and what it might mean if they are taken up by the next state government (whoever that might be).Then we dive into the foaming waters of Bondi Beach where, according to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald, locals are concerned that it's losing its egalitarian charm and in danger of becoming another Yuppified concrete and glass suburb. Meanwhile in another yarn, the local Waverley council has, somewhat typically, said that developers should consider the spiritual, cultural and historical and climate aspects of the neighbourhood before they start throwing up (pun intended) cheap and cheerless unit blocks.Developers, in the form of the Urban Taskforce, have equally predictably said life is hard enough without adding more obstacles to their business.Here at the Flat Chat Wrap have a solution which only requires some compromise and lateral thinking – so it is pretty much guaranteed never to get off the ground. In any case, don't say it out loud, but the biggest threat to Bondi is Airbnb and it's ilk. Just wait till those A380s are back in the air again and the area once again has more baristas than barristers, and you'll know all about it.And finally, we have built an extension to the podcast, in the form of the third and last part of David Bannerman’s Lawyer in the Hotseat webinar.That all adds up to an hour of chat, so pace yourselves. But remember the football World Cup is only a week away so some time management may be required.Before you go, in the next week or so we will be experimenting with ads at the beginning and end of each podcast (but not in the middle). The podcast takes up a lot of time to record, edit and transcribe so if we can get a little financial assistance with that, it would be great.However, if you hate the ads and they make you want to turn off the pod, please let us know and we can decide if it’s worth the hassle.If you enjoyed listening to this podcast (or reading the transcript), please share it with your friends using the social media buttons on this page.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLNB: This is a combination of two transcripts so the timings for the latter section - Part 3 of the Lawyer in the Hotseat webinar - will be off in terms of the audio. If you want to locate a specific section of audio, take about 25 minutes off the listed timing in that section and you'll be close to the mark.Jimmy 00:00I was on a panel at the SCA New South Wales owners day.Sue 00:06Oh, that's the strata Community Association.Jimmy 00:07YeahSue 00:08Which is the strata managers thing.Jimmy 00:10Yep. And it's our first time in ages have been at one of their events and, and certainly the first time I've participated in an owner's section, because for a while they were making fairly aggressive efforts to recruit people who should have been joining OCN. And in fact they were publicising themselves as being the voice of owners in strata,Sue 00:38okay. And that's kind of a bit hard, isn't it? Because they're actually the voice of strata manager? So it's okay for them to have an owner's chapter, isn't it.Jimmy 00:48Advising owners and stuff and education and stuff like that? But as I, as I said, many, many, many times, if you're in a dispute between a strata manager and an owner, and you go to the strata managers organisation, who are they going to support? And if you're a strata manager, it's part of that organisation, and they support the strata owner, you're going to be a bit miffed.Sue 01:10For sure.Jimmy 01:12So anyway, I went to this thing,

Podcast: Flooring flaws exposed in reno bodge

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 01:22:18 -0500

There’s a little bit of everything in this week’s podcast. We start with a story about how people who either ignore or don't know by-laws and regulations (not to mention common sense and personal responsibility), can get their come-uppance.And then we slide into the second part of the Lawyer in the Hot Seat webinar with David Bannerman.But first we bring you the story of a person who really should have known better, who laid down a timber floor which, in its design, could not have been noisier if it had drums and cymbals attached.Complaints from the downstairs about night time crashings and bashing were dismissed or, at the very least, downplayed by the committee.But then something happened that will bring a smile to the face of anyone who has ever had to deal with a noisy and inconsiderate neighbour and a committee reluctant to get involved.Then we hear part two of Lawyer in the Hot Seat where David Bannerman answers our questions about everything from defect claims to the appointment of compulsory strata managers.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLNB: The timings on these transcriptions do not match the exact timings on the podcast audio as the Lawyer in the Hotseat section comes from a different recording.Jimmy 00:00We’ve got a bit of a lighter load today, Sue.SueOh, yeah?JimmyWe're going to be listening to the second part of the David Bannerman Lawyer In The Hot Seat webinar, the thing we recorded a couple of weeks ago. And before that, we've got a really interesting story about somebody who has been caught having put down an illegal floor.Sue 00:22Yeah, that's a cracker. That one.Jimmy 00:25Yeah, well, you know, the people think they can just do what they want and get away with it. But sooner or later, they get caught out. So that'll be fun.I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:37And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:41And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOkay, well, we're not going to name names here, because this happens to be one of the more litigious buildings in Sydney, let's just say. So the story is, first of all, background, a resident and owner in this building has been complaining for years about noise from her upstairs, thumping and banging all night, okay. Yep. And not being taken seriously by her building committee after a while.Sue 01:27Oh, that's really hard, isn't it? Because you do get people complain a lot. And sometimes, other people start kind of getting complaint blindness and start thinking, well, maybe they're imagining it, or maybe they're oversensitive, or that kind of thing. Really.Jimmy 01:38Yeah. I mean, that's a problem. You know, you do get people who complain a lot about not very much. But you also get people who complain a lot because they've got a lot to complain. So this person had been complaining about the person upstairs crashing and banging around and what seemed, she said was totally unreasonable. And then the person upstairs did a renovation. This is more recently.So this person had bought into the apartment block, years ago, done a big renovation, the person we know had moved in underneath and discovered all his crashing and banging. And you know, the committee was saying “Oh, we've never had any complaints before” kind of stuff and basically fobbing her off. To the point. I think it was so bad that she rented another apartment in the building just to have somewhere to sleep at night.Sue 02:27Yeah, I guess she'd made lots of complaints to this guy upstairs before. Yeah. And the guy had not been particularly kind of helpful or receptive any in any way. Really. So yeah. But finally, it seems that the guy upstairs has been caught out.Jimmy 02:42Yeah, because he's done another renovation. And during that renovation, something went wrong.

Podcast: Insure bets and hot seat questions

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 01:36:29 -0400

I know we already have two posts up on the website but we couldn’t let the news that an insurer is going to offer a 10-year warranty on new apartment blocks pass without comment.This is a huge deal for apartment buildings in NSW and, you would have to think, for the rest of Australia too (if their state governments can get over their instinctive and deep-seated contempt for apartment owners and residents).This is exactly what Building Commissioner David Chandler set out to achieve – get the trust in quality of apartment block construction to the point where insurers were prepared to back them. What follows next is that potential buyers will avoid the blocks that aren’t insured. Then the developers whose reputations mean they can’t get gold star approval, and therefore insurance, will go out of business.And this time it will be for good – not just until they can take another $200 company and start ripping people off all over again.That said, the main part of this week’s podcast is the first part of Lawyer in the Hot Seat where strata lawyer (and Flat Chat sponsor) David Bannerman answers your questions, fired at him by yours truly.In this, the first of three parts of our Q&A, David answers questions about mould, including who can claim what from whom, and possible NCAT orders if you or your tenant discovers mould. And on the broader subject of defects, we'll be talking about what is actually the start date for the window in which you can claim against your developer for repairs and remediation.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap..TRANSCRIPTBecause I have recorded different parts of this at different times, and then split the Lawyer in the Hot Seat webinar recording into three parts, there has been a lot of cutting and pasting. That means the timings will definitely not relate to the audio and some of the transcriptions may not be as accurate as usual.Please bear with us and, hey, maybe this is your opportunity to receive this as it was intended. Just click on the play arrow under “Listen Here” and let your computer or phone do the work. - JimmyTJimmy 00:00Do you know what the word decennial means?Sue 00:02Is it every 10 years or something like that? Yeah. Why do you seem so surprised?Jimmy 00:08Well, I didn't know what it was. I kept reading about David Chandler, the building Commissioner talking about decennial insurance. And I'm going, what is the decennial, and why does it need to be insured? I asked him why? He doesn't mind a bit of jargon, Commissioner Chandler, and he loves an acronym. He loves initials and the sometimes you read his stuff, and you think I'm gonna have to send this to ASIO to get decoded.Anyway, we will be talking about the decennial insurance and how that's the final piece of the new building gold star iCIRT - there's another acronym – approval system and how it's going to, or it should make a big change for people who are buying new apartments, especially off the plan. And then the rest of the podcast will be devoted to a big chunk of my Lawyer In The Hot Seat session.Sue 01:15Great. So that's answering lots of questions about lots of different things.Jimmy 01:19Yes, lots of different things.Sue 01:21So Jimmy, talking about the commissioner liking acronyms, I seem to think to seem to remember that you made a speech the other day, and you mentioned a number of acronyms that were particularly pertinent to strata.Jimmy 01:33Well, yeah, that may be my made-up fun ones. Like, WTF means “where's the finance?” And AC/DC means “Anyway, Call David Chandler”. LOL: “lower our levies”.Sue 01:52That is not the only one, isn't it?Jimmy 01:54Well, yeah, no, it definitely not the only one. I keep getting people coming on the forum and using acronyms. And I'm going to have no idea what you're talking about. And I have to look it up. But we have a list of acronyms, now.

Podcast: Chandler talks about older blocks

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 02:35:43 -0400

Co-podder Sue Williams and I took ourselves off to the Owners Corporation Network’s 20th anniversary event last week and it turned out to be a very revealing evening indeed.OK, the plaudits and praise were flowing faster than the free wine – and that’s saying something. I hosted and Sue delivered a fascinating speech about how the OCN was formed in the darkest days of battle against corrupt developers, their sleazy managers, our supine strata committee and our incompetent strata managers.We thought we were suffering a unique confluence of bad luck … until Sue met other strata chairs and discovered we were far from alone.The big event, however, was Building Commissioner David Chandler’s speech. In it he revealed the next phase of his revolution, which will gladden the hearts of owners in older buildings.He also flagged an interest in carbon neutral buildings in the future and had a none too subtle sideswipe at yours truly for my ongoing campaign to get strata out of Fair Trading.But it was generally agreed that the work OCN and especially its executive officer Karen Stiles has done laid the groundwork for David Chandler’s appointment as building commissioner.You can hear David’s speech in this podcast, but OCN members will be able to stream the entire event — including Sue, strata lawyer Stephen Goddard, OCN chair Fred Tuckwell, stalwart Gerry Chia and Karen (Brokovich) Stiles – on their website ocn.org.au. There were also messages from Fair Trading Minister Victor Dominello and City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.If you’re not a member, there’s a simple remedy for that. Check it out … but only after you have listened to this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00So as we mentioned last week, we went to the OCN's (the Owners Corporation Network's) 20th anniversary event on Wednesday. There were quite a lot of high-powered people there.Sue 00:12Yes, the room was packed. It was a fabulous occasion.Jimmy 00:16The Building Commissioner, David Chandler, was there and the Property Services Commissioner was there.Sue 00:21John Minns...Jimmy 00:22And we got a video message from Victor Dominello and Clover Moore. It was very exciting and interesting. So today, we're going to take a listen to what David Chandler said in his speech. He said a couple of really interesting things about new innovations. We'll have a chat about that. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I wrote the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:46And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:48And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. David Chandler seems to be a very popular man?Sue 01:07Absolutely. He's a great speaker, isn't he? I mean, he's very colourful and interesting, and very accessible.Jimmy 01:12Yes. We're going to take a listen to his speech and then we'll have a chat about that... "Now, without OCN, we might never have been blessed with a Building Commissioner at all. And without this particular Building Commissioner, we might never have witnessed the profound and meaningful change in the building industry. Please welcome your Building Commissioner, David Chandler."David Chandler 01:37Well, it's a privilege to be here today, because we've been on a long journey together. But today's story is really about OCN and I was talking earlier with a few folk here, that I see this is a bit like a graduation ceremony, where I've seen an organisation over 10 or so years (where I've been observing it), go from what was essentially about victims, to an organisation that's about advocacy. And you get a much more coherent engagement with people who have a clear advocacy perspective, rather than just simply being bogged down with their experience as victims. Now, that's not in any way to devalue the hell that I have seen people going through and it's been really... The motivator for me,

Podcast: Death threats and no-fault evictions

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 01:33:27 -0400

Can you imagine that you simply want to exercise your rights to have your defects fixed and a representative from the developer bails you up in the street and tells you people have been killed for less.Or your chair was in cahoots with the developer and agreed to an $80,000 pay-off for $3million worth of defects?Or your strata manager was so incompetent that he put the strata scheme’s legally binding seal on a contract that had been changed by the developer to say that you would pay the wages of their corrupt and sexist building manager indefinitely if your block forced him out.This week we’re looking back as the Owners Corporation Network celebrates its 20th anniversary, with a glance back at its early days when there was complete lack of government interest in strata … except as a good source of political donations from developers.But first, there’s good chance that if you’re reading this you are either a tenant, have a neighbour who’s a renter, or you’re a landlord (“property provider” in Victoria). After all, more than 50 per cent of strata residents rent their homes.With the Greens announcing that they want to introduce a ban on “no-fault” evictions in NSW, we have something a focus on tenants this week.Similar legislation has been in place in Victoria for over a year, but what does it mean? Can tenants only have their tenancies ended if they behave badly?And if there are valid reasons for ending tenancies - like wanting to move back in, or need to renovate - what if the landlord or agent lies about them?We also look at a survey that shows landlords are three times as likely to take their tenants to a Tribunal than vice versa, and why, surprisingly, social housing organisations taking tenants to NCAT outnumber “civilian” landlords by similar proportions.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We're going to be talking a lot about renters this week. There's a report out by the Tenant's Union about who is taking whom to the Tribunal, NCAT. And the Greens have announced that they want the laws changed to something like they have in Victoria, where you cannot have a no-fault eviction.Sue 00:20Yes, look, that's long overdue, I think, really.Jimmy 00:24And we'll also be talking about a big anniversary this year; 20 years of the Owners Corporation Network. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:34And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:36And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOkay, well, look at the Tenant's Union New South Wales; their survey into who is taking who to Tribunal and why. There's some quite surprising figures in there; social housing landlords are three times more likely to take their tenants to the tribunal, than ordinary landlords... Commercial landlords.Sue 00:36Why is that?Jimmy 00:54Well, it seems to be that the reason that they take them is because of non-payment of rent, which is the most common reason for anybody to be taken to the Tribunal.Sue 01:26Sure. I guess it's become more common these days, because rents have gone up so hugely. And also, we've had COVID, and lots of people lost their living.Jimmy 01:36But the interesting thing; well you think the social housing people are (and that's affordable housing and housing associations, and community associations and things like that)... You think, well, they'd be the last to take their tenants to a Tribunal. But it turns out that even though they do take the tenants to Tribunal, it's not to get them evicted... It's to basically force them to sit down and talk about a payment plan. So it's kind of like...Sue 02:05A mediation, really.Jimmy 02:06Well, yes, I guess in a way. I think it's signalling to them, look, this is serious. You can't keep not paying rent and expecting us to live ..

Podcast: Rents rise, clubs bet the house on flats

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 01:48:05 -0400

Surprise, surprise! What started off looking like a barren day on the pod-front, right at the end of the school holidays, turned out to give us a lot to talk about.First of all, there was the fact that apartment rents are rising three times faster than house rents, and what that could mean for inner cities with both tourists and overseas students on their way back in droves.We also touch on the implications of that and what our various governments could and should be doing about all that in this column.Then we discuss a Tenants Union report about the discovery that private rental landlords are taking disputes with tenants to tribunals twice as often as tenants are challenging their landlords, and why that might be.Is it because landlords are more likely to be sinned against than sinners? We don’t think so – it’s a lot more complicated than that.Then we look at why sports and social clubs are queuing up to have their airspace and spare land turned into high-rises. And is it such a bad thing?And finally we ask if it’s OK for strata committees to insist that owners are identified when they make a complaint. Is it a case of victim and whistle-blower naming and shaming?All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00One of those days, when we looked at the news, or had to think about the podcast, and thought 'oh, we don't have anything to talk about,' and then we had a quick look and there's actually quite a lot.Sue 00:11It's always the way, isn't it?Jimmy 00:12It always is. So we're going to be talking about how rents are going up. We're talking about tenants and landlords taking each other to NCAT (or not). We're talking about buildings going up above sports clubs, and whether you should be named and blamed, if you complain. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:36And I'm Sue Williams, and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:39And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySo rents are going up?Sue 00:56Yes, absolutely. So there's new reports coming out, last week, and this week, all about unit rents for the September 2022 quarter. And it's interesting, because house rents are going up hugely and unit rents are going up quite a lot, as well. I mean, as we know, during COVID, lots of people favoured houses, rather than units, but unit rents are really catching up quite quickly.Jimmy 01:18Yes, I heard a bit about it on the radio this morning, and they were saying that a lot of overseas students are coming back, and overseas workers are coming back. But I think they said there was a record number of visa applications from overseas students, wanting to come here.Sue 01:33So that's really going to increase demand for units and so there's going to be even more pressure on rents really, because vacancy rates are already incredibly low. So it's going to be very hard for many people, I think, looking for apartments to rent.Jimmy 01:48Absolutely. I just cast my mind back, to all the stories we had a couple of years ago, about how people would overfill their units; you know, cramming in a dozen students, into the one space. I remember one of the stories was about a studio flat, which had a lofted sleeping area. So you've got the ground floor, and then up behind it, a sleeping area, but it only takes up half the width, so that it still shares the light from the window. And people were just getting joiners in, to fill in the floor.Sue 02:25Oh my god!Jimmy 02:26So they had, you know, a false floor, so they could cram more people into them.Sue 02:33It's like that movie where they had seven-and-a-half levels.Jimmy 02:37But this, they would put a mattress across the washing machine and dryer and sink in the laundry, and that was somebody's bedroom. And the amazing thing was,

Podcast: Poor ratings – where’s the stars, Dave?

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 07:15:49 -0400

This week on the Flat Chat website we celebrate the launch of Sue's new book about spray-on skin pioneer, Professor Fiona Wood.What's the link with strata? Well, if there ever was a cladding fire and someone was badly burned and ... em ... OK, Sue's the link. Forgive us for indulging in a little self-promotion.Elsewhere on the pod, we take a closer look at the much-vaunted (by us if no one else) iCIRT star ratings for developers and come away a little disappointed.Basically, if a developer gets more than three stars, they’re on the list. Fewer and they’re not. But there’s no actual star rating on show (unless it’s on their advertising).And what about developers who’ve been late in getting with the program or have decided it’s not for them?Sue has a very pointed message for the backsliders and recalcitrants.Elsewhere on the pod, Jimmy takes a deep dive into some new strata laws and regulations and works out what the strange change in office bearer nominations rules is.Most importantly, he says, why was it so hard to find it out.And finally we talk about a council in Sydney that wants to curb short-term holiday lets by increasing their rates, and a group in Byron Bay that’s battling to prevent holiday lets there being restricted.All that and more on the Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00It's a long weekend everywhere else in Australia (I think), but not here, in the Flat Chat Wrap studio.Sue 00:07Yes, we never rest.Jimmy 00:09We never stop, as Ange Postecoglou says of his football team, Celtic. We are a bit annoyed this week; very annoyed, actually... Annoyed and disappointed. We are annoyed about the latest press release from New South Wales Fair Trading, about changes that have been made to the regulation. And we are disappointed about the iCIRT developer ratings thing, that we trumpeted (at great length) last week.Sue 00:36A bit disappointed; we're not completely disappointed...Jimmy 00:38We're not distraught; we are just a little bit, hmm.... We will be talking about that in a minute. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:50And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:53And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySue, you're back from Perth?Sue 01:11Yes. That's right.Jimmy 01:12What were you doing over there?Sue 01:13I just had the launch of my new book, a biography of Professor Fiona Wood, the burn surgeon; world-leading burns pioneer.Jimmy 01:20Is she the spray-on skin woman?Sue 01:22She is, yes. She became quite famous, because of the Bali bombings; that's when we all started noticing her and then she became Australian of the Year. Amazing woman.Jimmy 01:29And it's the 20th anniversary?Sue 01:31 It is next week, of the Bali bombing.Jimmy 01:33How did the book launch go?Sue 01:34It went fabulously, actually. There were 200 people in the audience and we signed 300 books. It was fun. You know, there was real love in the room for Fiona and maybe, a little bit for me. It was really good!Jimmy 01:34We don't have any link between burns victims and strata, unless you count flammable cladding and we haven't had any burns victims in Australia from that, yet.Sue 01:59No, fortunately.Jimmy 02:01But it does bring us to the question of the developer-rating system; the gold star rating that was launched last week. We are a bit disappointed with it.Sue 02:14Yes. Look, it's a fantastic advance, really. I mean, it's wonderful to know the developers are being really thoroughly vetted and rated; that's great. But when you go onto the iCIRT website, the ratings have been done by the ratings company, Equifax... But when you go on and have a look at their ratings, they just give a list of the developers who have achieved thre..

Podcast: Chandler’s rating has starring role

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 07:03:13 -0400

This week’s podcast is mostly (but not entirely) focussed on an announcement we believe is going to change the way we buy apartments in NSW and probably across Australia.Last week NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler announced the first four developers in NSW to achieve more than four out of five gold stars from the state’s revolutionary Independent Construction Industry Rating Tool (iCIRT).And in a speech to the Toga group - recipients of one of the 4.5 ratings – he said that NSW apartment purchaser now no longer have any excuses for buying below-standard apartments from dodgy developers.By the way, we don’t think this will only affect apartment buyers in NSW; will a developer with a four-star Sydney rating hide that from their potential purchasers in Victoria or Queensland?You can read about the first four companies to achieve 4.5 stars – Toga Group, Helm, Meriton and Dasco Australia – in this story in the Sydney Morning Herald.You can hear David Chandler’s speech to the Toga Group in the podcast, as well as credit check agency Equifax executive Alexandra Shaw’s explanation of how the ratings system works.And if you don’t give 4.5 hoots about star ratings, we also pick the bones out of a story about the scheme where visitor parking have been given over to employees of a commercial tenant in the block – and how the strata committee can’t or won’t do anything about it.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULL(Timings on these sections may be a little off in places as we rearranged the content in edit)Jimmy 00:00Sue, you were at a big event in the world of strata the other day?Sue 00:03Yes, on Saturday. I was there when New South Wales Building Commissioner, David Chandler, was presenting a gold-star rating award for one of Australia's developers.Jimmy 00:14Okay, well, we'll be talking about that. We'll be listening to David Chandler's speech, and a couple of other things. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:26And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:29And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOkay, I think before we talk about what David Chandler said, we should possibly listen to the speech he made. This was at the presentation of the four-and-a-half (out of five) gold stars, for the TOGA Group.David Chandler 01:02My role was always to come in and get the customers back. At the end of the day, it's no good having a regulator who just holds a stick; you've got to do it with a purpose and the purpose of this whole exercise (the last three years that we put into turning the compass around in New South Wales), is that we wanted the customers back.And I think we're now starting to see customers talking about feeling more confident, and starting to be more interested in getting back into the market. Frankly, for rated developers, I think the next three to five years are going to be the golden years of residential apartment building sales. I think we're going to see a mass-migration into this country. We're going to see people moving from other asset classes, into this asset class. I think it's just terribly important to realise that this is the time to actually let the fresh winds that are blowing in the sails of this industry, start to carry the good boats forward, and leave the ones that are risky, still back in the docks.So this whole process today, is really about now starting to shift the conversation around... What we did in the last three years, was we had a very serious conversation with the industry, about the industry. We've been really very focused on an inward-facing conversation, saying "guys, we've got to lift the game. We've actually got to do a lot better and we've got to show what better looks like, and we've got to show what bad looks like."Now, most of you who followed my media in the last t..

Podcast: Is history against build-to-rent plans?

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 04:55:01 -0400

OK, it’s our stupid fault for crossing the ditch to New Zealand without taking even our basic recording gear.We could have just about coped and recorded it on our return but our flight was delayed by an hour and a half and that mean that not only would we be later than planned in getting back to Sydney but we’d be tired and grumpy too.Then I discovered my phone has an “interview” setting in its voice recorder app and all we had to do was talk into opposite ends of the Samsung to get a reasonably clear recording.So, we recorded this week’s podcast in Auckland Airport’s departure lounge and, with most of the airport sounds edited out, and living with the occasional “plosive” pop and puff from using this basic equipment, we present it for your enjoyment.In it we discuss the new build-to-rent development controversially planned for an historic area of Sydney.And we chat about the dramatic drop in apartment approvals – down 40-plus per cent according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures – and ask if David Chandler is doing too good a job of driving away dodgy developers (as if such a thing were possible).Finally we dip into the Forum to ask if you can pass a by-law forcing landlords to evict bad tenants who constantly breach by-laws.That’s all in this week’s podcast and if you can’t bear to listen to a recording that’s not up to your usual high standards, you can read the transcript right here.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00If you can hear strange background noises in this recording, it's because we're doing our podcast in Auckland Airport, where Sue and I are about to get on a plane (we hope), back to Sydney. But there's a lot to talk about. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:19And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:21And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOkay Sue, there was some alarming news in the papers last week?Sue 00:42That's right. There's been a bit of controversy about this. Over in Harris Park, in the west of Sydney, there's been an application for 483 apartments. A series of five blocks, I think, of four, six and eight storeys high and they're all going to be build-to-rent apartments and I think a lot of people feel that it shouldn't really happen, because it's in a very historic part of Harris Park, which is very close to Elizabeth Farm, where Elizabeth MacArthur and her husband, John MacArthur, started the Australian wool industry.Jimmy 01:14That you wrote all about in your book, 'Elizabeth & Elizabeth.'Sue 01:18Yes, absolutely. I went over there quite a bit. It's a beautiful place. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, in lots of ways. I haven't looked very closely at the plans for this development, but if you actually built nice -looking, affordable build-to-rent housing in the area and linked in Elizabeth Farm, with the other historic places nearby... It's very close to Experiment Farm as well, which was the first European colonial farm that was set up in about 1834. Then there's also Dumbledore Cottage just nearby.Jimmy 01:57Dumbledore, isn't that from Harry Potter?Sue 02:00Same name!Jimmy 02:02Oh, is that where she got it, do you think?Sue 02:03Quite possibly, yes.Jimmy 02:05So, Dumbledore Cottage, and there's a Maronite Christian Church; a Lebanese Christian church nearby, as well.Sue 02:12A cathedral. That's just next door, as well. I guess it's got lots of esteemed neighbours and many of them are actually protesting about these plans.Jimmy 02:23Are they just NIMBYs?Sue 02:25Well, it's hard to know, isn't it really? The build-to-rent sector is a really important part (and becoming an even more important part) of the Australian housing sector. To recap on build-to-rent; they are apartments which the developer retains ownership off,

Podcast: Smears and fears as Commish targetted

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 16:11:23 -0400

If NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler has served no other function, he earns our respect and gratitude for being a very useful source of entertaining, informative and occasionally horrifying stories.The latest, from a parliamentary committee meeting, involves an allegation that development company’s executives had tried to smear him with a suggestion that he had demanded a $5million bribe to back off from a development where he’d banned sales until defects were fixed.We pick the bones out of that in the podcast. But Commissioner Chandler isn’t just a fruitful source of juicy tales, and we speculate as to where the next phase of his property development revolution is going.We have heard suggestions that he is now going to turn his fearsome gaze towards buildings that have defects and are still under warranty.Why? Because recognising you have defects in your building and knowing your rights is no guarantee that the developer and builder will fix them. Far from it, in many cases.And we also take a look at how Sydney’s lower north shore seems destined to be the next hot spot for apartments and the shops and services that people want and need in a modern city.All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We always seem to be just one step ahead of the news on this podcast.Sue 00:05Yes!Jimmy 00:05Last week, we were talking about dodgy developers and them having the same DNA as criminals and this week, we find out that David Chandler has said that a developer (who has been described as 'dodgy' in parliament), tried to implicate him in demanding bribes. So, we'll be talking about that. We'll be talking about the next phase of David Chandler's work, which is remediation of buildings that are less than six years old and have defects. And you're going to tell us about things that are happening on the lower North Shore of Sydney?Sue 00:46Yes, about revitalising CBD's.Jimmy 00:48Okay. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:54And I'm Sue Williams, and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:56And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. That was a stunning piece of news that came out last week...Sue 01:16It was, wasn't it?Jimmy 01:17Yes, I mean, according to the Sydney Morning Herald and according to David Chandler; at a Parliamentary Estimates Committee meeting, he was talking about the Toplace Group, whom he has identified in the past as being (or they have been named in Parliament), as dodgy developers. They have this very flamboyant CEO, Jean Nassif, who is typical of that kind of person; you know, he was famous for giving his wife, a bright yellow Lamborghini, and of course, that appeared all over social media. They've got a development called Skyview (I think it's in Castle Hill), which David Chandler had slapped an order on, saying, they should not sell any more apartments, until they had fixed defects in the building. According to his testimony at the parliamentary committee, he was at a meeting with them to discuss this, and one of the Toplace executives (who he has not named), read out an email saying 'put $5 million into a trust account, and we can make the Skyview problem go away.'Sue 01:25Wow!Jimmy 01:26You know, there's a couple of things that occured. He told them 'oh, well, just take that straight to the police, because that's extortion.' They declined to do that, but then he heard that a journalist had been briefed by somebody saying 'did you know David Chandler is corrupt, and he's asked for $5 million as a bribe?' And even then, Fair Trading minister, Kevin Anderson, had somebody come up to him in a meeting, saying 'how do you feel about your Building Commissioner being corrupt?'Sue 03:11That's incredible, isn't it? My god!Jimmy 03:14So obviously,

Podcast: When crims become dodgy developers

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 02:57:58 -0400

It’s hardly a true crime podcast but this week, inspired by connections made in the press between the relatives of property developers and their friends with police records, we wade into the murky waters of past cases where the Venn diagrams of criminals and property developers have overlapped.It should be no surprise to anyone that the high-risk, high rewards ventures like unregulated property development and criminal activities would have attracted similar kinds of characters.But whatever’s going on nowadays – and we shouldn't assume that there was anything untoward afoot in the reported cases – it would pale into insignificance compared to some stories from the fairly recent past.Meanwhile, Sue explores the still risky but much safer area of searching for bargains in blocks that are known to have problems.We also look (with clothes pegs on our noses) at a Qld body corporate who thought their responsibility for a flat being flooded with sewage ended where their insurance cover ran out.And we get a resolution on the question of whether the representative of one block on a community committee of four can veto agenda items that they don't like.All than and more in the Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00One of the interesting things that came out of the whole David Chandler, Eleni Petinos thing, was that the company that he was asked to go and deal with (who's building he'd put a stop-work order on)... It came out in a paper, that the brother of one of the directors was thought to be associated with somebody who had a criminal record; they had a picture… and that sent a few people into a tizz. So we're going to talk about the connection between alleged criminals and alleged developers, in the podcast today. We're also going to talk about; you did an article about whether it was worth buying into buildings, where you knew there were problems. And we're going to talk about a body corporate in Queensland that got itself in the poo. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:57And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:59And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyProperty developers with criminal connections... Sue, does this surprise you?Sue 01:20Well, it's like going back to the days of the 70s, really, isn't it?Jimmy 01:25I remember, just when we started writing about this stuff, somebody told me a story that they were in a meeting, and there was a building in Victoria Street in Kings Cross, I think, where the notorious underworld character, Lenny McPherson, had been buying up all the apartments in the building, with a view to knocking it down and building apartments. In those days, you had to get 100% approval from the owners, that they would sell the building to whoever. And there was one old bloke who just didn't want to sell. He said "look, I don't want to be difficult, but I've lived in this apartment since I got married as a young man. I brought up my kids here and my wife lived here with me, before she died. I like to just sit in the corner window and look at the world go by. So you know, if Mr. McPherson wants to buy my apartment, all I ask is that I get an apartment in the same position in the new building. And Macpherson's lawyer said "okay, this is how it's going to work. Mr. McPherson is going to let out all the apartments that he owns, to drug dealers and prostitutes and bikies, and young people and backpackers."Sue 02:47That's horrendous, isn't it?!Jimmy 02:48"Then some days, your water will get turned off, and you'll call up the building manager, or the strata manager and they might get around to fixing it. And other days, the electricity will suddenly stop and eventually, your life will just not be worth living, so why don't you just sell?"Sue 03:05Wow! And I bet that happened quite a bit.Jimmy 03:08

Podcast: a Perrottet and Petinos poser

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 09:36:18 -0400

Look, we know it’s all done and dusted. David Chandler has re-extended his contract as NSW Building Commissioner, John Minns is back as Property Services Commissioner and Victor Dominello has returned as Fair Trading Minister (for now).In short, the band is back together and former Fair Trading Minister Eleni Petinos - the Yoko Ono of the strata Beatles – has retreated to Miranda where her skills and character are more fully appreciated.However, we can’t let it lie. Premier Perrottet insists, Eleni was not sacked because Big Dave and the “other Minns" resigned. But they definitely would not have performed their synchronised 180s, which would have done ice-dancers proud, if she was still there.So forgive us if we take one final poke at that recent example of political roadkill to see where the tyre tracks lead.Elsewhere in the pod, Jimmy comes up with an idea for a fast-track Fair Trading dispute resolution system, based on common sense and … um … Judge Judy.And we try to make sense of an almost incomprehensible report by four universities for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) which comes to the stunning conclusion that developers want to make money on their projects.Who knew?It also claims that unpredictability makes developers nervous and they need more certainty form government but government probably can’t provide it. Or something like that. Judge for yourself here.And we celebrate a small but significant success by one of our Flatchatters in bringing his strata block back from the edge of the cliff of chaos.All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00I got a very pleasant message from David Chandler, the other day.Sue 00:03Did you?Jimmy 00:04Well, everybody got a message from David Chandler, but it said some nice things... I can't say it said it about me, but the subject line on this email was 'Jimmy Flat Chat,' and it said how great it was to have support among people who actually cared and wanted the whole development thing to be better. So we're going to be talking about how he is back and why he is back; all that stuff. But we're also going to talk about the mess that the previous Fair Trading Minister left, before she got shown the door. We're going to talk about a report from AHURI, The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Now, they brought a report and I have got to be honest, I don't actually understand what it means, but we'll have a chat about it. And we'll talk about some measures that places are taking, to try and get more rental accommodation available. And we'll talk about a couple of things that have come up in the forum. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:16And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:19And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOkay, Eleni Petinos, the former short-lived, Fair Trading and Small Business minister... Now, there's been a lot of stories around about this. About a month ago, she was relieved of her ministry by the Premier, Dominic Perrottet. He said it was because of allegations of bullying and because there was a report about to come out, about bullying and sexual harassment in Parliament. But, it coincided with a letter from David Chandler, basically saying that he couldn't work with her anymore and there was government policy that had been agreed on and they were supposedly moving forward with (but they're basically, stuck in the mud). Then there was a whole business of Ms Petinos having had a meeting with some developers, who had for a while, employed John Barilaro, after he left Parliament, and how Barilaro phoned David Chandler and 'encouraged' him to meet with these people...Sue 02:46That's kind of real 'interfering in the process.'Jimmy 02:48Absolutely and then, we found out later that John Minns,

Podcast: Council to hire a professional nimby

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 04:26:27 -0400

In this week’s podcast we are going to discuss the local council that’s going to pay someone $100,000 a year to help residents fight high rise developments.It’s the least developed suburb in Sydney, so do they really need someone to take up cudgels against developers? According to this story in the Sydney Morning Herald, the move was triggered by a proposal – approved by the NSW's Eastern City Planning Panel – to knock down four terraces and build two 10-storey residential “towers” at the corner of Syd Einfeld Drive, Oxford Street and York Road in Bondi Junction.We ask, are their nimbys too namby-pamby to do it themselves? Or is it reasonable to have a council-funded champion for the urban dwellers who don’t want to live in or near high-rises?Talking of champions, we discuss the possibility of NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler changing his mind about retiring in November and ask whether the government would have him back (we have a definitive answer to that!)Sue looks at areas where apartment prices have not only defied the general plunge in property values but have actually gone up in price.And we put her on the spot with a couple of curly questions from the Forum. All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00You're back from Africa?Sue 00:01Yes, I am; back, just a few minutes ago and you've pulled me into the podcast, immediately. Thank you, Jimmy!Jimmy 00:07While you're still awake. As usual, when I started off thinking we didn't have much to talk about, we do. Waverley Council has decided that it's NIMBYs are too namby-pamby...Sue 00:22And it's helping the NIMBYs, isn't it, really?Jimmy 00:26Yes, they want to help the NIMBYs. We've got kind of an update (a bit), on David Chandler. We've got new figures on where apartment prices are going up and where they're coming down. And we're going to dip into the forum again, with a couple of fairly odd questions. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:47And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:50And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. MUSICJimmyYou probably can't hear this, because we have all sorts of noise filters operating, but it is blowing an absolute gale outside.Sue 01:17It's not very nice to come home to, I must say.Jimmy 01:19I'm glad you were on the ground before this hit. It would have been a bit of a bumpy landing.Sue 01:24Especially because I couldn't work out how to do up my seatbelt.Jimmy 01:27Oh really? That's because you were at the posh end of the plane, for once.Sue 01:31I flew business class. I mean, I didn't pay for it; somebody else paid for it. But yes, they put a mattress down over your seat when you pull your seat down, and then it kind of covers the seatbelt. I couldn't work out what to do and the steward came along and pulled out another seat belt, which kind of straps across your body, from your shoulder downwards, like a car seat belt. I couldn't find the other end and I was too embarrassed to ask really, because I seemed so stupid; you know, 'business class newbie.' I was just hoping that it wasn't going to be rocky coming down, because otherwise, I would have been flying around.Jimmy 01:38You would have been bouncing around the inside of the plane, but you made it!Sue 02:05 I did!Jimmy 02:06There's a couple of things that we are going to talk about... There's a story in the Sydney Morning Herald, about Waverley Council. They are going to pay somebody $100,000 a year, plus another $30,000 to set up the whole business of (what comes down to), opposing high-rise developments in the council. I mean, it's the usual story... 'oh, they're going to build these nasty, bland, identical blocks, that are just going to be big chunks of concrete.

Podcast: Are we heading back to the bad old days?

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 03:02:19 -0400

We are in a state of shock here at Flat Chat, wondering if, when David Chandler and Victor Dominello both go, and with dodgy developers already circling the bleeding carcass of Fair Trading like vultures, are we going to be back to the bad old days of seriously defective apartment blocks being the norm?We had no idea when we recorded this podcast that Victor Dominello was about to announce his resignation. NSW Fair Trading is obviously spying on us. We reached this conclusion after weeks of recording the podcast only to find out that, as soon as it was in the can, yet another high-profile departure would be announced.But we were pretty sure that this week we had it covered. A trip to Canberra for the writers festival, plus the resumption of my teaching gig, meant we didn’t get this podcast done and dusted until Tuesday morning. No last minute resignations – hurrah!Then, on Wednesday, Sue stepped on a plane for South Africa, rendering her uncontactable and therefore unrecordable for 18 hours. Minutes later, the news dropped that former, and currently caretaker Fair Trading Minister Victor Dominello is pulling the plug on his political career.It’s due to health reasons and very sad; you can read about it here. He was an innovator and hard worker and one of the best Fair Trading ministers this state has ever hadHowever, we still found a lot to discuss about the latest Fair Trading and NSW cabinet schemozzles on this week's podcast and Sue took a punt on who the latest cabinet minister to walk the plank would be. And no, it wasn't Victor. Also, we look at another collapsing (or maybe not) building in Sydney’s inner west and Sue becomes strataguru for a day when I fire your questions from the Forum at her.While you consider that, I’m off to get my office swept for Fair Trading bugs. I’m not really worried – they’ll probably stop working as soon as the warranty runs out. TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00David Chandler is going, John Minns has gone. Eleni Petinos has gone, Stuart Ayres is gone; who's next?Sue 00:07Yes! Maybe, Dominic Perrottet?Jimmy 00:10Well, we'll see. We'll be talking about that and other much more interesting (and less important things), from the forum, later on. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:22And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:25And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. [MUSIC]JimmySo, you think Dominic Perrottet is in danger of losing his job?Sue 00:45Well, all these things are happening under his reign, aren't they, really? And I mean, obviously, he wasn't... Well, we don't know, but we must assume that he probably wasn't a part of it, because the origins of all these scandals started a long time ago. But, he was obviously a power broker within the party.Jimmy 01:00Well, you know, they say that it's not the crime that gets you, it's the cover-up. I'm not suggesting for a moment, that any crime has occurred.Sue 01:08Of course not. Or, any cover-up!Jimmy 01:13Perrottet sacked Petinos, within a day of coming back from an overseas trip, on the (I was going to say pretext), grounds that she had been bullying (or she had been accused of bullying), in her office. And this was kind of backed-up by quite a lot of turnover of staff.Sue 01:38But then he denied it was anything to do with David Chandler, didn't he?Jimmy 01:42He did. And then we saw David Chandler's letter, where he detailed; well it sort of suggested that pressure had been brought to bear by first of all, Petinos and then John Barilaro, who has got his own set of scandals to deal with. And then in that letter, David Chandler said his position was untenable.Sue 02:08It was a pretty explosive letter, wasn't it, really?Jimmy 02:10Yes and he said 'this is not negotiable.' He said 'I'm leaving,

Podcast: The many sins of commission at Fair Trading

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 03:04:00 -0400

If there is one area of NSW Liberal politics that may be glad that the kerfuffle over the appointment of a trade envoy to New York is drawing so much media attention and political heat, it will be anyone associated with Fair Trading.When we sat down to record this week’s podcast and discuss – among other things – the departure of Property Services Commissioner John Minns, we had no idea how chaotic things had become there.To misquote Oscar Wilde, to lose one commissioner is unfortunate, to lose two looks like carelessness.The departure of Commissioner Minns occurred in the same week that Building Commissioner David Chandler announced he was cutting short his extended tenure, and Minister Eleni Petinos was summarily dismissed.Now we can report that Mr Minns’ resignation seems to be closely related to a hastily concocted plan to replace him (eventually, if and when parliament gets round to it) with a statutorily appointed independent commissioner.Ironically (or is it predictably?), his temporary replacement has been drawn from Small Business, the part of her portfolio that consumed most of former Minister Petinos' energy and attention during her short tenure.And in another irony, MS Petinos first came to prominence in a sexting scandal involving former Fair Trading minister, Matthew Kean, who has been elevated to deputy premier following the resignation of Stuart Ayres, yet another former Fair Trading Minister.Were our colleagues in the media not consumed with what John ‘Porky’ Barilaro did or didn't do and Stuart Ayres did or didn't know about the New York gig, surely they’d be all over this like a cheap suit. It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good. That’s just a small part of this week’s podcast. We also discuss how the brutalist or modernist, or brutally modernist high rise block looming over Tamarama beach has been given a reprieve following a major speed bump in its process of renewal.We chat about the NCAT case which established that tenants can take legal action against owners corporations to force them to fix defective common property.We have a look at the block where a majority of owners want to take one neighbour to NCAT for being a nuisance … by continually making successful complaints about their businesses to the local council.And we ask, if the victims of flood damage can get their homes bought off them by the government, why can’t the poor benighted owners of flats in Mascot Towers be bailed out in the same way?That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Well, the fallout from various ministries in New South Wales continues; we'll be hearing about the Property Services Commissioner and his sudden departure.Sue 00:13Gosh, where will it all end?Jimmy 00:16And, we've got a couple of things from the website, plus some news about that big building at Tamarama. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:29I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:32And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySo it seems Property Commissioner, John Minns, has quit, as well as David Chandler.Sue 00:53Wow! It's a complete fallout, isn't it really?Jimmy 00:56Well, you know, we heard that David Chandler hasn't actually left, but he's cut short his extended appointment and then, apparently the same week, John Minns, the Property Commissioner, left the office.Sue 01:12Why was that, do you know?Jimmy 01:14Well, I think it might be something to do with the fact that they didn't even realise he was there, because you had trouble getting through to him, didn't you?Sue 01:23Yes, I was doing a story and someone suggested John Minns would be the perfect person to give me a comment, so I contacted his office... They said "I'm sorry, do you mean Chris Minns (who's the leader of the opposition)?..

Podcast: Petinos, pets and petty squabbles

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 02:57:26 -0400

There we were, all set with a podcast on David Chandler’s resignation in the can, when we heard that NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet had invited Fair Trading Minister Eleni Petinos to leave at her own chosen speed (one for the Dylan fans, there).Now, we could have fudged it with a new intro but Big Dave’s not-very-imminent departure was already old news and the vapour trail from Ms Petinos' expensive fragrance was still lingering from her exit, so it was back in the bunker for a re-take.And, full disclosure, there was another reason: we said in the original recording that there was no way that the Premier would sack her, having just supported her while he was in India.Ooops! What does this tell us? Maybe things were a lot worse in Fair Trading than he or we thought.The one thing notably absent in most other commentary about her departure is any suggestion that it had anything to do with her throwing Building Commissioner Chandler under the bus, over a dubious claim that he had misled parliament.But we think that was definitely an element in the decision to send her back to Miranda. Loyalty has its own built-in form of instant karma.Other topics include chats about the two stories from the Tribunal that appear on this page -one about a dispute over fire safety and another about a battle to get a second dog into a unit that had permission for one.And a quick correction, contrary to what I say on the podcast, the Castle apartment block has six whole-floor apartments, not eight or 10, and the home of pooches Peach and Zodiac is a semi in a strata scheme, not a townhouse.That's what I get for talking about stories before I've written them.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Sometimes I think, someone in government waits until they know we've recorded our podcast, and then they make big announcements.Sue 00:09Yes, so we did a big track about David Chandler and now on Sunday night, Dominic Perrottet's office issued his statement about David Chandler.Jimmy 00:20Well, actually, it was a statement about Elini Petinos. We'll be talking about Eleni Petinos and Dominic Perrottet's response to complaints about her behaviour. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:39And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:41And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. [MUSIC]JimmyOkay, last night, as you said, the Premier of New South Wales issued a statement about Eleni Petinos, the Minister for Small Business and Fair Trading. I'm just going to read what he said, and we can talk about her response, and then, we'll look at what led up to this whole thing. So, this is what Premier Perrottet said last night... 'Today I spoke with the Minister for Small Business and Fair Trading, Eleni Petinos, after some further matters concerning her were brought to my attention. In light of these matters, Ms Petino's service as a minister will cease with immediate effect and I will write to the Governor in this regard tomorrow. Minister for Customer Services and Digital Government, Victor Dominello will assume Ms Petino's portfolio responsibilities.' So basically, he sacked her, with immediate effect, Which is incredible really, because usually, Premiers would say 'I spoke to a Minister and they have resigned.' It's really quite unusual, for them to be sacked so abruptly like that. Which kind of suggests that the rumours about her being a fairly acerbic person, who's not prepared to give an inch on much, may be true.Sue 02:15Perhaps, but they are allegations at this stage; we don't really know. But I guess there'll be (yet another) inquiry.Jimmy 02:25I'll get you to read what her response was.Sue 02:27'Tonight, the Premier informed me I would no longer be a Minister in his government. I'm proud of my work while I served the people of New South Wales as Minister for Business and Minis..

Podcast: Defects, debts and dream bathrooms

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 03:45:37 -0400

Sometimes we are just too efficient for our own good. No sooner had we sent this week’s podcast off for transcription than the news broke that NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler had announced he will be leaving the job in November – just weeks after he signed a year-long extension to his contract.We’ve covered that in detail HERE and will pick up on the news for next week’s podcast.Meanwhile, there’s plenty to talk about this week, including the TV report that they have discovered that apartment blocks in Victoria have defects. Who knew? You can watch the ABC report HERE.There’s the anti-strata beat-up about the couple from Earlwood in Sydney who, thanks to bad advice saw an $18,000 special levy blow out to a $44,000 debt – and that was after they had paid off $13,000.Then, on the subject of debts, we have a chunk of last week’s interview with strata lawyer David Sachs which I cut out and set aside for this week as it’s mainly about Section 232 of the NSW strata Act and the various – almost limitless – ways it can be used to resolve disputes.Then we talk about the things we like about hotels that end up being included in apartment designs.So there’s lots to talk about before next week, when rest assured we will get into why David Chandler resigned and what kind of building commissioner the NSW government will be looking for to replace him.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Okay, back from Bali.Sue 00:02Yes.Jimmy 00:03With no suntan, but a lot of mosquito bites.Sue 00:07Yes, but much more relaxed and happy and content.Jimmy 00:13Well, I was until we had to sit on the plane next to a teenage girl who refused to put a mask on.Sue 00:20Yes, that was very annoying, wasn't it, really? And she wasn't the only one, there were quite a few people on the plane who weren't wearing masks, which is a bit disturbing.Jimmy 00:27Because it says on the announcement, that it's a legal requirement that you wear a mask for the duration of the flight.Sue 00:33But it's pretty hard for the air stewards to insist. They kept coming around and reminding people and people would put on the mask...Jimmy 00:39And then as soon as they were gone, take it off again. And then they ask you to respect people's choices, which means you can't grab them by the throat and say "put your effing mask on."Sue 00:40Even though you want to.Jimmy 00:52Very much so. So today, we are going to talk about... Apparently they've just discovered defects in buildings in Melbourne; it was a big thing on the TV while we were away (shock, horror). Welcome to the real world. And, we're going to have another chat about that. What I think was a confected scandal, about the old couple who couldn't pay their levies... I think we were the first to (apart from the story that broke in the Sun-Herald before we left).. We were the first people to actually pick up on that and comment on it, so I think we're entitled to have another swing at it, now that we've had a chance to think. And, David Sachs, the strata lawyer, was talking about debts last week. And I chopped out a thing (because we kind of went off on a tangent at one point), to talk about section 232, which is part of the act that basically, allows you to resolve disputes with your strata committee, or your strata scheme. So, that's quite a lot really, isn't it?Sue 01:59Absolutely.Jimmy 02:00I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 02:04And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 02:07And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySo, apartment blocks in Melbourne have defects... Who'd have thunk it?Sue 02:28It's interesting. I guess this story about the defects in the Melbourne block got a lot of traction, because the couple who live in the building were prepared to face up to the med..

Podcast – all you need to know about levy debt

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 22:25:22 -0400

Last week saw the publication of a confected scandal of an elderly couple who’d been given bad advice, blaming their owners corporation for a special levy of $18,000 that had blown out to a debt of $44,000.As we pointed out in this story, and on this podcast, the owners corp were probably just fulfilling their legal obligation to fix common property and charge owners according to their unit entitlements.But the appallingly one-sided yarn glossed over the influence of the financial and legal advisers who got the couple into that financial hole and instead took potshots at the strata committee and owners corp.Anyway, purely by coincidence, the previous week I had sat down with David Sachs, principal of Sachs Gerace Lawyers to talk about levy debts, how they can be recovered and what you should and shouldn’t do when they mount up for one owner.This includes tracking down overseas investors who leave their units empty and never pay levies ... which may involve hiring private detectives in foreign countries. Ooooh... exciting!But seriously, David provides a calm voice of reason in what can be a highly emotive area … something that was notably lacking in the previously mentioned “fake news” travesty.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:03Last week, before the story blew up about the old couple in Earlwood being (allegedly) driven out of their home because of a levies debt, I interviewed David Sachs from our sponsors, Sachs Gerace Lawyers, mainly about debt.That was something we'd organised well in advance, so it's purely coincidental... and this is by way of an explanation, if people listen to this and think "well, why are you not talking about that story that was in the Sun-Herald?" The reason is, it hadn't happened yet.I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review. And this is a very special Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyI am with David Sachs of Sachs Gerace Lawyers, here in Woolloomooloo, technically, and we're going to talk about levy debts and what you can do about them and what you can't do about them. Good afternoon, David.David Sachs 01:26Hi, Jimmy.Jimmy 01:27Okay, question one; there is a mandatory 10% penalty rate for unpaid levies, or overdue levies... When does that kick in?David Sachs 01:38Well, I would never use the word 'penalty.' It's actually a bit of a black mark for lawyers, because penalties mean, you can't recover it. But, there is interest that is chargeable, and it is chargeable from, I guess, the day after the levy is due, but unpaid, but, there's a grace period, so that if you pay within a month after the levies are due, then you're not charged the interest. But, if you paid two days later, then you'll pay for the full 30 days, plus two days.Jimmy 02:09Which is a proportion of the 10%.David Sachs 02:12Yes, it's 10% per annum, just calculated in the ordinary ways. So if there was a $100 debt, then 10% of it will be $10, and that would be calculated on a daily basis. It accrues notionally for the first month, but it's only able to be recovered, if the levies are not paid within that one month grace period.Jimmy 02:34What processes does a strata scheme have to take, to get unpaid levies back?David Sachs 02:42So there's procedures that are specified in the Act that every strata manager would know about, but it's essentially, you make sure that a valid levy has been struck that the notices to pay the levies have been issued, that the requisite amount of time has been allowed for people to pay. You've got to allow at least 30 days for people to pay, then if they don't pay them, you've got to give them a notice with information that's required under the Act about that payment; how the things' been calculated, etc. And then, after that point, an owners corporation can recover it like any other debt. So most of the time, you'll be commencing a case in the small claims d..

Podcast: Hidden issues, fake news and 40k listens

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 00:23:29 -0400

This week on the podcast we hop into the highly dubious story that appeared in the Sydney Sun-Herald this week about a poor old couple who are facing bankruptcy because of a special levy imposed on their block by a heartless and cruel strata committee …Hang on! Heartless and cruel? Strata committees can’t set special levies. And owners corporations have to maintain and repair common property.The block is 50 years old – has nobody been putting money in the sinking fund? (Rhetorical question – don’t even bother).More to the point, as we explore in depth here, how come the couple paid $13,000 of the special levy but are now $44k in debt.And if you think Jimmy tends towards the cynical, wait till you hear Sue’s solution for retired couples who can’t pay their levies because they’re on a fixed income. FYI, it ain’t setting up a Gofundme appeal.Also on the pod, based on this story, we look again at how much you need to tell prospective purchasers about problems in your block (a lot, it turns out).And we look at a case where two top-floor owners took over their roof space and added rooms, without a by-law or a by-your-leave, but the owners corp over-reached in their efforts to put things to rights.Finally, we have a new promo for our travel website mildrover.com. Is it an intrusion or a little light relief? You tell us via mail@flatchat.com.au.By the way, in case you were wondering, how can we claim in the intro to pod number 180 that we have had 200 episodes? That’s because in the early days we were on a not-very-good podcast platform and our first 20 episode had just a handful of downloads. Just as well we switched to our current pod host Blubrry and started the count from scratch, we now have literally ten times as many listeners as we had before.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We have reached a milestone, in terms of the number of downloads and listens on this podcast.Sue 00:06Oh, yes, what's that?Jimmy 00:07 Just in the past week, we have ticked over 40,000.Sue 00:13Wow! Is that 40,000 different people who've listened to us?Jimmy 00:16No, it's one person, who's listened 40,000 times.Sue 00:19Is that my mum?Jimmy 00:20That's the one person who is most likely to have done that. But no, it's good. We've had 200 episodes (almost; we're coming up to our two hundredth. In fact, this might be the two hundredth). That works out at an average of 200 per episode. But the early episodes; like the really early episodes, hardly anyone listened to them, and now we're tracking at just over 50 listens per day.Sue 00:47Oh, fantastic!Jimmy 00:47 Which is 350 a week, which is pretty good.Sue 00:50So people want to keep up-to-date with what's happening with apartments and also, find out what they've missed, perhaps.Jimmy 00:55Yes, exactly. I think people listen to it in different ways. Some people listen to it while they're cooking dinner, or while they're driving home from work, or whatever...In the bath.Sue 01:05At the EC meeting, when they get bored.Jimmy 01:07Just switch this on... They feel that they're getting more out of this, than they are out of their own committee. Oh, we shouldn't say things like that. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:19And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:22And this is the 200th Flat Chat Wrap. We've been getting a bit legal, on Flat Chat this week. A couple of things have come in. One of them is quite interesting, because I have a question for you... If you had a neighbour who was so awful, that you decided to sell up and move out, would you tell the purchasers, that you've got a terrible neighbour?Sue 02:01Absolutely not. Because you want to get rid of your apartment, don't you? You want to sell it for the best possible price,

Podcast: Knives out for Commissioner Chandler

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 08:10:22 -0400

This week’s Flat Chat Wrap has a look at something we predicted a few weeks ago – that the knives would soon be out for Building Commissioner David Chandler, just as they were all those years ago for Police Commissioner Peter Ryan.Why? Maybe because he's been a bit too successful at doing exactly what he was asked to do - get rid of of a crooks and shonks in the property development industry. Those crooks and shonks didn't get where they are today without having friends in high places ... and the media.We also take a quick squiz at some new statistics that show that more and more Australians are moving into apartment blocks.And Jimmy has a bit of a rant about Airbnb (what, again???) and passes on a brilliant suggestion from a reader that could fix the issue of residential properties being switched to holiday rentals when there’s a dire housing shortage.And then we look at the block where someone got themselves elected to their strata committee than promptly gave their vote to a mate and took off for a year’s holiday. There’s all that and more on the Flat Chat Wrap this week.TRANSCRIPTION IN FULLJimmy 00:00You got over your post-COVID brain fog?Sue 00:03I don't think I ever had any.Jimmy 00:04Well, I had it.Sue 00:05Did you?Jimmy 00:05Yes, last week. I did the newsletter and got it all ready and then decided at the last minute to change just one line. I went back in, edited it and then forgot to resend. It was only that I got an email on Friday morning from a reader saying "oh, have you stopped doing your newsletter, because I really look forward to it," that I thought "oh god, it hasn't gone out!"Sue 00:29Wow, because I actually got the newsletter the other day, and I thought "oh, this is a bit weird. Why am I getting it today?"Jimmy 00:35Because of brain fog! Okay, right. We'd better crack on. I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:44And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:47This is the Flat Chat Wrap. Remember a few weeks ago, we were talking about David Chandler, and how he was in danger of moving into Peter Ryan territory?Sue 01:12Oh right; being white-anted?Jimmy 01:13Yes, and it's started. There's an article you pointed out in The Australian newspaper, that he is being investigated by the Fair Trading Department; his boss, Eleni Petinos, the Fair Trading and Small Business... Sorry, I should correct myself... She's Small Business first and then a bit of Fair Trading, added on. Yes, because of a speech that he made, where he said he'd provided a list to the banks of all the dodgy certifiers...Sue 01:49Right. It's probably beyond his remit, is it?Jimmy 01:53Well, he was saying at the time, that these are people who will probably never work again, because they've been shown to be dodgy. And of course, this has set off alarms, because it's much more important for dodgy certifiers to be protected, than it is for people who buy apartments to be protected from dodgy certifiers.Sue 02:18Well, dodgy certifiers have more access to the funds that you need to go to court...Jimmy 02:24Dodgy certifiers are employed by dodgy developers. And so this is where somebody (I don't even know who it was in Parliament. I don't know which party they were members of; I don't really care, to be honest). It's just so typical of "oh, he said this thing!" The thing is, he has said this, and there's no doubt that he said it. He was recorded saying it and I think we might have spoken about it before, at a meeting that journalists were not invited to. He said this thing, but has he actually done it? Is there any evidence? Has anybody seen the list? Has anybody from the banks come up and said "oh, yeah, here's the list of dodgy developers." Do you think he was maybe,

Podcast: Hope for future in strata melting pot

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 02:11:28 -0400

Having braved the wilds of Scotland and the woes of Covid, we are back with a brand new Flat Chat Wrap podcast, with our usual mixture of optimism and, it must be said, the occasional bout of weary skepticism.The optimism stems from the plans for a new high-end apartment block that will bring owners together with key worker in affordable rentals, plus some social housing.And the remarkable thing about this is that the purchasers of apartments costing up to $2.4m actually like the ides of having a broad democratic spread among their neighbours.The skepticism comes from wondering what the government is going to do about rental affordability and availability when they are so desperately keen not to do anything about holiday rentals having taken over what should be residential homes. And then we have the woman in a small apartment block whose racist neighbour is just making up the rules as he goes – aided and abetted by absentee owners and a supine strata manager – including banning her from common property. That’s all in this week’s refreshed and renewed podcast.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We're back, after a couple of weeks' break while I was away, and while we were doing the 'Lawyer in the Hot Seat' thing.Sue 00:07And then when you came back, you brought a special souvenir for me; two souvenirs. One was a really nice pair of pyjamas, so thank you for that, and the other one was a dose of Scottish COVID!Jimmy 00:17Yes, it's a very special Scottish COVID. Deep-fried COVID.Sue 00:23So my pleasure at seeing you back was tempered somewhat, by both of us then falling ill.Jimmy 00:28Yes. At one point earlier this year in Scotland, one person in 11 was infected with COVID. If I had known that, I would never have gone over there! And we are in a very unusual position for us, this week.Sue 00:45What's that?Jimmy 00:45You've just finished writing a book?Sue 00:48Yes.Jimmy 00:48Which means for the first time that I can remember, you are not in the middle of writing a book, because they've all overlapped. You know, you had 'Elizabeth & Elizabeth,' and then you had 'Daughter of the River Country,' and then you had 'Mary Mary.' Oh sorry, the Fiona Wood biography, which is coming out...Sue 01:07In September, I think, yes. It's weird, isn't it? I mean, it's so strange, because all the time you're on a mad deadline and you're working and you're thinking "oh my god, I wish I didn't have these books to write.' You think it's going to be so wonderful when you don't have them and and as soon as you don't have them, I start getting really fidgety and thinking "oh, my god, what am I going to do with my life?"Jimmy 01:08You'll think of something.Sue 01:31Yes. I wrote the words 'the end' today, which is my favourite part of writing a book, but I still need to go through the book and just trim it up and kind of refine it a little bit, I think.Jimmy 01:43The essence of good writing is rewriting.Sue 01:45Yes, but hopefully not too much rewriting!Jimmy 01:49Okay, now back to our proper job, which is this podcast. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:58And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 02:00And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[Music]Jimmy One of the features on the Flat Chat website at the moment, is something that you wrote for The Sydney Morning Herald, about a development in Wollongong.Sue 02:26Yes, that was fascinating. I mean, I went there just before you came home and made me sick, Jimmy.Jimmy 02:33Can we just get over it?Sue 02:35Okay. So I went down to Wollongong. I went to the breaking ground ceremony and it was the start of a new fabulous luxury apartment building. But it was a very, very different apartment building.

Podcast: Lawyer in the Hot Seat, part 2

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 12:46:43 -0400

Welcome to the second part of Lawyer In The Hot Seat, in which strata lawyer (and Flat Chat sponsor) David Bannerman invited us on to his webinar.This week, Jimmy asks and David answers your questions about the NSW strata information hub and whether it might deter people from taking office-bearer roles in strata committees.On short-term letting, David suggests that an over-crowding by-law may be the most effective way of dealing with abuses, especially with its much higher fines.We discuss strata committees wrongly using OC funds for political campaigns – even when they are strata-related (such as pro or anti-pets and EV charging).We also look at questions about the right to view CCTV after a theft from a car, who compensates a tenant when their parking is closed off, a two-lot strata scheme with no records, inadequate lighting on a dark pathway and what you can do when your upstairs neighbour exposes their floorboards and becomes a noise nuisance.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Hello, this is the second part of the coverage of our webinar, 'Lawyer in the Hot Seat,' with strata lawyer, David Bannerman. This week, we pick up on the question of the Strata Hub; the information repository, that some people think might be asking us to give too much information, such as personal phone numbers and email addresses. There's a whole heap of other stuff, including some questions that were sent in, as we were doing the webinar. So, sit back and enjoy. Once again, the sound quality isn't up to our usual standards, because we recorded it on Zoom, but it's okay. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review and this is the Flat Chat Wrap.JimmyThe hub; the famous Strata Hub, David... The question is, how will owners corporations entice strata committee members to become office bearers, when their private email addresses and phone numbers will be available to every resident of the building (and owner, who might not be a resident). Do you see that as an issue, coming up?David Bannerman 01:24The Strata Hub is certainly a bone of contention at the moment, with the strata industry, particularly the strata managers. They're concerned, that they will lose some members who are willing to be office bearers, because the two office bearer's positions will be shared with all the owners. The secretary's position and the chairperson's position, and the way it's framed; even though the manager's delegated the functions, that won't suffice, by simply inserting the strata manager's details. It will need to be the individual committee person, who's appointed as a chairperson, and likewise, the secretary. That is a position there that will also be disclosed to various parties, being the emergency contact person, such as the police and emergency services. Now, the strata managing agent can be appointed to that position. I think that in small buildings, where people already know everybody, it won't have any impact on that position, but I think that in larger buildings, like 100-odd lots, where there could be a lot more emails than what a secretary or chairperson might wish to receive from random occupants or owners, that they may prefer not to take that position. So, it could have an impact on that larger scale.Jimmy 02:49Yes, and I think the problem is that, as many people have said, it's hard enough to get people to do the job sometimes, because the kind of people that you want to be in the position of chair or secretary, are smart, intelligent, successful people, who might be already busy, being smart, intelligent and successful in their working life. They certainly don't want to be sitting there at work and get an email saying 'what about that barking dog in flat 17?' You know, it's that kind of thing; or the abusive ones, that occasionally come up. I remember years ago, somebody said to me that one resident out of ever..

Podcast: Lawyer in the hotseat, Part 1

Mon, 30 May 2022 04:36:15 -0400

Amid all the discussions on this website about strata law, regulations and by-laws, we spend a lot of time talking about the way things ought to be and the difference with how they really are.David BannermanEvery so often it helps to cut through all the wishful thinking and speculation to get some definitive answers and so we were delighted to be asked by David Bannerman of Bannermans Lawyers to participate in his monthly webinar.In fact, it’s worth pointing out that this was actually his show, not ours, but judging by the intro, I seem to have inadvertently hijacked the online event.But that’s all window-dressing. In this, the first half of a discussion in which David - one of Flat Chat's strata law sponsors - answers your questions, we got into issues like water-proofing, how design practitioners are delayingwork and inflating the costs, the whole pet by-laws issue, sacking managers and EV charging.At this point I have to say there are parts where David’s audio is less than perfect – the perils of using Zoom to record these events – and if you are really struggling with it, the transcript (below) will get the job done.Next week, we’ll run the second part of what turned out to be a very interesting chat with some truly curly questions from you, our readers.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Just over a week ago, I hosted a webinar online. We called it 'Lawyer in the Hot Seat,' and one of our sponsors, strata lawyer David Bannerman, came along to answer your questions, which had been sent in advance on a Zoom webinar. The webinar lasted an hour; we've cut it into two parts, that we are presenting this week and next. The sound quality isn't up to our usual standards, because we recorded it on Zoom. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review, and this is a special Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyWe've got a lot of questions to get through. David Bannerman is the fastest lawyer in the east, so we'll probably get through quite a lot. I'm seeing lots of chat coming up and I hope somebody else is looking at them, because I am a bear of little brain, and I can only do so much at one time. Are you ready, David?David Bannerman 01:11Thanks Jimmy, for joining us. For those of you who don't know, Jimmy (most of you should), but he's a well-known commentator in the strata space and was recently in the AFR, talking about Strata Hub, and is often in the frontline of lots of owner inquiries, regarding strata stuff. We thought it'd be good to see what sort of questions he's frequently encountering and seeing what we can do to help the strata community get a better footing on their position.Jimmy 01:40All right, thank you for that. David. I'm going to kick off with a question that comes pretty much straight off the Flat Chat forum and it is; if an external hosepipe on say, a washing machine, bursts and floods the unit downstairs, passing through common property, who is responsible for the repairs; the upstairs owner, or their insurance (if they have it), strata insurance, or the downstairs owners' insurance (if they have it)?David Bannerman 02:10It's a good question and it happens a lot, where there's a few rights that follow. One is, the person who might have suffered the damage below, could have an 'action in nuisance' against the person above, for allowing the water to escape from their property and cause the damage below. Now, it wouldn't normally be a failing in the common property, because concrete is porous, so it's supposed to allow water through, so there's probably no problem with the common property in that circumstance. As to insurance though, a strata insurance will typically cover burst pipes, and claims can be processed through that. Alternatively, a claim could be processed through the lot owner's insurance, in the event that it covered that sort of event. The payment of the excess and the increase in the premium that..

Podcast: Positive property plan and negative gearing

Mon, 23 May 2022 17:22:16 -0400

The first thing that happens after a new government is elected is that the Prime Minister and the party divvy up the ministries.The next thing after that is that they look at what they have promised during the election campaign and work out how much of it they can or want to implement.In this week’s podcast we ask if the new Labor government’s commitment to co-owning homes with first-time property buyers is going to take the heat out of the property market … or just make it worse.And will the government grasp the nettle of negative gearing and dial down the effect that one economist has described as rewarding people for making bad property investments?We meet a new strata owner who has, with the best intentions, managed to get most of his colleagues on his committee offside by asking awkward questions.We also look at a couple of points that came out of last week’s “Lawyer in the Hot Seat” webinar. The first was a part of strata law that’s generally overlooked which is that if you win a tribunal case against your owners corp, they have to find a way of making sure you don’t pay any part of their legal expenses - and that means a special levy that excludes you.The other item that stood out was, if your owners corporation has been making donations to campaigns for or against even strata-related issues, such as pets or short-term letting, they have probably been breaking the law.All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Well, there's been an election, and we've got a new government, or we're getting one.Sue 00:03Yes, sure thing!Jimmy 00:04So we'll be talking a bit about what that means to the housing market. What else have we got on the agenda, Sue?Sue 00:11Well, you took part in a webinar the other day, I think, didn't you?Jimmy 00:13I did.Sue 00:14With the strata lawyer, David Bannerman, and you said that a couple of really interesting things came up there. I think you also had a really interesting query on the Flat Chat forum, from a first-time strata owner?Jimmy 00:25Yes, somebody who's got themselves on the committee and immediately started raising the alarm about things that they thought should have been done and hadn't been done. There's a lot to talk about. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I wrote the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:41And I'm Sue Williams, and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:43And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. So we now have a government with the majority who are Labor Party, but crossbenchers...Sue 01:07Playing a big role, as well.Jimmy 01:08Yes and I mean, the Greens were talking about building millions of houses, or apartments. I don't remember the teal independents saying much about housing. They were very much focused on the environment and integrity.Sue 01:26That's right.Jimmy 01:27We're back to what the Labor Party was proposing, which was that they would be co-owners of houses and flats, for first time buyers.Sue 01:39And it's interesting, because I think the Liberals staked a lot on their plan about housing affordability; on allowing people to use more of their super and it seemed really, as if that was quite a popular notion, but then maybe, a lot of the negatives about the Liberals, outweighed that positive. But I mean, lots of people were saying, well, you shouldn't be using your super; you should be keeping it for when you're older. And other people were saying, well, it's a great idea, because an investment in super, doesn't pay as much as an investment in property.Jimmy 02:12That's true.Sue 02:12So in some ways, there were lots of things in favour of that, but maybe it just wasn't quite popular enough.Jimmy 02:23You know, it was all politics, really. I don't think the scare campaign about having Jim Chalmers sitting at the end of your kitch..

Podcast: Property battle on for young and old

Mon, 16 May 2022 20:01:29 -0400

This week on the Flat Chat Wrap, as we approach the election, we are looking again at the various parties housing policies and wonder what they really mean.We recorded this before the announcement that young people will be able dip into their Super to help fund the purchase of a flat or house if the Coalition holds on to power, and the revelation on ABC radio that they couldn’t find a single economist who thought it was a good idea.I mean, do young people have much in the way of super anyway?Instead we focus on the previous offer to older Australians to downsize and put their profits into their super. As we discuss, with the gap between median house and apartment prices being almost double, that could be a big chunk o’ money.Elsewhere on the pod, we are revisiting a couple of hot topics that have been covered in detail on the website. There’s EV charging and some disturbing information about how the strata Hub will work, for a start.There another piece of bad news for the benighted owners of Mascot Towers and a revelation from the Forum about a 24-unit block that’s just been hit with a $2 million special levy for a balcony revamp that might not even be needed.All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00It's the last week before the election, and they're throwing out policies. When I say throwing out; they're spreading their wisdom.Sue 00:08Absolutely.Jimmy 00:09So, we're going to talk about some policies that are related to apartments. We're going to talk about electric vehicles, because I listened into that webinar the other day. What else have we got, Sue?Sue 00:22We're also going to be talking about the latest development in Mascot Towers, which isn't so good, either. And, the case of an apartment building, which has just imposed a huge special levy on its residence.Jimmy 00:38Alright. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:44And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:47And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySo it's Sunday, and we've retreated to our little office, to get away from the smell of barbecue smoke from downstairs.Sue 01:12Because it's such a lovely day. It's a good BBQ day, really.Jimmy 01:15Whatever they're doing; they're either burning charcoal, or burning whatever they're trying to cook and they shouldn't be doing it. And you know who you are and you'd better stop. All right? Now, the election; well, we've got this policy, which is unfortunately about superannuation and downsizing. I say 'unfortunately,' because I don't really understand superannuation, to be honest.Sue 01:43Don't you?Jimmy 01:43No.Sue 01:44You better learn it quickly, now you're getting older!Jimmy 01:47I should, but apparently, they're going to allow anyone who's over 65, who sells their house because they're downsizing...Sue 01:56Anyone over 55, Jimmy.Jimmy 02:00They can then put $300,000 of the money they get from selling their big house, into their superannuation when they move into a smaller property, which let's face it, often means apartments.Sue 02:16Absolutely. And they will have much more time, when they won't be penalised on their pension, for having that extra money.Jimmy 02:27See, that's the bit I don't understand, is the pension thing. But anyway, it must be good news for potential downsizers, or the government wouldn't be trumpeting it and the opposition wouldn't be saying "oh, yeah, we'll do that and we'll go better."Sue 02:45Well, the opposition has kind of said it's a bit modest, really, and they say they don't really know what kind of effect it will have. They say if you're around 55, or just over; how many people who have families, would have kids out of home by then?

Podcast: Will exposure drive away office-bearers?

Mon, 09 May 2022 21:56:25 -0400

Imagine you are the chair or secretary of a strata scheme. You can cope with fielding a reasonable number of messages via the strata manager or building manager.It’s a mixed bag, some of the messages are simple and straightforward, some are well-intentioned if occasionally ill-informed, and there’s the odd one that’s abusive and ignorant.It’s all part of the cut and thrust of strata living and one way or another it lets you know what people in the building are thinking.Then one day, you start getting angry phone calls on your personal phone and your private email inbox is swamped with abusive emails and spam.That’s when you might decide enough is enough. Keeping your hands on the levers of power is not worth the hassle and personal abuse to which you are suddenly subjected.That’s the nightmare scenario dreaded by some strata professionals, and it’s one they fear will see competent and experienced strata office-bearers give up when NSW’s new strata Hub comes into being at the end of next month.From June 30, strata committee office-bearers’ email addresses and phone numbers will be available to all owners and residents, including renters, as well as rental agents. We kick that around on this week’s podcast.We also look at the challenges real estate agents face when they are trying to sell properties in blocks that have been allowed to go to seed, or apartments where the vendors are determinedly living in the past.And we pick up on a Forum question about whether or not strata owners are legally obliged to maintain a TV aerial on the roof of their building.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Have you heard of the strata hub?Sue 00:02Oh, vaguely, but it was a while ago that I last heard about it.Jimmy 00:06Right. So this is the thing that was set up; originally, it was Victor Dominello's idea to have a central repository for all the information about every strata scheme in New South Wales. It's all going to happen on June the 30th, so we're going to talk about that. We're going to talk about buying and selling and what you see when you go around, looking at apartments. We're going to talk about TV aerials, and strata lawyers (a lot, actually). Another day when we thought we had nothing and now, we discover that we've got too much. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:46And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:49And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. So, the strata hub; a new regulation. Interesting, reading it. For a start, it's confusing (of course), because it's Australian law, so it has to be confusing. This is information that strata schemes have to give to the secretary, with a capital S. Who would you assume the Secretary was?Sue 01:28The person who was nominated to be the secretary, by the rest of the strata committee.Jimmy 01:33No, it's not them. It's the Secretary in the Department of Services. Not Community Services; Services New South Wales. So, they've got a capital S for this Secretary, but of course, you're reading it and you're going, so if you're giving this to the Secretary, who's the Secretary? It's a different Secretary.Sue 02:01Because my second guess, when you asked me that question, would have been the strata managing agent. It would never have occurred to me; the Department Secretary.Jimmy 02:09No, there you go. I'm glad we've cleared that up, or caused more confusion. This is what your strata secretary has to provide to the government secretary; the strata plan number, the date of registration of the strata plan, whether or not it's part of a community scheme, whether or not it's part of a precinct scheme. The address, the total number of lots, the number of lots in the strata scheme used for residential, retirement village, commercial,

Podcast: Woman who married her cat – the facts

Tue, 03 May 2022 03:25:50 -0400

Sometimes the fur flies at weddings, and things can certainly get catty between landlords and tenants but, as we explore in this week's podcast, a woman has taken things to a whole new level in an effort to get round restrictions on pets.This story about the woman who married her cat started in Sidcup, just outside London, and has gone around the world and back again. But Jimmy did some digging and discovered that on just about every occasion, it has been misreported.It's not the cat-lady's fault - people just made assumptions (as they do). So, listen in for the truth behind reports that this was to avoid eviction for having a pet where one wasn’t allowed.There’s more to this than meets the (cat’s) eye, including the revelation that Debora Hodge isn't the first cat lover to marry her pet.Then there’s the certifier of the building next to Mascot Towers who was discovered to have been in China when he was supposedly approving the building works.We ask why Building Commissioner David Chandler didn’t want journalists at a developers’ seminar he addressed recently.We examine why councillors and council officials in a Sydney Local Government Area now have to register every meeting they have with developers. (We use the word “record” in the podcast but we mean make a written record, not an audio recording.)And we speculate on what interest rate rises and political posturing is likely to do to apartment prices and rental availability.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap … and here’s a video of the cat lady, as a little bonus.https://youtu.be/8YEYJy_nIFITRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Every week we sit down to do this podcast, and we start off thinking we don't have anything to talk about. By the time we are sat down, we're thinking "we don't have enough time, to talk about everything."This week, we have a woman who married her cat, so that she could stay in her rented accommodation. Although, there's more to that than it sounds. We've got the certifier...Sue 00:26Did the cat own the apartment or something?Jimmy 00:28 No.Sue 00:29Pets weren't allowed in the apartment; that's why she married her pet?Jimmy 00:32 Not even that.Sue 00:32Oh, okay. I'll be interested to hear about that!Jimmy 00:35And, there's a certifier who's been struck off, for life. We've got all sorts of other things with developers, including David Chandler... Big news about David Chandler; the Building Commissioner and what the various parties are promising to do about housing. The Greens have got some pretty exciting ideas. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review. And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain. And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Sue 01:21So, what's this about the woman marrying her cat?Jimmy 01:23Oh, this is a story that's bouncing around social media at the moment. Basically, the story is that Deborah Hodge from Sidcup in southeast London, has married her cat India, to avoid... Well, according to the stories, it's to avoid being evicted from her apartment and then you dig into the story and you discover that she is not in danger of being evicted because she has a cat, she's in danger of being evicted, because she hasn't paid her rent.Sue 01:54Oh! So why has she married her cat?Jimmy 01:57To make it clear to prospective landlords, that she and the cat come as a unit. Twice in the past she has "had to give up her beloved pets, because landlords didn't allow pets in the rented property." Okay, I know exactly what you're thinking; you're thinking well, find another property that does allow pets. Two Huskies were the first ones that she had to give up and another cat, which apparently broke her heart. So Deborah; poor Deborah, she's (dare I use the word 'failed'?), no longer employed as a 'life coach.'Sue 02:37

Podcast: Flat-sharing – there’s an app for that

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 02:16:56 -0400

In this week’s podcast we dive into the exciting world of flat-sharing … something neither of us have done for at least 30 years.How different can it all be in the Third Millennium? Well, for a start, we didn't have the internet, where you can advertise your flat or yourself, including pictures, to see if you may be a better match than just turning up at the door with a deposit.But there’s more than that. There are now all sorts of useful apps to help you function as a group of like-minded residents rather than just a bunch of people who share the rent, as well as prctical advice on how to be a better flatmate and how to get rid of someone who turns out to be a pain in the butt.There are a lot of flat-sharing websites around but we focused on flatmatefinders.com.au and flatmates.com.au, which is where we found lists of the most and least expensive flat shares in Australia. You'll find a guide to the apps here.Also in the podcast this week we look back at the effects of covid, materials shortages and terrible weather and wonder if any off-the-plan developments are nearing their sunset clause deadlines.And if so, who is more likely to tear up the contracts – the developers or the purchasers?We take a quick look at a report that says our worst-designed buildings and suburbs are driving residents out of their overheated homes and into the air-conditioned cool of shopping malls.And we ask why so many local government areas aren’t meeting their new housing targets. That’s all in this week’s podcast.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Last week, we blithely advised listeners who are struggling even to find somewhere to rent, that they could houseshare.Sue 00:06Sure.Jimmy 00:08They need somewhere to live. So we're going to be looking at that whole house sharing thing in today's podcast. And, we're going to be talking about sunset clauses and how they can affect your decisions on buying (or not buying), off-the-plan. And, a couple of other things, that have come up in the news. I'm Jimmy Thomson; I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:32And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:35And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySo, having advised our listeners (who can't afford to buy, or rent a flat on their own), to maybe consider flat-sharing, I had a bit of a look at that this weekend, to see how you would do it. I mean, it's been so long, since we've shared houses with anyone and of course, since we last did it, the internet has been invented, and stuff like that.Sue 01:14That's right. It always used to be notes on boards, if you were at college or word-of-mouth from friends and...Jimmy 01:21'Room to rent.'Sue 01:23Well, they still do stick them on lampposts sometimes, don't they? But that's probably not a very efficient way of doing it.Jimmy 01:29Probably not, although it does get you people who are already living in the area. So anyway, I went online, and I found a few things; there's a thing called Gumtree Share, or Gumtree Rent. But the two big platforms seem to be flatmates.com.au and Flatmate Finders is another one. flatmates.com.au is owned by realestate.com.au They bought it in 2016, for $25 million.Sue 02:07Wow!Jimmy 02:08It claims to be the most visited website; Flatmate Finder claims to have the most properties and potential renters on it. Some of the figures that they use, it's quite funny. flatmates.com.au says "we're twice as big as our nearest rivals," and then, they show you this graph, that shows that they have 90% of the market, which... So, it's different figures, but let's just say that there are two platforms that are big there. There are others, but these seem to be the biggest ones. The way they make their money is that you can list your property (or yourself, if you're looking for a flat share), for free,

Podcast: When what you see is not what you’ll get

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 00:06:37 -0400

This week, we delve into the dark arts employed by real estate agents and property stylists to persuade you that an absolute lemon is, in fact, your dream “forever home.”How come that beautiful tapestry is on the wall of this humble abode? Why are all the lights on and the windows closed?Why are there three real estate agents from the same firm at a viewing of one relatively humble unit? We have some answers that will amaze and appal you.Also in the podcast, we try once again to shed a light on electrical vehicle charging and, more to the point, why so many people are dead set against it.Jimmy posits an unprovable thesis that the same people who expect to be allowed to build an extension on their balcony on a nod and a wink, suddenly want by-laws, legally binding guarantees and acts of parliament before they’ll put a meter on an electrical socket.This discussion – which is still going on – was prompted by Sue’s story about the doctor who was forced to sell his electric car and followed up by lively exchanges on the Forum.The upshot? The laws are already in place to make this, theoretically, a slam-dunk for anyone who wants to charge their car. But they are vague enough to give the climate denialists enough ammunition to stop it.To be fair there are schemes where the wiring that’s been in place since Day One defies the best efforts of pro-EV residents to move this forward.However the BS Brigade may have met its match in a webinar planned for next month – and the supporting literature already online – that presents the true facts of the matter. We catch up with trends in property prices (softening) and rents (soaring) and what’s happening with flammable cladding when Jimmy does something he almost never does – he agrees with the government.That’s all in this week’s podcast.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00It's Easter Monday. Everybody else is on holiday, but not the Flat Chat podcast.Sue 00:05No, we never holiday.Jimmy 00:06We never close, like the old Windmill Theatre in London. Today we're going to talk about; I suppose you could call it controversy... There's a bit of discussion on the Flat Chat website, about electric vehicle charging. It was all started by your story, by the way.Sue 00:24Oh, right.Jimmy 00:26We're going to talk also, about the latest on cladding and you've got quite a lot of stuff about property prices, and rents.Sue 00:37Yep, all about the market.Jimmy 00:38All about the market. We'll be talking about that. I thought this might be a short podcast, but I've got a feeling that it's not going to be short. Anyway, I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:53And I'm Sue Williams, I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:57And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyIt's a bit quieter outside today. We don't have the usual...Well, now that I've said that, we'll probably get a procession of trucks and cars, driving up the road outside. Usually, we have to stop when things get a bit noisy outside and sometimes, we just keep going. It adds to the ambience, or not. Did I get into trouble this week, over electric vehicle charging? You wrote a story about the building that..Sue 01:38Refused to allow one of it's residents to use the power point in the garage.Jimmy 01:43Yes, and then we had quite a long exchange with people on the Flat Chat forum and I completely misread the situation, because I thought it was the strata manager responsible (or his company had come back), which it turned out, was a completely different person; nothing to do with them. This is on the forum, if you want to catch up with this. It was interesting, because all these situations are different and some of them are unique. This person who wrote to us had, I think it was 36 garage openers, on one circuit. So,

Podcast: EV doc block shock and green backflip

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 03:57:01 -0400

It’s another bumper podcast this week with some topics revisited, some from the Forum and others that are fresh out of the Flat Chat hot cross bunfight oven.First up, we take a deeper dive into the case of the doctor who was denied the opportunity to charge up his electric car from common property power because … good question!You can read the dubious reasons given for sealing off the car park power socket (because that's what the committee did) HERE.You might think he could have made the effort to get his landlord to jump through all the various hoops required to get a by-law passed.But when you consider that a by-law probably wasn’t needed, and that it was easier to sell the car than do all that, you can sense the frustration rising like the power level on a fast-charge battery.Also we kick around the news that the state government has done a backflip on its plans to require sustainability measures to be built into new strata blocks, and for them to be kept away from flood and fire-prone areas.And we look at an Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute which has some praise but quite a lot of criticism about the way various state governments, as well as the Feds, responded to the pandemic in terms of housing.We pose the question that’s been running hot in the Flat Chat forum about whether a tenant who’s been told she can’t use the car park because the driveway is being resurfaced is entitled to a rent rebate.We revisit the question about what happens to your ‘pay-as-you-go’ deposit for an off-the-plan apartment if you suddenly can’t make the payments.And Jimmy talks about how a run-in with a debt collection company made him suspicious of the recently announced push towards digital checks on potential tenants.If you want to know how a misplaced dot in an email address can get you close to being put on a credit blacklist, this is the podcast for you.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Another packed agenda today, Sue Williams.Sue 00:03Okay, Jimmy Thomson, I'm ready.Jimmy 00:05Well, I hope so! We've got the doctor who wasn't allowed to charge the electric car. We've got the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute report on the response to the pandemic, as far as housing is concerned. We've got something off the forum, about a tenant, who was told that she can't use the carpark for at least a week, because they're resurfacing the driveway, and that has sparked a huge debate on the Flat Chat forum. We've got a couple of updates about Third-i and their pay-as -you-go deposit scheme and an update on the thing we ran last week about tenant checks, by a company called Equifax. That is a lot!Sue 00:50Okay, we better get started then!Jimmy 00:53I am Jimmy Thomson, I wrote the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:57And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:00And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOkay Sue, I think we mentioned this a couple of weeks ago; you ran a story in the Sydney Morning Herald (and online this week), and it got picked up by radio. You have received a lot of correspondence; some a little bit unsavoury, I believe.Sue 01:36But others are very supportive and others are very constructive, as well.Jimmy 01:41And it's about a doctor who was not allowed to charge his electric vehicle in his apartment block, for reasons that are beyond him and I have to say, beyond me. So, what's the story?Sue 01:56Right, he's a tenant in his apartment building. He bought an EV and he was charging it up; there was a power point in the garage, so he was powering it up, on that power point. The owners corporation said no, you're not allowed to use that power point, because that's common property. He said well, I'm very happy to pay. It's going to cost about $10 a week in electricity, to charge my car; I'm very happy to pay you $10 a we..

Podcast: Will data diving replace tenant checks?

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 00:42:13 -0400

A couple of weeks ago we received a press release from a company called Equifax who are a data analysis company that specialises in credit checks, among other things.Those “other things” include being asked by the NSW state government to establish its proposed ratings system for apartment developers which is, we probably all agree, a good thing.The main thrust of the press release was that Equifax’s National Tenancy Database (NTD) could do a lot of the tenant checks that rental agents currently do “manually” i.e. calling up your references, employers and previous landlords or agents.But it goes further than that. Their checks would include tenants’ credit ratings, criminal records, company directorships, bankruptcies and even, it seems at first glance, whether or not they have taken their landlords or their owners corporations to a state tribunal with any kind of claim.Since we recorded the podcast, Equifax have assured as that they only mentioned tenants rights and claims as an example of how the burden on rental agents has increased - something they claim would be reduced by using their database.They have no plans to include tenants' assertion of their rights on the National Tenancy Database reports. We have to take them at their word but the information on claims against landlords and owners' corporations is out there, on the record somewhere, so it's an area worth watching In any case, if you’re a property investor, you may think this is a good thing. But we are pretty uneasy about how data mining could play out for tenants who, after all, make up half the residents of strata schemes in Australia.By the way, we’re still digging and this will be the topic of an upcoming column in the AFR.Elsewhere on the pod, we discuss why developers have been pushing hard to have some of the hard-won and well-thought-out environmentally responsible planning controls scrapped.As is always the way these days, no sooner had we talked about it than the government asked “how high?” when the developers said “jump!”We also look at why apartment purchasers are drifting back to lifestyle developments, rather than low-cost, no-frills blocks.And we discover a point of NSW strata law that seems to mean that if your owners corp loses a case against you at the tribunal, they can’t pay their expenses out of the admin fund but instead have to raise a special levy from all the other owners except you.That’s all in this week’s podcast.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We've got a stack of stuff to get through today... A new process for assessing tenants, a thing about how your owners corporation can't charge you for what it costs them to take you to NCAT. You've got a couple of stories as well?Sue 00:14Yes, about new proposed planning laws, and how developers are really arching up against those, and also, how apartments with lots of facilities are suddenly back in fashion again.Jimmy 00:36Right. I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:41And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:44And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Sue 00:59So, what's this new scheme about landlords, trying to check up on tenants?Jimmy 01:03Okay, so this arrives (as so many press releases do these days), as a survey of property managers. It's quite interesting. They say that property managers are being overworked, unnecessarily.Sue 01:17What's a property manager, is that a strata manager or building manager?Jimmy 01:20No, it's an agent, a rental agent.Sue 01:23Oh, I see.Jimmy 01:25So, property rental agents are being overworked, because of the pandemic, partly; because of tenant's loss of income and impacting their ability to make rental payments. A higher volume of tenancy applications, compared to properties available for rent.Sue 01:44Yes,

Podcast: Deposit option smashes avocado barrier

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 03:05:18 -0400

This week’s podcast discovers a new way of buying property – or at least putting down a deposit.The problem for many prospective home buyers is that, all the time they are saving for the deposit on a new home, prices keep rising so the amount they need to save gets more and so the property is always just out of reach.But we've heard about a new proposal that's been introduced where you can put down a relatively small deposit on a new flat and that add to it every week so that by the time the unit is ready, you’ve got enough in the bank to go and get a mortgage.Now, as frequently happens on the pod, someone in government is clearly hacking into our conversations as we record them, and changing policy to suit.So while we were musing about how hard it would be to raise a 20 per cent deposit over two years, the government was renewing its policy of allowing first-time home buyers to only put down five per cent deposits.All of which makes the new CoPosit plan even more feasible. You can have your smashed avo and eat it, and hear all about it here.Back to the pod we discuss the best and worst strata managers and we take a look at a couple of stories fresh off the Flat Chat Forum, including what to do if one committee member drives everyone away and how to get more people to come along to meetings.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00A couple of interesting things have come up this week; we have a new way of buying an apartment.Sue 00:07Oh yes?Jimmy 00:08It doesn't involve Bitcoin. It's a new way of getting a deposit together, which sounds quite interesting. We are going to talk about strata managers, good and bad and we're going to dive into the forum again, to see what weird and wonderful stories have come out of the Flat Chat forum, on the Flat Chat website. We've got a lot to talk about. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:38And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:41And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyNow, be honest Sue, have you ever heard of coposit before?Sue 01:01Never. I can say that with a huge amount of confidence. So, it's a corruption of the word deposit, is it?Jimmy 01:08Co-deposit. It's a portmanteau word, that's got two words in it.Sue 01:14Oh, okay.Jimmy 01:15Like J-Lo.Sue 01:17 Or Scomo.Jimmy 01:18Yes. This is co-deposit.Sue 01:23Coposit.Jimmy 01:23They should have called it coposit, couldn't they?Sue 01:25They did call it coposit.Jimmy 01:26Did they?Sue 01:27Yes.Jimmy 01:27That's a good thing, then. Alright, so what is it? We've got a press release; we've never come across it before. Sounds...Well, on the one hand, it sounds incredibly mundane, because it's all about a project; an apartment project in Newcastle, called Dairy Farmers Towers? Wouldn't you just love to live there?Sue 01:52I could grow fat, just thinking about it, really. Presumably, it's on the former site of a dairy or something?Jimmy 01:59Yes, the big Dairy Farmers bottling plant in West Newcastle. They have come up with a way that they think will get new homebuyers (first-time homebuyers, especially), into the market. As we have constantly said, in this podcast and on the website, and in your stories; the difficulty for people trying to get into the market, is that they save for a deposit and as they're saving for the deposit, the price is going up and up and up and that deposit is getting further and further and further away. So, these people have come up with this idea of coposit, where you put up $10,000 (so you've got to have some money), but then you pay off the rest of the deposit, while the building is being built.Sue 02:49Oh, that's interesting. So, in theory, you only need $10,000 deposit,

Podcast: When your fabulous view disappears

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 21:03:11 -0400

We’ve plundered the Flat Chat Forum for talking points this week, but first we discuss an issue that’s come to Sue from one of her Domain readers.Did you know that if you buy an apartment off the plan and the finished unit varies from the contract design by more than 5%, you can ask for a discount or possibly even rescind the contract?But how about if the plan for the whole scheme has changed considerably? For instance, if the building is much closer to other buildings than you were originally led to believe?What if there isn't as much green space as you were promised, or if the view that you were sold is about to be blocked by another building?It seems that not only do you have no recourse, the developer doesn’t even need to tell you that they have lodged an amended plan with the council.This week we pull that topic apart in the podcast and see what comes wriggling out from under those stones.Getting back to the Forum, we have a look at the whole question of what is and isn’t common property.And we discuss the plight of an owner – or perhaps her neighbours – who’s been issued with a notice to comply because of her late-night chats in her backyard of a townhouse complex.We also get into the area of strange noises from other apartments and wrap up various questions and answers raised about the whole business of fire safety inspections.That's all in this week's Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00It's forum week, on Flat Chat.Sue 00:02Oh, what's that?Jimmy 00:03I've just invented it. It's where we can talk about things that have come up on the forum.Sue 00:10Oh, yes? Have you had lots of things come up?Jimmy 00:11I get lots and lots of things come up. I get two or three things come up, but then lots of people respond; some of them making more sense than others, it has to be said.Sue 00:13And more sense than you?Jimmy 00:25Often this is the case. We've got a lot of material to get through. I am Jimmy Thomson, I wrote the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:36And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:39And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyWell, having announced 'forum week,' our first story isn't about the forum, at all. One of the listeners to this podcast contacted you with a strange story... It's strange, because I'm surprised it hasn't ever come up before.Sue 01:12Yes, I've never encountered anything like this before, either. Basically, this person bought an apartment off-the-plan in the inner west and then subsequently, the developer changed the plans. She made the point that unfortunately, she's bought the place, but she's surprised, because it's changed quite a lot.Jimmy 01:32Now, is this the apartment that's changed?Sue 01:34No, it's the area of the apartment complex. Her apartment was meant to look out onto greenery; a really lovely view. Now, it looks as if (from the amended plans), it's now going to be looking out onto other buildings. The buildings are much closer together than they were originally, in the original plans. She made the point (quite rightly), that it's interesting; when developers do change DA submissions...When they amend them, they obviously have to reapply to council and then the local council will let all the ratepayers within that area know about these these amended changes. Ratepayers are then able to have the opportunity to object, or to not do anything, but the people who have bought into the building, because they're not ratepayers (unless they live nearby anyway), they're not hearing about these changes, because the developer doesn't have to let them know.Jimmy 02:30Wow! Do you think the developer should have to let them know?Sue 02:34Yes, absolutely, because this lady made the point that the only time you're actually going to be told is; you can go on..

Podcast: Causing strata strife is not okay, Boomers

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 02:56:10 -0400

Entitled, arrogant, ignorant and occasionally abusive – those are some of the accusations that have been levelled at the latest band of baddies to emerge in strata: downsizing Baby Boomers.Obviously, this doesn't apply to all Boomers - because we are members of that ageing club too. But, as we discuss in this week’s podcast, making the adjustment from being kings and queens in their own McMansion castles is only half the story.Finding out that they don’t even own the external walls of their home can come as a shock to some (but not all) downsizers, not to mention the rules and regulations they are subject to.And all of this is a bit too much for some (not you, of course!) who are used to people listening to them and doing their bidding without question, and who take their frustrations out on strata managers, building managers, committee members and neighbours.Also in the podcast, a new report asks why so little has been done to remove and replace flammable cladding from our apartment blocks.And we ask how generous Airbnb is really being with their website that allows hosts to offer their holiday lets to people rendered homeless by recent floods.What they’re not doing, despite publicity to the contrary, is offering free housing to flood-affected families. What could and should they be doing? We give our rating. TRANSCRIPT IN FULLDue to dubious quality of the original audio supplied to our transcribers, there may be some discrepancies between the following text and the podcast, which has been re-edited and now sounds as good as ever. A big thanks to our heroic transcribers.Jimmy 00:00Last week, we spoke briefly about the floods in northern New South Wales and the impact that Airbnb, Stayz and the other holiday rentals could have on the homeless emergency up there. That's been picked up by a couple of MPs, so we'll be talking about that today. You've got some updates on the flammable cladding situation and we're going to talk about the looming problem in strata (according to some strata managers), which is Baby Boomers. That's all in this week's podcast. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:47And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:50And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyLast week, we mentioned the possibility of people who have Airbnb properties, helping out people who have been rendered homeless by the floods, especially up in northern New South Wales, which is Airbnb central, basically; apart from Sydney City. There's a lot of holiday rentals up there.Sue 01:28And also in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.Jimmy 01:33What happened after we recorded our podcast last week, is that two MPs, Tamara Smith and Jenny Leong... Tamara Smith is the MP for Ballina and a Greens MP and Jenny Leong is the Greens' spokesperson on housing. They've come out saying that there's a housing crisis already, and there was before the floods up in northern New South Wales (which was greatly exacerbated by holiday rentals). According to an article in The Guardian, there were more than 6260 Airbnbs operating in the area and there was a shortage of about 2300 homes, for long-term rental. Now, we don't know how many Airbnbs were affected by the floods; I'm sure there were some, but I think we can safely say that the situation has not been improved with the floods. Now, Tamara Smith...Sue 02:38And Jenny Leong...Jimmy 02:39They're saying "look, we need to get all these properties that would normally be long -term residential rents, we need to get them back into the residential rental market, just to alleviate a situation which was already bad, but is now horrendously worse."Sue 02:57Because most of these people; their houses have been damaged so substantially, it's not like they can just clear up and move back in, is it?Jimmy 03:04No, I mean,

Podcast: Flood fears and by-laws to loathe and love

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:58:59 -0500

One of the problems with preparing a fairly light-hearted podcast like the Flat Chat Wrap is that there are a lot of serious issues around that you just can’t ignore but you don’t want to trivialise.Right now the Eastern states are dealing with the immediate problem of devastating floods or their aftermath. What does this have to do with apartment living?We hear about the smart thinking, fast-moving residents of one block who successfully prevented their two-storey underground car park becoming a watery grave for their cars.Then there’s the issue of what happens in multi-storey blocks when the power to the lifts is knocked out?And we ask the question, should we even be allowing people to build houses in flood plains and if not, where can they live? Are apartments the answer?Lightening the tone, we have a chat about the by-laws we loath and those we wish we had.And we even have something nice to say about Airbnb, in the context of that other major story dominating the news, Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00If there's two stories we can't avoid at the moment, it's the floods and...Sue 00:06Shane Warne.Jimmy 00:07The third story is Shane Warne, yes. I was just reading; he used to have a nightclub in his basement.Sue 00:15Yes, I think his parties were quite legendary.Jimmy 00:18Look, he lived life to the full. It's tragic that he's gone, but we're not going to be talking about him anymore, but we are going to be talking about floods; a tiny little story about Ukraine and we're going to be talking about bylaws, and the bylaws you wish you didn't have and you wish you did have. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:44And I'm Sue Williams, I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:47And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyIt looks like the whole of the eastern seaboard has been affected by floods in the past week. Absolutely horrendous, Biblical floods. While one is tempted to say "hey, do you believe in climate change now," the fact is that ordinary people are suffering a lot and businesses are being destroyed.Sue 01:27Absolutely and many of them, have only just got over the floods of a few years ago and they're now having to clean up again, from floods now, which must be absolutely heartbreaking.Jimmy 01:36There's a couple of aspects of this that interest me from a strata point of view and one of them is, what happens to strata buildings, when the floods knock out electricity?Sue 01:47And also, in Brisbane (which is obviously, always badly affected by floods); did you hear about one apartment building in New Farm in Brisbane, where the residents all realised that the Brisbane River was about to break it's banks, so they rushed down to the basement and managed to erect these makeshift barriers, to hold the water back, which actually saved the basement of the building, because they had two levels of underground car parking, which would have both been underwater, had they not all rushed to help? They did it within 30 minutes... Isn't that clever?Jimmy 02:23Well, somebody should employ them now, to develop something for all the other buildings that might be affected. You think about some of those buildings there... When the electricity goes, of course, the lifts go. Now, in our building, it would mean people on the 19th floor would either be stuck there, or they'd have to climb those stairs up and down, to get in and out. Is my memory tricking me, but did we once live in a building that had a big diesel electric generator in the basement, to supply electricity for the building and in an emergency?Sue 03:02Yes, that rings a bell with me, as well. It was the backup generator.Jimmy 03:06I don't think that this building has one.Sue 03:08No, I don't think so.Jimmy 03:09

Podcast: Builder fails despite home shortage

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 23:33:00 -0500

They say strata is a world of contradictions and never has that been so obvious as this week when one report reveals a shortage of housing, most of which will need to be filled by apartments, yet one of our biggest and most highly regarded apartment complex builders has gone into voluntary administration at a time when apartment prices are rising.Is it because materials have gone up but the availability of skilled workers has gone down, both due to the pandemic? Probably, to some extent. Or is it partly just bad timing?But could it be that the idea of building a 366-unit scheme plus transport hub, plus 10-cinema complex, in Brisbane was too many eggs in an already brimming basket?We have a look at the Probuild collapse and what it could mean for their purchasers and the industry as a whole.Maybe some of those apartments were (and still are) going to be second homes or holiday let investments for Sydneysiders. Sue looks at people who have the best of both worlds with handy pads in the city and glorious getaways in the country.Apparently selling your big house in the burbs to buy a small flat in the city and a cottage in the country is called “right-sizing”, a term surely coming to sales brochure near you, soon.Also we celebrate our sponsors Lannock being selected to manage the NSW government’s interest-free loans for flammable cladding remediation.And we introduce a free training program for strata schemes to find out all they need to know about electric vehicle (EV) charging.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULL Jimmy 00:00They say it never rains, but it pours and it's certainly been pouring...Sue 00:04My gosh, has it ever!Jimmy 00:07And it's true about stories as well, it seems. We've got a whole bunch of stuff to talk about today. What have we got, Sue?Sue 00:14I think at first, we are going to be talking about the shortage of new apartment dwellings; new figures have come out, which are a bit shocking.Jimmy 00:21And then there's the collapse of Probuild and news about loans for flammable cladding,Sue 00:27Yes, remediation work, for flammable cladding.Jimmy 00:30Well, we'd better get on with it. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:36I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:39And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyAccording to a report presented to the Property Council conference last week, we have a huge housing shortage, in New South Wales.Sue 01:05Yes, particularly of apartments...Jimmy 01:07That's Sydney, I suppose, especially. They're saying that, because apartment completions have nearly halved, from their 2017-18 peak of 30,000 and free-standing houses have come back (in terms of builds), then that's left a huge gap for housing the numbers of people that we need to house. Michael Koziol has written about this for the Sydney Morning Herald. I know I tend to be a bit cynical, but one minute we're hearing there's going to be a glut of apartments and the next, we're hearing that there aren't enough; what's going on?Sue 01:45Well, I think in the past, there have been gluts of apartments in different areas, where there's been a huge concentration of development (like maybe in Green Square in Sydney, and in Victoria, in the Docklands), but really, we should be getting a lot more apartments, all around transport hubs. That's really still not happening; we are getting a few, but mostly, there's a few houses being built around transport hubs, which provides nothing like the density we actually need, to accommodate a growing population.Jimmy 02:16Do you remember a couple of years ago, there was this fantastic plan to build apartment blocks on top of railway lines?Sue 02:25Yes, and it's happened in a couple of cases, but nowhere near enough.

Podcast: Strata’s next big challenge – ageing blocks

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 15:29:00 -0500

This week’s podcast is given over to one topic – but it’s a fascinating one: What are we going to do about Australia’s older apartment blocks?Sure, there’s been a lot of attention given to the blocks currently under construction or recently completed, with our special guest this week, NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler shaking up the whole industry by demanding work is up to standard or, effectively, the apartments can’t be sold.He has a few horror stories to tell about buildings that seem to be undertaking major reconstruction but on the ground it's strictly amateur hour stuff.And, in a considered personal response to a question asked at the Owners Corporation Network seminar last November, which is definitely not an official state government position, he is worried about the 50,000 unit blocks over 25 years old in NSW.The problem is that for many, repair and maintenance issues over the years have led to patchworks of surface repairs while the infrastructures of the blocks have deteriorated.The nightmare scenario - admittedly one that's extreme - is the Miami Beach apartment block collapse back in June last year in which 97 people died. There, the condo board (strata committee) was quibbling about the expense of fixing serious structural problemsSo what’s the answer when even collective sales to developers to knock down and rebuild might not be an acceptable solution for home owners?Although quick to confirm this is only his personal view of the situation, David Chandler outlines the extent of the problem and explores one potential solution. TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00I caught up with Building Commissioner, David Chandler, the other day.Sue 00:05Fantastic!Jimmy 00:06And as usual, he has a lot to say about the state of apartment blocks in New South Wales. But, his focus is changing a little bit to older apartments, so we had a long chat about that and he's got a lot to say, so I think we'd better just get on with things. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I wrote the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:27And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:30And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.Anybody who's been reading Flat Chat, or listening to this podcast for the past year or so, will know that David Chandler, the Building Commissioner for New South Wales, has been shaking up the new apartment developers, dropping in on sites and near-completed buildings, and forcing them to fix things, or face the prospect of not getting occupancy certificates. But late last year, at a conference organised by the Owners Corporation Network (OCN), someone asked him what he was planning to do about older buildings. So, I contacted David and asked him the same question, now that he's had a chance to consider it. First of all, he wanted to outline the extent of the problem and I have to warn you, that the audio at the beginning of this recording is a bit rough, because of the circumstances under which we recorded it. But it gets better; a lot better, pretty quickly, so hang in there. Here's David Chandler.David Chandler 01:39It was a great question and it's time to start fleshing out what's the scope of the conversation, because we can now see an increasing number of buildings that are over 25 years of age, and that number is growing and so while we're adding stock, we're also growing the older stuff. While it's okay to say that nearly 40% of strata apartment buildings were completed in the six years prior to the survey conducted by us last year, that still means that 60% were constructed prior to that, and we're starting to now put some numbers on the number of schemes. There's nearly 50,000 over 25 years old. It was those concerns that people at that OCN meeting, were starting to become exercised about.Jimmy 02:23David then went on to say that a lot of the maintenance of older buildings has been carried out w..

Podcast: Holiday let free-for-all (except investors)

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 01:29:58 -0500

It’s Airbnb (and Stays etc etc) all the way in this week’s podcast (sorry!) as we discuss the implications of Jimmy’s belated discovery that the Sydney-only by-laws banning holiday lets only apply to investor-owned apartments.Yes, resident-owners and even tenants can list their flats on Airbnb and any of the other platforms (preferably those that don’t destroy fond memories with insipid renditions of Beatles songs) with a limit of 180 nights a year.Why would anyone let their own home to holiday guests, ask NSW policymakers?We try to explain that six months is just enough to make it worth retirees putting their stuff in storage while they cruise the oceans of the world. It also represents 52 long weekends a year, plus Christmas and New Year, to people who have somewhere else to stay during prime holiday rental periods.Later we chat about this story where an anti-holiday letting by-law was rescinded because a couple of clauses went just a bit too far.And Sue previews her article for Prestige Domain in the AFR where property finance experts ask the key question all Airbnb hosts should consider – is it really worth it?Finally, we look at the proposal to offer government top-up loans to first-time home owners against the equity in the property and why it has a whiff of pre-election promise from a government that can’t bear the thought of putting money into affordable housing (in case poor people take advantage, one assumes).That’s all in this week’s podcast.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00I just realised, that we are tracking at about 31,000 downloads of this podcast.Sue 00:09Wow! That's amazing!Jimmy 00:10And it's partly because people are finding the new ones, and then going back through the library. We're getting about 80 listeners a day.Sue 00:22Wow, that's fantastic!Jimmy 00:23 About a year ago (just over a year ago), we were getting 80 listeners a week.Sue 00:27Wow, that's fantastic. I think people are much more interested in strata now, and lots of us are living in it, and lots of us are affected by the issues, maybe.Jimmy 00:36And I think more people are listening to podcasts.Sue 00:39Yes, of course.Jimmy 00:42In today's show, we will be talking a lot about Airbnb; I've got two or three very distinct approaches on that (including an Airbnb bylaw that has just been bounced by NCAT), and we're going to be talking about this plan to loan first-time homebuyers money against the equity of their house or apartment, which the New South Wales government is planning to do. A lot to talk about; we'd better crack on. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:20And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:23And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. I made a fundamental journalistic error, in the past year or so...Sue 01:44Really?Jimmy 01:44 Which I've only just realised, and the error was to assume something...Sue 01:50Which makes an arse of you and me...Jimmy 01:54No, we're not! An 'ass,' of you and me! The new laws that came in on short-term letting last month (and partly, earlier last year), allowing bylaws to be created in strata schemes... I thought that the two things were you couldn't prevent people from having short-term letting, when they were letting their principal place of residence and I thought that was about sharing. You know, the genuine sharing, not the bullshit. I assumed (quite wrongly), that those two parts of the law; one was to stop Airbnb's in apartments, where you had commercial lets and the other part was to allow people to share their homes, so that they would be there when people came to visit. This confusion was partly caused by the planning regulations, which define hosted and unhosted and this is just New South Wales. I mean, everywhere else,

Podcast: Another blow to ‘no-pets’ buildings

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 23:27:13 -0500

There’s another very mixed bag this week but it’s mostly good news in these trying times.Up in Queensland, the tribunal there is chipping away at restrictive pet by-laws in a building called Trafalgar Towers where one resident was forced to carry her blind dog up 12 storeys to their home.The Body Corporate has now been told in no uncertain terms that the by-law is invalid and to get it off their books.As this story details, this is the same building that not only tried to ban other people’s pets when their caretaker had his own dog in the building, but then tried to force owners to transport their pets across common property in cages.Later in the podcast, we also discuss whether you would ever buy an apartment in Queensland, as part of a much broader chat about a report on rentvesting.As described in detail in this story, the co-authors of a forthcoming book called The Female Investor, have set out to show women how they can secure their financial futures through the ownership of property.And as a side issue, they have identified areas where property prices are relatively low but demand for rental accommodation is high.That makes these areas strong candidates for potential rent-vesting, where you rent a home in an area where you want to live, but invest in an area where you can afford to buy, let the property and take advantage of all the taxation and other benefits that follow.Finally, we discuss how to find a good strata manager – and avoid a bad one. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00It's all happening up in Queensland.Sue 00:01Yes?Jimmy 00:03It's kind of like they've woken up, up there, to stuff that's happening in strata and they've started going "hang on; we can't keep doing this stuff." The latest thing is a place called Trafalgar Towers, which has been taken by owners for the second time, I think, in five years, in issues over pets.Sue 00:24Oh yes, this is the building that wouldn't allow pets to go into the lift, isn't it?Jimmy 00:28Yes, so we'll talk about that in a minute. We're going to talk about rent-vestmint...Sue 00:33Rentvesting.Jimmy 00:35Rentvesting, and that's where you rent a place you want to live in; buy the place that you can afford and rent that out to other people.Sue 00:43That's right.Jimmy 00:44So it's one way of getting into the property market and, we've had a letter asking how do you choose a good strata manager, so we'll be talking about that, too. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:00And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain and the Sydney Morning Herald and the AFR.Jimmy 01:05And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyTrafalgar Towers in Maroochydore has been in the news, again. They have a bylaw about pets and the bylaw says that you cannot take your pets in the lift.Sue 01:34How many lifts have they got?Jimmy 01:37I don't know; doesn't matter.Sue 01:39They would have more than one lift; they'll always have two lifts, at least.Jimmy 01:43So, a couple who owned an apartment there (and I think it was on something like the 15th floor); they were told... When they bought the place, they had two dogs, and they were told there are no pets allowed here and about four or five years ago, somebody challenged this, because the caretaker's dog was allowed in the building.Sue 02:07One rule for him and another for everybody else!Jimmy 02:10The whole caretaker thing in Queensland is just a joke anyway. So, they managed to persuade them to allow pets, but they created this pet bylaw that said (back then), things like, the pets had to be carried in a contained cage, at any point that they were on common property, and had to be taken down the fire stairs and brought in and out by the side-entrance..

Podcast: No pets, smoke, airbnb hosts or excuses

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 02:25:03 -0500

This week the pod is lighting up (but not inhaling) the smoking ban placed on a Queensland apartment resident who’s been ordered to take her habit inside and off her balcony because her smoke is a hazard to the neighbour upstairs.There are so many aspects to this, not least that her block has a designated smoking zone and her committee has been rapped gently but firmly on its knuckles for declining to enforce its own by-laws.Why does this mean for Queensland smokers? Are they retreating to the toilets where the fans can deal with their fumes? Or will they be trying to amend their by-laws to force the neighbours to put up with smoke, like freshly caught salmon.The resistance is already fired up (ouch!), according to a comment on the end of the original story.While we were on the topic of by-laws, I tried to find the “model” by-law on smoke drift that Victoria was bringing in. I couldn’t locate it before we recorded the podcast, but after chasing down broken links and hidden entrances, I tracked it down. In schedule 2 of the Victoria owners corporation regulations, it says:1.4 Smoke penetrationA lot owner or occupier in a multi-level development must ensure that smoke caused by the smoking of tobacco or any other substance by the owner or occupier, or any invitee of the owner or occupier, on the lot does not penetrate to the common property or any other lot.Interesting! It’s says nothing about nuisance or hazard, just that the smoke from tobacco or “other substances” must not penetrate other lots or common property.Moving on (while we casually flick our ash off the balcony), we also discussed the apparent contradiction between hosted properties as per Planning NSW regulations and principal places of residence, as in Fair Trading’s short-term letting rules.Planning said there is none, we disagreed and they’ve gone off to check.And finally, the strange case of the attempt to overturn a no-pets by-law which failed because there was no pet.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00There's been a few very interesting developments in various Tribunals, in the past week or so. Smoking has been dealt with in Queensland, in a very interesting way. There's also been an instruction about the too-hard basket; I think we're seeing the death of the too-hard basket.Sue 00:22Surely not!Jimmy 00:23Well, you never know!Sue 00:24I mean, that rules supreme in strata, really!Jimmy 00:27And, in New South Wales, a very strange decision from a Tribunal, about a no-pets by law, where an adjudicator decided not to overturn a no-pets bylaw, for a very strange reason. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:46And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:49And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. [MUSIC]JimmyUp in Queensland, they like their personal freedoms...Sue 01:08They certainly do.Jimmy 01:10And there's been a Tribunal decision, which reminds people that they have personal responsibilities as well, when it comes to living in apartments there.Sue 01:19Oh yes? Tell us about it.Jimmy 01:21A woman (and this started last January), complained about the neighbour below her, who was constantly smoking on her balcony. She was saying "well, this interferes with my rights to have a peaceful enjoyment and it's a health hazard and it's a nuisance."Sue 01:41That would be horrible.Jimmy 01:42Absolutely, and she claimed the woman was a chain smoker, which is not strictly correct, because to me, a chain smoker is somebody who lights their next cigarette with the end of the previous one.Sue 01:52That's a very literal definition. I mean, there have been lots of chain smokers, but there's not many people who do that, because you'd get through, how many thousands of dollars a day?Jimmy 02:01Well, that's true.

Podcast: Two alarms over fire safety in apartments

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 21:47:08 -0500

This week the pod takes a deep dive into the murky waters of fire safety, how we ignore it at our considerable peril and how this essential part of our strata lives is ripe for exploitation by unscrupulous contractors.This discussion was prompted partly by the terrible fire in New York a couple of weeks ago when, it seems, doors left open during a relatively small fire allowed smoke to spread through the building, killing 17 people by asphyxiation.And we were also drawn to a Forum discussion about how buildings can pass fire inspections for years, then suddenly find that a new company has discovered a raft of flaws.And guess who’s ready to fix them (often at considerable expense).On the topic of fires, we get a sneak preview of Sue’s upcoming biography of Dr Fiona Wood, who invented spray-on skin which is extensively used on burns victims.We also look at conflicting advice between Fair Trading and the Department of Planning on who is allowed to let their apartments on Airbnb and Stayz etc, and when.And we try to get to the bottom of how some properties are exempt from having to put a short-term letting registration number on their listings.All that, and more on the Flat Chat Wrap. Jimmy 00:00We're going back a couple of weeks today on the podcast, because there's a story that we hadn't really addressed, in full. I mentioned it in passing in last week's forum on the website. It's about the fire on January 9 or 10th, in the Bronx, in New York.Sue 00:20Oh yes, that was horrible.Jimmy 00:23So, we're going to talk about that and, we're going to talk about fire safety (in general), in Australian apartments. And, we're going to have a look at some confusing stuff about Airbnb, so that's a lot to talk about... We better get on with it. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:46And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:48And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOkay, that terrible fire in the Bronx... I think the latest figure is 17 deaths, including 8 children.Sue 01:13Oh, how horrible!Jimmy 01:14The terrible thing about it is that it seems like most of the people died from smoke inhalation. This is an old building; 19 stories. All the fire escapes are internal. You know, in a lot of these New York apartment blocks (the older ones), you see the fire escape is on the outside and that's the city regulations, but apparently, this was a federal building, so they didn't have to abide by city ordinances and so, all the fire escapes are internal. It sounds like smoke from a fire on the second floor, just went straight up into the fire escapes and...Sue 01:57Oh, how horrible! So, people had no way of getting out?Jimmy 01:59No, I mean, some were rescued by getting out the windows with fire trucks with ladders, but even the firemen (and women), who were going into the building; it was so bad, they were running out of oxygen, as they went in to try and rescue peopleSue 02:15Because it kind of sealed all the smoke inside.Jimmy 02:18It kind of just acted like big chimneys and there's been some accusations of victim -blaming, but it sounds like the fire started in the bedroom with a space heater that malfunctioned. The parent in that apartment, grabbed his kids and ran out and the door to the apartment didn't shut behind him.Sue 02:41It wasn't a proper fire door, because most fire doors have to swing shut, don't they?Jimmy 02:45Well, we have them on all our apartments; they have that big sort of spring thing attached, which pushes the door closed and if they're not adjusted properly, the door just slams. A lot of people either adjust them to not slam, or disconnect them completely. I think it's totally wrong to say that this is victim-blaming, because I don't think it's the residents fault.

Podcast: Contract concern as plan nixed in the bud

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 01:43:36 -0500

There’s an air of cynicism – or maybe it’s just weary experience – around this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast, but we only have ourselves to blame.Last week we were touting the potential for a mandatory strata management contract – like the residential tenancies lease in that the legal conditions would be fixed, but the financial terms would be variable – and realised we were joining a chorus of support for the idea, notably promoted by the Owners Corporation Network.What we and they didn’t realise is that Fair Trading has already nixed the idea in its review of strata laws that will occur this year.Citing the views of the ACSL (which turns out to be the Australian College of Strata Lawyers, something we didn’t know when we recorded the podcast), the Law Society, the Urban Development Institute of Australia (developers) and PICA, the strata and building management giant, the policy wonks have decided that they won’t have a mandatory contract but they will come up with conditions that must not be in contracts and clauses that must.We’re calling BS on the proposal, not least because there is already a mandatory contract – the one issued by strata managers on a take it or leave it basis.After years of saying we should have a strata commissioner, it seems we already have one. The published remit of the Property Services Commissioner includes strata, it seems. Does that John Minns is the Strata Commissioner? We’re going to track him down and find out.We also explore the idea of subsidised private rentals for frontline workers like nurses, ambos, teachers and police. And we chat about some bizarre tribunal cases from Queensland, including a block that wanted residents to carry pets in cages up 16 floors in the fire stairs and another that tried to ban doormats.And final our friends at Strata Answers are looking into the successes and challenges of strata owners who want electric vehicle charging in their blocks – how they succeeded if they did get it in, and why they failed if they didn’t.All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00I've got a feeling we're going to be disappointing some of our listeners this week. SueOh no, why?!Jimmy 00:04Because we've been talking about the strata management contracts and how a lot of us think there should be a standard strata management contract.Sue 00:14Oh, yes.Jimmy 00:15The same way as there is a prescriptive one for rentals. Everybody has to use that contract and even if they don't use that contract, the law says well, that contract applies. Even if you've got a verbal contract and nothing on paper, that contract still applies.Sue 00:32Yes, we were hoping the New South Wales government was going to bring that out. For strata residents?Jimmy 00:35Yes, so we have some updated news on that. And, we're going to talk about pets in Queensland and doormats in Queensland. We're going to talk about the new Property Services Commissioner, John Minze and, we're going to talk about some research into electric vehicles. For strata residents. So, a lot to talk about; we'd better get on with it. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:04And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:06And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. We've been having a debate in the Flat Chat forum... Somebody wrote and said they'd just had a look at their strata management contract, and they couldn't believe how one-sided it was. Basically, the problem is there are so many provisions in there that say that the strata manager isn't liable for anything that they've ever done and even in the unlikely event that you do find that they were liable for something, then that liability is limited to how much you have paid them in the past two years. We discussed this last week. Basically,

Podcast: Airbnb curbs and the intercom of doom

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 21:11:38 -0500

Like a wayward teenager who stayed out too late, Airbnb is creeping back into our lives, hoping to avoid our parental wrath, but finding a less than loving reception waiting for it.As we discuss in this week’s podcast, the holiday/retirement town of Noosa, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, has had enough of badly behaved holiday renters’ shenanigans.In a few weeks the shire council there will bring in a “rapid response” hotline on which neighbours can report disruptive behaviour – that’s the old-fashioned version of disruption when it was a bad thing – and a designated responder will be expected to attend and deal with the problem.Also this week the University of NSW has issued the second stage of a comprehensive report that shows that wherever Airbnb and other holiday letting agencies are most active, residential rents go up and housing availability goes down.Before you file that in the “well, d’uh!” folder, bear in mind that this is the kind of credible information that politicians are obliged to consider when they are devising their policies in the great juggle of housing affordability, rents, investments and income and jobs from tourism.Perhaps in this pre-post-pandemic period, we should reflect on what happens in your favourite cafes when the waiters and baristas aren’t around; now because of covid, but in the future when they are driven out by Airbnb-inflated rents.The forces closing in on Airbnb and holiday rentals generally will be the topic of this week’s Flat Chat column in the Australian Financial Review but you can hear a sneak preview here.Also in this week’s podcast we look at the 50-storey Sydney apartment block where the intercom hasn’t worked for more than four years, meaning residents can't get deliveries and have to travel down in the lift to let visitors in.In the podcast we ask, if overseas students can rig up a mobile phone to trigger the access button on their overcrowded flat’s intercom, how come the Park Regis owners corporation say commercial operators can’t be trusted to fix the system?And, finally, prompted by this post to the Forum, we examine the standard strata management contract and flag the idea that it needs to be fairer and maybe even a standard mandatory document, like the residential rental lease.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLSue 00:00Suddenly, there's a lot happening, especially around Airbnb. Yes, it's been a bit quiet for a while, hasn't it?Jimmy 00:05Yes, I thought it had kind of settled, and because everybody went away, a lot of the Airbnb properties ceased to be and went back into the residential rental market... We'll be talking about that. We'll be talking about people saying that the standard strata management contract needs to be revised and we're going to talk about the woman who lives in an apartment, where she has to go down 20-odd flights and lift, to let people in, because the Owners Corporation won't fix the intercom system.Sue 00:41Well, they say they can't, but the fact is, it's been broken for about four years, I think now. It's a pretty bad state of affairs.Jimmy 00:49I don't believe that it is impossible to fix things like that; it's just difficult and it's one of these things that can find its way into a too-hard basket, but we'll talk about that, in what is going to be a pretty full podcast. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:11And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for the Domain.Jimmy 01:14And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyAirbnb, you just can't keep them out of the news. I think we discussed last week (briefly), their problems with riot police being called to an apartment block. In fact, a couple of apartment blocks (one of them in Ultimo), where 100 people were in a flat-wrecking party.Sue 01:50Oh, god, yes, it was horrendous. But yes, they are back in the news this week again,

Podcast: Where should strata be in government?

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 23:43:25 -0500

This week on the pod we ask the question, if Strata doesn’t belong in Fair Trading, then where should it go?As Jimmy explains in this column (which also appeared as an op-ed in the Sydney Morning Herald) our brand-new Fair Trading Minister Eleni Petinos has also been given Small Business on which to attach her training wheels.So now strata isn’t just a part of a huge, rambling and largely unconnected and complex ministry, that department itself is parked in a side street off another ministry, which has been given precedence (if the new minister’s title is anything to go by).That the case for taking strata out of Fair Trading is stronger than ever is inarguable. But if the NSW government did remove it, where should it go?Also in the pod, we look at the failure of the short-term letting code of conduct at its first test with riot police called to a 100-hoon party, exacerbated by Airbnb’s alleged refusal to provide the names of the perpetrators to police due to its “privacy” policy.Then we check out why so many strata blocks are rushing to install electric vehicle charging when there are so few electric vehicles.Finally we look at how we have come together to help each other as omicron runs rampant though our communities.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Happy New Year!Sue 00:01And Happy New Year to you too, Jimmy!Jimmy 00:03And Happy New Year if you're listening to us somewhere in Australia, or, in other places. You could listen to us all over the world. I think we've got a couple of listeners in America.Sue 00:13Really?Jimmy 00:14Yeah. I think they are in condo boards and they've decided that however bad it gets there, "listen to what's going on in Australia!" I don't know!Sue 00:24That's not very reassuring, is it?Jimmy 00:26No... Today, we're going to talk about where strata should be, because I don't think either of us think it should be in Fair Trading.Sue 00:34In New South Wales Government?Jimmy 00:36Yes, it should be somewhere else. It's not quite big enough to have its own department, but it's way too big to be in with others. We'll talk about that later. We'll talk about the latest Airbnb scandals, with riot police called to Airbnb parties, and you're going to talk about the electrification of buildings that are supplying power to EV-vehicles...Sue 01:04That's right, yep.Jimmy 01:05In apartment blocks, which is a thing...Sue 01:07That's becoming a bigger and bigger issue for a lot of people.Jimmy 01:09It is, and people kind of want it, but they're not sure if they need it, or...Sue 01:15How to go about it.Jimmy 01:16Or, what level of it, to have. And, as a note, this week, we are recording in mono.Sue 01:23Really? That seems a bit of a backwards step, doesn't it?Jimmy 01:26Not according to The Beatles! The files take up less space and in any case, what happens is we record in stereo, and then the software reduces it to mono, anyway.Sue 01:39Oh, okay. So maybe, listeners wouldn't hear any difference.Jimmy 01:43Well, they might not hear any difference, but they might. If they do hear any difference, maybe they'll tell us.Sue 01:48Yes, let us know.Jimmy 01:49All right. I am Jimmy Thomson, and I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:55And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:57And this is the very first Flat Chat Wrap of 2022.[MUSIC]Sue 02:17Jimmy, you wrote a column about this, didn't you, for the Sydney Morning Herald; about where strata should be, in terms of New South Wales Government departments?Jimmy 02:25I did. We've got a new Minister; 'Eleni Petinos Attracts Attention,' (as the Sydney Morning Herald lawyers changed it to, in my op-ed piece, last week).

Podcast: How a lockdown had a silver lining

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 02:11:45 -0500

Are you stuck at home because state borders aren't as open as they want us to think, or you can't go anywhere until your covid test results come out?Maybe you're self-isolating because someone in your family went to a herd immunity superspreader party. Or you just don't feel like running a gaunlet of unmasked festive huggers.Perhaps you're stuck in a traffic jam on your way to somewhere ... anywhere ... nice.Or you're in queue for a covid test that doesn't seem to be getting any shorter.Here at Flat Chat we're taking a bit of a break too, certainly as far as this week's podcast is concerned, but we didn't want to leave you with nothing to listen to.So we've dug our PodCom, Hyperbole Towers, out of the archives to put a smile on your face (and so we can again thank Todd McKenney for his uncredited contribution to the audio comedy that we first podcast more than a year ago).Back then, the idea that a fractious strata committee might have to meet online was hilarious. Now it seems a bit less amusing.But the need to stay at home did give us the opportunity (and City of Sydney funding) to pay a bunch of talented actors to bring our little comedy to life.So what's going on in Hyperbole Towers (apart from the committee not being able to meet in person)?Well, there's a plan to open a massage parlour in the block, and a mysterious and irritating tapping noise coming from one apartment.And what exactly is Building Manager Alfie up to?Listen and enjoy.

Podcast: Tamarama drama and our new Minister

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 06:30:52 -0500

It was Monday morning and we had just finished editing the podcast when we got the word that NSW had a new Fair Trading minister.Meetings are cancelled, lunch is postponed, and schedules are re-drawn for the simple reason that this is, in our world, a big deal.Eleni Potinos may have been a media footnote in the cabinet reshuffle instigated by NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet this week, but for us she is big news.There are four things that jump out, for those of us who have been close observers of strata politics for the past few years.One, she is a woman; after six men in a row, the first female ever to serve as Fair Trading Minister for the Liberals.Two, at 35, she is relatively young, confirming Fair Trading as being a training-wheels ministry.Three, she comes from Miranda, an area with a lot of high-rises. But it’s the fourth thing that’s the clincher – she has also been given the Small Business portfolio.At a time when there is clear evidence that strata is too big an issue to be lumped in with broken toys, faulty toasters, dodgy mechanics and sneaky real estate agents, our newly minted Fair Trading Minister gets a whole other portfolio to look after as well.Forget sexting and Barfgate – this is the real scandal. The government clearly thinks that with the Building Commissioner on the warpath, and 139 proposals on the table, they have fixed strata. They clearly don’t realise they are just at the beginning, not the end.Meanwhile we also look at the dramas at Tamarama where a bid to rescue a huge block that really shouldn’t be where it is has hit the Building Commission buffers.We examine the major trends in the real estate in the past year.And we have a non-Christmas poem that might bring a smile to your face.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Exciting times, in strata land. We're leading up to Christmas and then all of a sudden, Santa Claus drops in our laps, a brand new Fair Trading Minister!Sue 00:10Wow, yet another one!Jimmy 00:12 This will be the Liberal Party's 7th Fair Trading minister, since they came to power.Sue 00:18And how many years is that?Jimmy 00:20It's like, one a year.Sue 00:21Oh my gosh!Jimmy 00:23 Yes and it's a woman, which is their first female Fair Trading Minister.Sue 00:28Yes, because Labor usually has female Fair Trading Ministers, don't they?Jimmy 00:31The last three were, and they seem to have changed the name of the Ministry back to Fair Trading. We'll talk about that. We'll talk about trends in property. We'll talk about what's going on in the Tamarama apartment block. And, we might even have a Christmas poem.Sue 00:49Oh, excellent!Jimmy 00:50So that's all coming up. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:56And I'm Sue Williams and I write property for Domain.Jimmy 00:59And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. So, as I said at the top of the podcast, we have a new Fair Trading Minister.Sue 01:19Yes. Tell us about her; I don't really know anything about her, really.Jimmy 01:23Her name is Eleni Patinos. She is the member for Miranda, down in the Shire. I was hoping to dig through Google and find out stuff about her political beliefs and whatever. What I hit first of all, was a couple of scandals... In 2018, Matt Kean, the former Fair Trading Minister (or Better Regulation Minister, as he was called then); his ex -girlfriend (or his soon to be ex-girlfriend), sent screenshots of fairly racy sexting texts.Sue 02:04Wow, so that was happening back then, too.Jimmy 02:07It sounded like they had something going on and it all got a bit ugly, but Gladys said "look, you know, it's a personal matter." As we discovered recently, she has her line in the sand on these things and it's pretty easy to stay inside. She didn't sack Matt, but the previous year,

Podcast: Is this why Dave says he’s no messiah?

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 00:14:43 -0500

If there is one person in the strata sphere who’d say Building Commissioner David Chandler is not the Strata Messiah, it would be the commissioner himself.As we discuss on this week‘s podcast, he cringes at every mention of himself as some sort of saviour, constantly deflecting all the abundant praise he gets onto his team.They no doubt deserve all the kudos they can collect, but Jimmy wonders if the BC is, even just subconsciously, trying to avoid a similar fate to another NSW Commish.He means one who went from messiah to pariah – at least in the eyes of the media – Police Commissioner Peter Ryan.Sue was Peter Ryan's biographer and saw at close hand how he was adored by the public while vested interests and viciously hostile media figures brought him down.You can't help but wonder if David Chandler might face similar challenges if his enemies in the building industry -dodgy developers and shoddy certifiers - find a compliant shock jock, some internet trolls and a tiny chink in his armour, real or imagined.Before that, we unpack what we learned from the OCN ‘Strata Matters’ Seminar. The fact that there’s a lot of angry people out there is only part of it.Later, Sue digs into the story she wrote about the strata scheme that’s planning to impose pet behaviour bonds of $2000 per animal – something a senior Fair Trading official described as a clear attempt to get round strata laws allowing pets.And she recalls the harrowing story of the mother, grandparents and baby who were forced to move back into a dangerously mouldy flat because of NCAT delays and bungling.There’s all that and more in the Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00It's been a big week for us here, at Flat Chat.Sue 00:02It certainly has!Jimmy 00:03We had the OCN seminar, which I emceed, and there was a couple of stories that came out of that, that appeared in the papers. You've had a couple of stories; you've had a pet story?Sue 00:13That's right, and an NCAT story.Jimmy 00:17An NCAT defects story. Lots to get through; we'd better get on with it. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:25And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:28And the Sydney Morning Herald.Sue 00:29And the Sydney Morning Herald, yes!Jimmy 00:31 Increasingly.Sue 00:32Yes. I don't know what has happened, but I think the Sydney Morning Herald has taken over a lot of the Domain stuff, so I think a lot of property stories are now appearing in print and the Sydney Morning Herald first, before they appear in Domain.Jimmy 00:45So, you're back in the Herald? That's great! Alright, this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyThere's a lot to get through, from the seminar. It was four hours of (often), heated discussion. The Building Commissioner was there; he and a big crew from Fair Trading, some interested strata owners, some angry strata owners, and even you turned up and did a piece about the media. But even your question session got hijacked by people, who are just angry; just very, very, very angry and, you can understand why.Sue 01:36Yes, there's a lot to be angry about, with the situation with defects in apartments. As David Chandler was talking... He was talking about the measures he's going to ensure that apartments being built now, won't have defects in the future. But also, a lot of people there were from apartments that are more than 10 years old and that were having real problems. He did say at one point, didn't he, that when the new apartments are done, he's going to be looking at Legacy apartments, after that.Jimmy 02:04Yes, but in a very different way and I wonder if for the people in those (so-called), 'Legacy apartments,' it makes it feel even worse, that something is being done, now, but it's too late for them.

Podcast: Developers’ cosy deals with cronies curbed

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 01:12:13 -0500

With two major chunks of strata legislation landing last week – Victoria’s new laws and NSW’s proposals for a revamp of theirs – we pick the bones out of the plans and read their entrails for signs of what’s in store in the future.As usual, there are a few significant changes plus much tinkering around the edges, in both areas, but it’s what the perceived need for these new laws reveals that’s most interesting.How cosy are the developers and strata managers of Victoria? How many kickbacks and from how many sources do the latter enjoy? And how many loopholes in the law will Victoria need to close before dodgy developers are driven out?We also touch on how a lack of a strong owners’ and residents’ voice in Victoria (like its northern neighbour’s Owners Corporation Network) has left that state’s legislation, frankly, years behind NSW’s laws.And on that subject, in the case of the 139 items in the NSW review, we ask how soon can we expect to see those proposals become a reality and what will the process be to get there?Elsewhere in the podcast we look at a new trend in high-end hotel-style apartments, where you can order everything from room service to theatre tickets from your concierge.And we discuss the message from the AFR Property Summit that counters the doom and gloom about apartment prices.Finally, a reminder that the OCN’s Strata Matters seminar is on, on Thursday 9th, hosted by Jimmy and with a guest appearance by Sue (oh, and David Chandler will be there too).There was a handful of extra tickets newly released on Tuesday. You can try to nab one or sign up to follow us on live streaming via this link.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00I just checked our figures for the podcast. So, nearly 26,000 people have listened to it, so far.Sue 00:09Well, that's quite intimidating!Jimmy 00:12I should say, it has been listened to 25,000 times, rather than 25,000 people, but we suddenly got a jump in the number of listeners, just a couple of months ago.Sue 00:24Really, why is that, do you think?Jimmy 00:25I have no idea, but I wonder if it was the pandemic, or people just passing it on, or something. Anyway, we now have twice as many people listening to the podcast per week, as we had at the same time last year.Sue 00:41That's fantastic!Jimmy 00:42So, it's roughly about 200, a week and as somebody said, if that doesn't sound like much, imagine if you were organising a meeting, every week and every week, 200 people turned up. You would be quite pleased with that.Sue 00:58That's fantastic. I think it shows that people are getting more and more interested in apartment living, aren't they, really? More people are moving into apartments and they're curious, and they want to avoid problems. They want to know a bit more about the politics.Jimmy 01:10And maybe, they like listening to you.Sue 01:12No, I don't think so. Maybe you!Jimmy 01:15Not at all! Anyway, this week, we are going to be talking about the new laws that have just come in in Victoria, the proposals for new laws in New South Wales, and you've got a couple of items?Sue 01:28Yes. The AFR had its property summit this week, which was really interesting. They had a big section on residential property, which was mostly apartments. Also, I did a piece for Domain magazine about how new apartments are increasingly becoming like hotels.Jimmy 01:45Okay, well, I'm Jimmy Thomson, and I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:51And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age.Jimmy 01:57And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyBig week in strata law, last week. On the 1st of December, the new strata laws came in, in Victoria. We'd known they were coming for a while, but they actually became law,

Podcast: Pets, privacy and penalties in law review

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 02:05:49 -0500

This week a massive review of NSW strata laws landed in Parliament and it’s given us a lot to talk about … perhaps a little too much.As you will see from this story, there are proposals about educating committees, defining what their members do and making it easier to sack individual members.There are suggested rewrites for the rules on pets and assistance animals, so that you don’t force vision-impaired residents to carry their guide dogs across common property.There are many much-needed regulations concerning building managers plus plans to allow Fair Trading to run cases at NCAT. That may turn out to be the most radical suggestion of them all, as there is also a proposal to make not maintaining common property a punishable offence with penalties attached.Our comments came as the review was hot off the internet, so they’re fresh, even if we were not quite able to get to all 139 of the proposals. But at least we didn't run out of things to talk about.Also in the podcast, Sue outlines how to find the perfect apartment to rent, or even buy.And we discover how Jimmy was guilty of a classic mistaken identity at the Strata Community Association shindig.And, allowing ourselves a small moment of self-congratulation, our total listener figures just ticked over 25,000 in the past week. I looks like more people are finding the most recent podcasts then tuning in to previous links for more. Thanks for your support.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00So, we didn't get thrown out of the SCA event the other night!Sue 00:03No, that was good, and they actually quite welcomed us, didn't they?Jimmy 00:05They mentioned us.Sue 00:06They did; they welcomed us...Jimmy 00:08By name.Sue 00:09Yes, alongside David Chandler.Jimmy 00:11Yes, I 'booed' our name, just to get some balance. I knew that half the strata managers there wanted to boo.Sue 00:23Well, it was funny, because one of them reminded you of a speech that you made a few years ago. Do you remember that?Jimmy 00:27Yes, the conference.Sue 00:28And he remembered your first line...Jimmy 00:31Which was "I am your worst nightmare. I'm a disgruntled owner, with a newspaper column."Sue 00:38So, you obviously made quite an impression on him, because I think that was about 15 years ago, and he's still hates you today.Jimmy 00:46Probably! We've got a lot to get through today. We have the review of all the suggested changes to the Strata Management Act, that are going to be tabled. Well, by the time you hear this, it will have been tabled.Sue 01:01We've been waiting a long time for this.Jimmy 01:02It's a year. It's a year since they closed submissions.Sue 01:06Wow!Jimmy 01:06I don't know how much longer it will be, before they actually make a decision. Possibly another year.Sue 01:12 Oh, no! Surely not!Jimmy 01:13There are 139 recommendations.Sue 01:16Wow! I wonder how many letters they had from people?Jimmy 01:20I don't know. Maybe, they just had one long one. I think they got a lot of responses, because this is the five-year review of the 2015 Act.Sue 01:32Did they accept any of your suggestions?Jimmy 01:34Not that I could see, but anyway, we'll talk about that later. And, we'll talk about an article you wrote, about how to find the best place to rent. And, we might have a chat about what the SCA event was all about. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:54And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:56And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Jimmy139 recommendations, in the review.Sue 02:18And, we're going to go through every single one of them, now. No, we're not!Jimmy 02:21We might split this over a couple of weeks,

Podcast: What’s not in the strata managers’ code

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 17:33:29 -0500

This week in the Flat Chat Wrap podcast we take a deep dive into the strata managers’ code of ethics.We touched on the topic in the Forum last week and its worth revisiting as the NSW branch of the Strata Community Association is about to officially launch its state government-approved Professional Standards Scheme.The SCA (NSW) Code of Ethics underpins its professional standards and the built-in disciplinary procedures add some heft to its definitions of what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour by strata managers.It’s a fairly dense document but the accompanying guide skirts around the issues that we think are most important.These include strata managers enabling incompetent and possibly even corrupt committees, while aiding and abetting developers who are intent on ripping off apartment buyers with embedded networks and pre-sold management rights contracts.Also on the pod, we ask why the building commissioner is taking such a keen interest in developments on the north coast of NSW.Property prices are booming up there – does that mean the developer sharks are circling?And, on the eve of the Owners’ Corporation Network’s annual Strata Matters conference, we ask who is looking after apartment owners in other states.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We've been invited to a big function next week.Sue 00:02We have!Jimmy 00:03The Strata Community Association, previously Strata Community Australia, before they included New Zealand.Sue 00:12Oh really! Is that..Jimmy 00:13That's why they changed their name.Sue 00:15I always have to look it up, every time I write about anybody from there and I always think "why can I just never remember, whether it's Australia or Association?"Jimmy 00:24Well, that's why, because it was, once.Sue 00:26 Oh, right, so I'm not quite going mad.Jimmy 00:29So, the New South Wales branch has its AGM next week, but they're also doing the big launch of their professional standards system (whatever you call it). It's almost like they're becoming like accountants, where the government recognises that they provide professional standards. Presumably, at some point in the future they will be able to say "if you're going to have input from a strata manager, they must be members of SCA New South Wales," so it's a big deal.But, part of that process was to create a Code of Ethics, which we touched upon last week on the website (in the forum), and it actually bears a bit of exploration and examination, so we'll be doing that. We're talking about property up in northern New South Wales, which has been visited by the Building Commissioner and, we'll have a chat about what kind of organisations there are for owners, in other states in Australia. Hi, I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:39And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:42And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyThe Strata Community Association New South Wales' Code of Ethics is an interesting document. Not only does it have rules about how strata managers are expected to behave, but it lays out the principles for complaints and if you download their Code of Ethics, you will find a whole complaints form (which runs to about three pages), at the back of the document. It's a process where you complain about a strata manager, or an SCA service provider (because there are people who are not strata managers, but they provide services and they're members of SCA), or even owners who are members of SCA; you can put in a complaint about them.Sue 02:48What percentage of strata management companies are in the SCA?Jimmy 02:53I think it's the majority. I've always wondered why strata managers weren't in the SCA. I mean, obviously, you have to pay fees to join. I don't think it's that hard to become a member there. But,

Podcast: Is it OK to block access to email addresses?

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 18:27:46 -0500

In the latest Flat Chat Wrap, listeners (and readers) get a preview of this week’s Fin Review column which will examine the issue of access to other owners’ email addresses.Do secretaries’ and strata managers’ oft-stated desire to maintain owners’ privacy sometimes stem from not wanting ordinary owners to communicate?How do you balance the benefits of open communication with the risk of being bombarded by abusive messages from serial pests.And is it even legal to withhold email addresses that are on the records of strata schemes?Also on the podcast, we look at the drift back to offices from working from home, and ask if where we work will ever fully return to pre-pandemic patterns.And Sue gets a sneak preview of the upmarket renovation of the controversial Sirius building, which was once the public housing block with the best outlook in the world.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Do you get a lot of emails that you really don't want, Sue?Sue 00:03Quite a lot, Jimmy, quite a lot.Jimmy 00:05One or two a day?Sue 00:08Maybe about 30.Jimmy 00:10A day?Jimmy 00:11Today, we're going to talk about something that's been discussed on the Flat Chat forum, which is, should your strata manager or your secretary, give out all the email addresses for everyone in the building? We're also going to talk about working from home, as people might be facing a conflict of whether or not they want to do that anymore. And, we're going to talk about your visit to the Sirius building.Sue 00:11Yes.Sue 00:39Yes, probably one of Sydney's most high-profile apartment buildings.Jimmy 00:42It is. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:48And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:51And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. [MUSIC]JimmyYou think everybody in an apartment block should be able to see everybody else's email addresses, is that right?Sue 01:14Yes, it is, because I think we have to be transparent and it can be so frustrating, trying to get in touch with neighbors, or there's a big issue, and you can't actually communicate with anybody else, so I think it's really important. I mean, I think the people who say we shouldn't give out our email mail addresses are always saying "oh, yes, we'll get 100 emails from all these people we don't want," but in reality, you get very few emails from other people in the building. You might get just a few every year, about issues that they feel are really important and I think it's important to try and keep in touch with your community, about those kind of issues, really.Jimmy 01:49So just to clarify, the law in most states says that owners in an Owners Corporation, are entitled to see all documents that relate to the Owners Corporation. In New South Wales, you are required by strata law, if you have an email address, to register it with the Owners Corporation. There is no requirement for that in Victoria and the law says that the owners are entitled to see anything that's on the register, which is the physical addresses of people. Often, those physical addresses are actually the addresses of their agents, or their registered business. So, there's a very good chance you could be sending letters to people and they don't get there.Sue 02:35That's right, because often, buildings won't allow you just to put a letter in somebody's mailbox; you actually have to post it, which seems ridiculous, if you're trying to get in touch with the person next door or something, that you have to go to the post office, buy a stamp, print out a letter, post it, wait for the post, which is a bit uncertain these days; it takes ages.Jimmy 02:55And there's also the fact that the people that you want to contact, may not actually be at that address,

Podcast: Hit list for new property commissioner

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 23:51:16 -0500

In the same week that we get a new property services commissioner in NSW we hear that the first building construction certifier in NSW has been been sin-binned for a year (at least). What's the connection? With the new commish appointed to do to real estate agents and strata managers what David Chandler has been doing to the building industry, maybe he too will be kicking ass and taking names.Or will he? As we discuss in this week’s podcast, for all their faults (which are many and great), strata managers and RE agents haven’t been destroying people’s hopes, dreams and finances to anything approaching the extent and frequency of dodgy developers.So what will he be fixing that is seriously broken? In the absence of a clear answer, we’ve speculated (which is much more fun, anyway) about what most needs attention in property services.And we ask what the Real Estate Institute of NSW is going to do, having walked away from the advisory committee, now that one of their own has been given the top job.FYI: The question was answered here, a couple of days after we recorded the podcast. Talking of David Chandler, we discover who is the first certifier to be struck off under the NSW Building Commissioner’s “get tough” regime, and why they’ve taken away his clipboard.And we take a look at vertical retirement villages that allow oldies to go up in the world rather than suffer a steady decline in less-than-splendid isolation.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We have a new Property Services Commissioner, in New South Wales.Sue 00:04Oh, yes?Jimmy 00:05Appointed late last week.Sue 00:07I don't know much about him, do you?Jimmy 00:09I know a little bit about him, because he sent me a press release.Sue 00:12Oh, good.Jimmy 00:13So, we'll be having a chat about that. We'll be talking about a certifier who has been delisted.Sue 00:20That's probably the first one for a long, long time, isn't it?Jimmy 00:22Yes. I know a couple of them have resigned, but you've found a story about someone who has actually been struck off. And, we've got one for the oldies; luxury retirement apartment blocks. The old vertical village, becomes a retirement vertical village.Sue 00:43And, they look pretty amazing!Jimmy 00:45 Do they?Sue 00:45 I can't wait to get old!Jimmy 00:49You don't want to rush that, trust me! Okay, I'm Jimmy Thomson, and I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:57And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:00And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Sue 01:16So, who is the new Property Commissioner, and what will he or she do?Jimmy 01:20Good question! His name is John Minns. According to the press release we got from Fair Trading last week, he brings more than 25 years experience as a real estate business owner and agent. Most recently, he was managing director of Canberra-based Independent Property Group and is a previous director of the Academy of Real Estate Services, where he worked to improve professional development and training opportunities. That's according to the Right Honourable Kevin Anderson, who is the Fair Trading Minister. Our regulars will remember that a few weeks (or maybe a month or so ago), they announced this expert panel for property services and it's full of people in building management, strata management, rental people, real estate... I think they've got short-term rental people in there, as well. They don't have tenants and they don't have apartment owners.Sue 02:29So, they don't actually have any consumers of these services?Jimmy 02:31There's no consumers. I mean, what would they know about living in...Sue 02:36That's a bit weird, isn't it? If you're wanting to improve something, wouldn't you actually liaise...Jimmy 02:42

Podcast: Strata Hub stats and hottest spot for flats

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 19:03:02 -0400

This week in the podcast we take a long, hard look at the proposals – well advanced, it must be said – for every strata scheme in NSW to register all their vital statistics on the state’s new Strata Hub.What kind of information will they want and why do they want it? And what happens if old Geoff, the rusted-on secretary in Flat 4b, forgets to fill in the form or just doesn't think it applies to your strata scheme .Are there penalties for failure to comply with this Big Brother-like intrusion into our lives? (Yes.) And how much are they? (A lot … plus GST.)NB: By “Big Brother” I mean the state snooping in the novel ‘1984’ by George Orwell, not the imprisonment of wannabe celebrities for our voyeuristic pleasure.And if you think this only applies to NSW, just wait. If it works it'll be coming your way before you know it.Anyway, a couple of minor corrections: You will find all the links to the various portals where you can post your observations and fill in your surveys here in this story on this website.And the fine for not updating your information will be up to $2200 not $2500 as only slightly mis-stated in the podcast.LISTEN HEREMeanwhile, as we emerge from our Covid cloud, it seems we can get back to Australia’s other favourite topic of conversation – apart from the weather – and that’s property prices.And to get your water-cooler chats going (are we allowed to have them yet?) Sue has discovered a city where apartment prices have gone up 25 per cent in the past year. Want to take a guess which one?And finally, we discuss the measures in the new NSW short-term letting registry that should put paid to sneaky tenants sub-letting their apartments without their owners’ knowledge or permission.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Something big is happening in strata, in New South Wales.Sue 00:03Good! Is that a 'good' big, or 'bad' big?Jimmy 00:07That remains to be seen. Fair Trading is creating what they call a 'strata hub,' where they are putting together all the information they can gather about apartment blocks in the state and they're making it compulsory that every strata scheme has to provide a certain amount of information.Sue 00:29Is this coming from the Building Commissioner's office?Jimmy 00:31No, it's coming from, I think, Victor Dominello, who is a bit of a...Sue 00:38Champion of apartments.Jimmy 00:40I was going to say, a data geek.Sue 00:44Maybe, the two coincide, sometimes.Jimmy 00:46We'll be talking about that and we're going to be talking about some strange movements in apartment prices. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:57And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:00And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOut of the blue last Friday (as often happens, just before the weekend), Fair Trading dropped a bombshell, which is that they are going to be conducting, initially, discussions leading to legislation... New regulations in strata, requiring strata schemes to, basically file all their details.Sue 01:43Is this out of the blue? I've never heard of this before.Jimmy 01:46Well, apparently, it's phase two of a three phase process.Sue 01:51What was phase one?Jimmy 01:52Phase one was the bond's thing, you know, the building bond.Sue 01:58What's phase three?Jimmy 01:59Phase three is; I'll just have a look! Phase three will expand Owners Corporation reporting to include further building compliance information, like the annual fire safety documents, being uploaded onto the web.Sue 02:19Wow, this is pretty immense.Jimmy 02:21Oh, there's phase four, in which we'll see the strata hub continuing to evolve, branching out to include information and community precinc..

Podcast: See you soon … on your CCTV screens

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 01:27:29 -0400

Exactly who gets to view the recording from your strata scheme’s CCTV cameras? That’s a topic that’s been keeping us occupied on the Flat Chat Forum and now gets an additional airing on the podcast.Can your strata scheme limit viewings to the strata manager or committee members? Aren’t there privacy issues involved? And what about those who want to look at the recordings for nefarious purposes.In a podcast in which it sounds like Jimmy is going for a world record in the use of the word “nefarious” we pick the pixels out of the strata laws surrounding CCTV and come up with a conclusion that many apartment residents may find alarming.LISTEN HEREBut before that, we look at the potential benefits of the creation of a new high-powered committee to come up with a plan to reintroduce construction insurance for new apartment blocks.And we look at the impact on apartments of NSW opening up to tourism just when a new registry of short-term rental accommodation – like Airbnb and Stayz - comes into force.In the discussion we speculate about what defines a “principal place of residence” and whether that would allow savvy owners and tenants to by-pass by-laws by only renting their flats at weekends.At first, Planning NSW defined “principal place of residence” as “the place where a person usually lives, and so most of their possessions and clothes would be there and usually their mail would be sent there also."We see that as a loophole through which you could drive a luggage trolley but since we recorded the podcast, NSW Planning has revised its view, as you can read in this story.We still think anti-STRA strata schemes will struggle with chancers who will break the rules until such times as they are caught. Maybe they should install CCTV.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We've got a real mixture of topics this week. We've got the pretty major breakthrough on insurance; construction insurance for apartment blocks. We've got the Airbnb register, that you've got to be on, if you want to rent property on Airbnb.Sue 00:20Wow, is that finally coming in?Jimmy 00:23November 1st; people have got to be registered on it by. I don't know what happens if they're not on it after that; maybe, somebody comes around and...Sue 00:31That's incredible, because I never thought it was actually going to finally happen. It seemed to be kind of shelved, so many times.Jimmy 00:38But then, you know, Airbnb or short-term letting, kind of ceased to exist for a while, because of COVID. And then, there's a weird story that's come up through the forum, about CCTV, and who gets to view strata CCTV. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:05And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:08This is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Jimmy So, the big news; there is a panel being set up, to establish a basis for insurance on apartment block construction.Sue 01:34This is fantastic! I mean, this is really big news, because it's been 18 years since any building over three storeys high, has been able to get home insurance...Home warranty insurance.Jimmy 01:49Yeah. Because they kept falling down.Sue 01:51Well, that's right.Jimmy 01:51They had so many defects and we've just had a survey out, that said just about half the new apartment blocks in New South Wales have defects. At least half, because it's become apparent that people are discovering defects in their buildings and just hide them; just don't want to report them, because they end up having to pay for them, because the developers just disappear. So, all that's going to change.Sue 02:20It is. I mean, this is the result of the government. Give them their due; appointing the Building Commissioner two years ago and he's been working quite hard to try and clean up the industry.

Podcast: Chandler reveals true defects challenge

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 19:09:41 -0400

In this week’s podcast we hear the voice of defect rectification in NSW as David Chandler takes to the airwaves to explain why two different surveys have revealed that about half of the apartment blocks built in the past 15 years in NSW have serious defects.And, in extracts from a session he shared with JimmyT on the James Valentine Afternoons show on ABC 702, we hear what he’s already doing to fix the situation.It’s a slightly different format this time as we dip into David’s comments then discuss them topic by topic. We’re not just running the chat in full, end to end.But one of the problems, we discover, is the very low percentage of blocks that report problems when they discover themWe also get a sense of David’s frustration at the way NSW’s progress in removing and replacing flammable cladding is being compared unfavourably and, he says, unfairly with Victoria’s very different approach.And he answers the multi-million-dollar question ... should you even think about buying an apartment off-the-plan?Moving on, we examine a very real example of a building with defects issues, leading to it almost being evacuated last week.And we hear how apartment rents are starting to rise again as tenants take advantage of the inner-city slump to trade up to larger apartments in better areas.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00So, we're in the last stage of the road to freedom.Sue 00:05Yes, it's fantastic. We both have haircuts... I've been to the cinema.Jimmy 00:10Been double vaccinated, like 80% of people in New South Wales.Sue 00:15And Victoria is almost on the same trajectory as well. Just a bit behind us.Jimmy 00:20So, they've loosened some of the restrictions in New South Wales. Guess what difference that makes to living in strata?Sue 00:27You tell me, Jimmy!Jimmy 00:29Absolutely nothing. You still have to mask up on common property; you still have to wear a mask in the lifts. We're going to get more infections, because people are mingling more. I mean, 80% means that one person in every five, isn't double -vaccinated, which is two members of a football team. So, there's going to be a spike in infections, for sure, so we still have to take sensible precautions. Wearing masks; whatever your building manager, or strata manager, or committee, or next door neighbor tells you... You should still be wearing masks on common property, in apartment buildings.Sue 01:09And especially in confined spaces like lifts, I guess.Jimmy 01:12Yes, indeed. Moving on... Last week, I was invited onto the James Valentine afternoon show (on ABC 702), at the same time as David Chandler, the Building Commissioner for New South Wales, to talk about defects and a report by the Strata Community Association that has revealed that four out of every 10 apartments in our apartment blocks, over the last six years, has serious defects. So, he came on; James had a chat with him and I have cherry-picked some of the stuff that David Chandler says, so we'll be listening to that. We're going to hear about an apartment block, which might be one of those (may very well be one of those), which is teetering on the brink of evacuation. And, you're going to tell us some news, which is good news for property investors and possibly not such good news for tenants in apartments, because rents are going up. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:17And I'm Sue Williams, I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 02:00And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyAs I said before that inspiring music, I was on the James Valentine show last week and David Chandler was there, talking about defects and the Strata Community Association report that said 4 out of 10 new apartment buildings in New South Wales, have been found to have serious defects. So, James chatted to him and chatted to me,

Podcast: Freedom for some but at what cost?

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 23:35:07 -0400

The Flat Chat Wrap podcast covers a lot of ground this week, from the state-wide easing of covid restrictions in NSW (but not in Victoria) to a little local difficulty with window tinting.NSW’s “Freedom Day” gets a lot of attention, as you’d expect, and we address the issue of whether or not we still need to wear masks on common property.Jimmy compares figures with the UK that suggest, even with 80 percent of the population vaccinated, things could get a lot worse before they get better, if only in terms of infections and hospitalisations.Plus we chat about the dangers of frustrated gym junkies rushing back and picking up their workouts and weights at the same intensity as they worked at before they were locked down.LISTEN HEREWe discuss at some significant changes on the Flat Chat website, including the fact that we have finally acquired the flatchat.com.au web address – losing the annoying hyphen between the “flat” and the “chat” – and the new menus that make it easier for readers to find the topics in which they are most interested.We look at a newspaper story about a building engineer who’s just been awarded an Order of Australia but several of whose projects have attracted the unwelcome attention of Building Commissioner David Chandler.We look at an owner whose been ordered to remove the tinting on their windows – the only thing that makes their main bedroom habitable – because it looks different from the other apartments in their block.And the resident who’s fallen out with their owners corporation who have not only hit him with a series of petty Notices To Comply, but charged him an admin fee for doing so.All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00It's Freedom Day in New South Wales (or, when you're listening to this, it will have been; yesterday).Sue 00:08I can't wait, because at the moment, it's tomorrow.Jimmy 00:11It's tomorrow, here in our little studio. You might be able to hear a storm brewing outside; I don't know if our filters will cut that out. If you hear gusting winds, that's what's happening. There's probably going to be a storm brewing in New South Wales, as well, if this loosening of restrictions creates an increase in COVID infections. We're going to be talking about that. We're going to be talking about big news in Flat Chat. We're going to be talking about a couple of issues in strata schemes, one of which has come up on the Flat Chat forum, and you've got some news about an investigation into an engineer?Sue 00:56Yes, that's right; an engineering firm.Jimmy 00:59We'd better get on with it. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:05And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:08And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyThe residents of New South Wales (or most of New South Wales), have been freed.Sue 01:29That's right.Jimmy 01:30So we can walk about outside without masks on; we can go to cafes and gyms and all sorts of things... Is it going to make a big difference?Sue 01:41Oh, let's hope not. I think the news was this morning, that first dose of the vaccination has hit 90% of people in New South Wales, so that's a lot. So hopefully, any kind of rise at all in the infection rate, will be dampened down by the number of vaccinations we've had, hopefully. I imagine the rest of the country is looking on quite keenly to see what happens here, because they obviously want a good news story for when they're coming out of restrictions, as well. Or, if you're in Queensland, or WA; if you've never really entered them.Jimmy 02:16Well, I have, funnily enough, for the first time actively gone looking for COVID-19 infection statistics, other than just waiting to see what we get fed by the government.Sue 02:28What did you find?

Podcast: No-vax bans and climate denial warning

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 00:13:02 -0400

We cover a lot of ground in this week’s podcast, from local pandemic panics to global warming and the potential "scary" effect of political inaction on your mortgages.First up we look into pro and anti-vaccine passions and the desire in some strata schemes to prevent unvaccinated residents from accessing communal facilities.As this story also discusses, is it fair, legal or even desirable to keep the unvaccinated out of gyms, pools, saunas, spas, communal areas and video theatres?Or, looking at it another way, is it responsible, legally justifiable and safe not to do so?LISTEN HEREAlso we discuss the new leadership in NSW and whether it will make any difference to our lives with two of the three top Liberals in state parliament having been Fair Trading (or Better Regulation) Ministers.We look at warnings, as outlined in this story that, if we become global pariahs in terms of climate change, that could have a profound effect on interest rates and mortgages.And we delve into the dark and grey areas of property ownership where one owner is claiming common property as their personal parking spot, and another owners corporation wants the return of common property that the owner though was part of their lot.All that and much more in this week’s podcast. TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00A few little changes, to the Flat Chat website, coming through. Because I had an SEO (search engine optimization), expert do a little analysis of the website for me. I've always been very suspicious of SEO people, because they're one of the spam things you get bombarded with. This guy's really, really good and so, it's going to be all about making it easier to find stuff (other than my witty headlines). You'll actually be able to go "oh, here's the thing about parking. This is how we'll find out about parking."Sue 00:37Okay. It makes it much more user-friendly, I suppose.Jimmy 00:40I think that's the idea. It's more user-friendly, rather than Jimmy-friendly, I think. So this morning, we're going to be talking about whether or not you can limit or restrict your facilities to vaccinated people only. We're going to be talking about the new leadership in New South Wales and what that means (if anything), to people in strata. We're going to be talking about how our position on global warming could affect your interest rates. And, we're going to be talking about people grabbing bits of property; common property, for their own personal use. That's a lot, isn't it?Sue 01:21It is. We better get on with it!Jimmy 01:23Better get on with it. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:29And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:31And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySue, we've touched on the issue of restricting common property facilities to people with double vaccination. Is it even possible? Can it be done?Sue 01:59Well, there are a lot of strata committees at the moment, discussing exactly that and they're kind of drafting bylaws now as well, to see if it can be done. I guess the proof is in the pudding, really. They're going to draft bylaws and then maybe, the antivaxxers might challenge that in court or NCAT and then they will actually finally get a definitive answer. I did a story about this, this week and I talked to barrister Richard Gration and he was saying (remember the Jo Cooper decision in the Court of Appeal about dogs)?Jimmy 02:32How can we forget?Sue 02:32He was saying that might affect owner's ability to pass those kinds of bylaws, because that case confirmed the limits to Owners Corporations' powers and it may well be that they might not be able to, but he basically feels that there is a chance and it's going to have to be decided probably in court, at the end of the day.Jimmy 02:52

Podcast: Defects detective Chandler’s candid chat

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 03:24:00 -0400

We have something of a star guest on this week’s podcast. Sue Williams, our regular co-host, has allowed us to dip into her recordings of her interview with Building Commissioner David Chandler so you can hear the voice of the man who is turning strata development in NSW on its head.And it has just occurred to me that some search engines might have brought Friends fans here, attracted by the name Chandler. So if Bing brought you here in search of Chandler Bing, our apologies. But, hey, you're among friends.LISTEN HEREHowever, before we get to the Commish, first we will talk about another consumer-focussed innovation, a plan to get the big insurers back to the table.To be clear, insurance companies are still providing strata insurance for accidental damage etc in completed buildings, but they pulled out of insuring building defects nearly 20 years ago.NSW Fair Trading is hoping the efforts of David Chandler will shore up confidence in a hitherto benighted industry, to the extent that insurers will feel claims for defective work are the exception rather than the rule.Then we hear from the man himself and his plans to go on the front foot and “name and shame” not just sub-par buildings, but the professionals who have allowed them to be built that way.Then as a little light relief, JimmyT looks back at a “Strata of Origin” debate he refereed between strata lawyers in NSW and Queensland, at the end of which he asked which of each other’s laws they wished they had.You’ll hear (or read about) the NSW preferences in the podcast but Jimmy neglected to mention the Queensland strata experts were envious of NSW’s 2 per cent defects bond.Jimmy does, however, mention a couple of quirky strata laws from other states.And finally we look at the new Mirvac development at the former Channel Nine studios at Willoughby (not Chatswood as stated) and recall the night we went to dinner with recently departed newsreader Brian Henderson during which copious amounts of wine were consumed.That’s all in this week’s podcast.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Bit of a David Chandler fest this week, Sue Williams?Sue 00:03Yes, well, it's been two years since he was appointed, so I sat down and had a chat with him about his term in office and what he's achieved, or what he's not achieved.Jimmy 00:12Okay, we'll be talking about that later. We'll be talking about (maybe), the big insurers coming back in and we'll be talking about a thing I did about the differences between strata law in Queensland and New South Wales. And, what's happening with the Channel 9 studios up in Chatswood (Willoughby)...Sue 00:32In Sydney.Jimmy 00:32That's a lot to get in, so we'd better get on with it. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:41And I'm Sue Williams, I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:43And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOkay Sue, you did a big, big feature for Domain magazine; an interview with David Chandler. We will get into that later, but part of it was a thing about the big insurers coming back in to insure buildings. What's the story there?Sue 01:16I spoke to the Minister, Kevin Anderson. He was saying basically, David Chandler has done such a good job... He's really helping restore a lot of confidence back into the new apartments industry. Also, because he's had such wide-ranging powers, he's had the opportunity to really shut down buildings that aren't going well and make sure everything is going to be much better in future. He's introduced that tool to measure risk in buildings as well (which developers will sign up to), so that we can see their DNA; a building's DNA. So, he thinks there's so much confidence back now in the apartment industry, that insurers are now queuing up to come back to insure apartment buildings over three storeys high and as ..

Podcast: Covid alerts – cover-up or just a cock-up?

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 06:20:48 -0400

Is it a series of cover-ups or just another run of cock-ups? Either way NSW Health is making a mess of its covid alerts when it comes to apartment blocks.Whether it’s deciding not to let us all know that there are major outbreaks in public housing schemes – and asking residents not to tell anyone about it – or not alerting neighbours in privately owned strata blocks that there are cases in their buildings, the response has been ham-fisted.An editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald from the Owners Corporation network has outlined just how dangerously incompetent the NSW government’s approach to covid infections in apartment blocks has been.And the worst thing is the confusion it has created, with some buildings over-reacting to a potential threat, others fail to take it seriously at all, and a huge chunk of the strata community misses out altogether.LISTEN HEREMeanwhile we look at a story from the forum which reveals an issue that comes up much more often that you might expect: an owner taking over common property for their own benefit, increasing the size of their apartment and expecting not to have to pay for it.Then we look at how introducing some greenery into your strata life can lower your stress and make you a nicer person to be around in the last of our locked-down days (we hope).And finally, Jimmy has his annual pre-summer rant about balcony barbecues and discovers that a lot of the suggestions he made ages ago about limiting the smoke and smell intruding on other apartments – which were howled down by outraged neighbours and dismissed contemptuously by his block’s committee – have quietly found their way into a code of conduct.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We had two picnics, this weekend.Sue 00:01Yes, we did! It was hard work, wasn't it?Jimmy 00:04It was very hard work, because there was a lot of people, down there in the park.Sue 00:08It was like Christmas Day, really. I think there was a real celebratory mood though, which was really lovely.Jimmy 00:12Yes, it was. There were people walking around; they'd take their masks off to eat and forget to put them back on again.Sue 00:20It kind of felt like we were out of a pandemic, when really, we've still got a bit to go, I guess.Jimmy 00:25And there was police wandering around, not bothering anybody. It was pretty good. I'm not a big fan of picnics, as you know. That's my two picnics for this year; possibly this decade.Sue 00:37And that's why it was such hard work, because Jimmy doesn't like sitting on the ground. We ended up having to cart five chairs, a table; and then we had knives and forks and plates and stuff, whereas most normal people would be happy with the little bag of sandwiches and on a rug for the ground...Jimmy 00:53But our friends said it was the best picnic they'd ever had, or maybe the fanciest picnic they'd ever had. It's not sitting on the ground that bothers me, it's getting up. That's the issue. Today, we're going to talk about the ongoing issues with notifications of infections of the COVID virus in apartment blocks. You've got a nice uplifting story about greenery and I'm going to dig into the forum, because there's a story that's come up there, that's really quite interesting and it's one that comes around quite a lot. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:36I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:39And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyThe Owners Corporation Network; the spokesperson on COVID, Jane Hearn, got an op-ed in the Sydney Morning Herald, this morning. It's basically saying the government has really dropped the ball, in terms of notifying residents of infections in their buildings and they're also being incredibly selective about which buildings they choos..

Podcast: Blockdown roll call carries a $5000 sting

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 21:58:52 -0400

As we edge ever closer to relief from our various lockdowns – and the inevitable spike in infections that will follow before vaccinations fully kick in – the NSW government’s plan for apartment blocks is quietly gelling in the background.And, as detailed in this story, part of the plan to limit the spread as we transition to semi-freedom, will be to blitz any unit blocks where an infection pops up.One major element of that strategy is to allow managers, health workers or even police to knock on apartment doors to find out who’s living there and who is a frequent visitor.Now, as discussed on Amanda Farmers live podcast last week, maintaining accurate strata rolls is among the least-observed strata laws – and it IS law – on the statute books.However, as we discuss on this podcast, that piffling $200 maximum fine for not registering on the strata roll could become a $5000 slam for not give “true and accurate” information under the new public health orders.And does having a strata roll that doesn't match the names and numbers of people living in a unit increase the chances that the block will be deemed "high-risk" and locked down? LISTEN HEREAlso this week we discuss the importance of good ventilation in apartment blocks – especially when there’s a deadly airborne virus flying around.And we have some handy hints on how renters can make the most of record low rents in our CBDs.Finally, the Bachelor finds a pad, and a brief reminder of why a good pair of headphones are an absolute boon for you and your neighbours during lockdown.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap. TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 0:00 I was listening to Amanda Farmer's podcast, which is on Friday afternoons. I listened in last Friday; there's a lot of chat about the issue that we raised in the website last week (and it's been elsewhere), about the new measures that the government is preparing to take in apartments, in cases of potential 'block-down.'Sue 0:26 As you've coined it.Jimmy 0:28 It was interesting to hear her, because she's a strata lawyer and her podcasts tend to be listened to by a lot of strata managers and strata professionals. She was talking about the legalities of these new powers that the government has given people, to go in and basically come and knock on your door and ask who's living here; who's been here visiting. So, we're going to talk about that and you've got stuff about air quality; you've written an article about air quality, which will be on the website. And, we're also going to talk about how to get a good rental.Sue 1:13 From a tenant's perspective.Jimmy 1:15 From the tenants perspective, yes. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 1:22 And I'm Sue Williams, I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 1:25 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOne of the new powers that's been given to strata managers and health professionals (and you wrote about this in the Sydney Morning Herald), is the ability to go and knock on doors and say "who's living here? Who's been staying here?" This is when there's an infection in an apartment block and they want to do onsite contact tracing, I suppose you would call it.Sue 2:05 Yeah and they want to check how many people in a building have tested positive and want to know whether they should lock it down. So therefore, they want to know who lives in each apartment and who's been visiting each apartment.Jimmy 2:17 And there's quite substantial fines for people who don't give true and accurate information.Sue 2:23 Really, how much?Jimmy 2:24 That's the wording, yes. I think it's about $5,000.Sue 2:28 Okay, that's 10 times more than Tony Abbott got, for not wearing a mask at Manly.Jimmy 2:34 Yes.Sue 2:35 Isn't it funny, he's saying we're not a nation of dobbers, but really, maybe we should be,

Podcast: Anti-anti-vaxxers and 20,000 listens

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 03:48:25 -0400

Forgive us for patting ourselves on the back this week but, having surpassed 20,000 downloads and listens to the podcast, I reckon we’ve earned a little self-indulgence. Suffice it to say that the audience for our weekly ramblings is growing steadily, and that has to be good.This week we turn our attention to the extended moratorium on rental evictions and the compensation for landlords who reduce the rents of tenants who are doing it tough. You can read all about that HERE.Then we discuss France’s vaccine passport and how people are taking that up with gusto (or should that be elan?). Sue thinks the idea of vaccine passports is complicated – Jimmy vehemently disagrees. You can also read some other arguments, both pro and con, HERE.LISTEN HEREWe talk about how and why rental vacancies are going up in Melbourne but have plateaued in Sydney.We dig into Building Commissioner David Chandler’s latest attempts to expose the shonks and swindlers in the building trade, this time by focussing his laser vision on the worst of the worst certifiers and sending them a collective “My office, now!”Jimmy talks about the odd letter from Kerry Chant’s office that took a week to confirm it was real. By the way, it came out after this podcast was in the can but we now know why it was issued, as NSW Health gets ready blitz apartment blocks.We ask why 90 per cent of strata professionals and committee members would not recommend buying off the plan to friends, family or colleagues.Sue takes us to Green Square where the population density is greater than in New Delhi but the facilities there make it a very nice place to live.And we discuss why cats are OK for apartment blocks but not so great at ground level. That’s all, and more, in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We achieved quite a milestone this weekend, as regards this podcast.Sue 00:05Yeah?Jimmy 00:05Overnight, we had our 20,000th download.Sue 00:11Wow! 20,000?Jimmy 00:12Yeah, so that's spread over 138 podcasts, but still, it's okay.Sue 00:18Oh, that's amazing. Congratulations, Jimmy.Jimmy 00:23We have probably more than 50% more listeners, than we had this time last year.Sue 00:28Oh, fantastic!Jimmy 00:30I read something that said, if you get more than 135 listeners in your first two weeks, you are in the top 50% of podcasts in the world and we're way ahead of that.Sue 00:47That's great. Well, thank you, everybody listening, for supporting us. Thanks for listening in.Jimmy 00:52It could be one person, listening to it 20,000 times. I doubt that that's the case; I'd be a bit worried if it was.Sue 00:58They'd be in hospital by now, I'd imagine.Jimmy 00:59Getting back to this week's podcast, we're going to talk about David Chandler's battle to build confidence in apartment building. Things like certifiers; he's putting certifiers under the microscope and the irony of trying to build confidence by pointing out problems. Before that, we're going to talk about the continuing payments for rent reductions available to landlords. The evictions moratorium has also been extended. And, we're just going to talk about high-density living. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:27And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:42And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySo, the government has extended the moratorium on evictions and the compensation for rent reductions.Sue 02:08That's in New South Wales, not in Victoria; I don't think they have a moratorium there.Jimmy 02:14Well, New South Wales is obviously at the moment, in a lot more trouble with COVID than anywhere else in Australia.Sue 02:21That's right and, it's been going on for longer.Jimmy 02:22Yeah. So,

Podcast: Defects detected and pets rejected

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 02:24:52 -0400

In this week’s podcast we chat about a report which reveals that one-third of 500 unit blocks inspected in a survey had serious defects, from leaking bathrooms, to fire safety issues..And there’s the stomach-churning claim that some units face remediation bills that will cost more than half the purchase price of the apartments.We also look at a small scale developer who has been ordered by a court to pay more than $1million in compensation, plus legal costs, after their attempts to blame everyone else for the problems in their property fell on deaf ears.LISTEN HEREWe touch briefly on the revelation that the two tradies per apartment limit on apartment renovations doesn’t apply to unoccupied units – they can have as many as they want provided they don’t go over the one worker per 4sqm limitAnd we examine how out-of-date community title laws have stymied pet owners’ attempts to enforce the new by-laws on pets.Finally, we follow Sue’s story on Pinchy the crayfish whose rescue and survival is worth of Disney movie.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We're going to be revisiting some well-worn paths this week, but each of them has a bit of a twist, Sue Williams.Sue 00:07They certainly do!Jimmy 00:08A couple of stories about defects. We're going to be looking at renovations in apartments during lockdown (again), because it's even worse than we thought. We're going to be looking at pets, but not in strata; in community schemes. And, we've got a happy little story, that's got nothing to do with apartments really, except that you wrote it. It was written in an apartment.Sue 00:36That's a tenuous link, isn't it, really?Jimmy 00:38Yep. It's about as strong as I can get. I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:47And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:49And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySue, one positive story for apartment owners, regarding defects that you've dug out and another absolutely horrendous one.Sue 01:14Oh, yes. What do you want first, the good news or the bad news?Jimmy 01:17Give us the good news first.Sue 01:19Okay, well, residents in an apartment building in Strathfield in Sydney, won their fight against the developer about defects. There was lots of defects (alleged), in this building, including bad waterproofing and flammable cladding and they won in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled against the developers, after the developers pointed to everybody else and said "it's their fault; it's not our fault. It was the designers, it was the architects, it was the certifiers." The Supreme Court of New South Wales disagreed and said it was their fault, so they've ordered them to pay all the costs of remediation and the legal costs that the strata owners incurred in their fight.Jimmy 01:59So, what's the total cost to the developer?Sue 02:03They're having to pay just over $1.2 million, to get all the defects fixed and they're also paying the cost of $183,000 that the unit owners incurred, during their fight.Jimmy 02:17Are we going to name these developers? I think we should.Sue 02:20Right. Omaya and Al Maha. Okay, well, they're a husband and wife team; Antoine and Georgette Bechara and they have a company called (they have various companies, you know, where they go through lots of different names)... The wife is a sole director and shareholder of Omaya Holding limited and Mr. Bechara's company is Al Maha Ltd. That's right.Jimmy 02:48That's interesting. I'm sure they'll be doing their best to lift their game in the future, when it comes to any developments that they do under those names.Sue 02:59Sure and the certifiers (Essential Certifiers), have now gone out of business, so they're not trading anymore. They've had lots of complaints about them,

Podcast: Pet regs, kid noise, renos and rants

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 01:40:19 -0400

There’s a lot to get through in this week’s podcast, not least the new regulations on pets in strata which replace the now defunct blanket bans on pets.Even so, Jimmy finds time to indulge in not one but two full-on rants.But first, we talk about noise, specifically from kids playing in and around strata blocks during lockdown.Is it even reasonable to ask parents to tell their kids to keep the noise down? And should we be bothered if they draw a hopscotch grid on the driveway in chalk?And then there’s the noise from renovations. In Victoria, during lockdowns, renos in apartment blocks are banned if there is even just one apartment occupied at the time – end of story.LISTEN HEREIn NSW, provided you have no more than two tradies working in any apartment at any given time, you can have as many renos going on in the same block as you want.What about all the people forced to work from home and not able to go out for anything except shopping and exercise? Welcome to rant No.1.Then we have the new pet regulations (which came out after we had recorded and edited the podcast, so we had to go back in and do that part all over again). The new amendment to the NSW strata Act say schemes can’t have by-laws that bans pets unreasonably.And now you have retrospective regs that define “reasonable”, all of which makes it easier for residents to have pets, but easier for owners corps to remove them if they cause a nuisance, by defining exactly what a nuisance might be.As you can read in this story, the onus is now on owners to have strata-friendly pets rather than find pet-friendly strata schemes.And here is the promised link to the Companion Animals Act, which is referenced in the new regulations.Finally, we talk about all the positives coming from the lockdowns, specifically the ways in which strata residents are helping each other get through all this.And this includes rant No.2 – if you are a member of the Potts Pointers Facebook group, you might want to give this a listen. Enjoy.TRANSCRIPT IN FULL Jimmy 00:00I am shocked and disappointed, Sue Williams.Sue 00:04Something I've done?Jimmy 00:06I've been writing a lot on the website, about how little concern is given to apartment residents by New South Wales Health. I've been saying there should be somebody in there who knows about apartment living and then I found out last week, that two of the ministers in the Crisis Cabinet are former Fair Trading Ministers.Sue 00:32Really?Jimmy 00:32Yeah, so we're going to be talking about that, later. We're going to be talking about noise, during lockdown. We're going to be talking about the new pet laws that come in this week and, we're going to talk about some of the good things that are happening during lockdown in apartments. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:55And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:58And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyNoise in and around the lockdown, Sue. I mean, noise in apartments is one of the big issues, anyway and I've had a couple of posts to the Flat Chat forum this week, from people complaining about noisy children, like in normal times... Children running around, screaming and shouting and they're not able to get any peace and quiet.Sue 01:39Yeah, that would be very hard, wouldn't it? Especially I suppose, in lockdown, when kids are cooped up.Jimmy 01:43Yeah. Well, we saw a story in the Sydney Morning Herald (or was at the Sun-Herald), this week, about parents who've had complaints against them; notices sent by their Owners Corporations, about the children playing on common property and using chalk to draw hopscotch grids. What can you do? You've got kids in the house, you're not allowed to go out for more than an hour at a time.

Podcast: Pets to lets – 200 columns and counting

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 23:03:03 -0400

How has apartment living in Australia changed in the past four years? The answer is a lot, but still too little.This week, we celebrate our 200th column in the Australian Financial Review (and our 820th in all media).And at the risk of being accused of self-congratulation, it’s a good opportunity to look back on what has changed and what hasn’t in the past four years and beyond.It has to be said that progress has been slow and occasionally faltering, as we look at all the “hot” issues, such as dodgy building developers, the NSW Building Commissioner, pet by-laws, flammable cladding, short-term lets, sunset “clawbacks” and anything else that’s made headlines here and elsewhere in the recent past.LISTEN HEREWe also dive into the question of what represents a higher risk to apartment residents – allowing cleaners from West and South-West Sydney Covid-19 hotspots to travel, or not having the touch points in apartment block common areas professionally cleaned?With more than 70 per cent of Sydney’s cleaners living in the “hard lock-down” areas, this is a dilemma that faces a lot of apartment blocks.Needless to say, we both have solutions that will infuriate some and amuse others. It’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00It's a bit of a landmark for Flat Chat, this weekend.Sue 00:03Yeah?Jimmy 00:04 I just published the 200th edition of the column, in the Fin review.Sue 00:11Oh wow! Well done!Jimmy 00:12Thank you. So, we'll be talking about that and the changes that have happened in the past four years. And, we'll be talking about the dilemma over cleaners from the lockdown hotspot LGA's in the west and southwest of Sydney. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:34And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:37And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Sue 00:52Well, happy anniversary, Jimmy. Gosh, that's gone quickly; four years!Jimmy 00:56Four years, 200 columns. But, that's only 200 in the Fin Review.Sue 01:02That's right. Before that you were in the Sydney Morning Herald. How many years were you doing that?Jimmy 01:07Well, 620 columns.Sue 01:12Wow!Jimmy 01:14That breaks down to what; about 12/13 years?Sue 01:17Goodness me and you still don't seem to run out of things to write about.Jimmy 01:21No. I haven't repeated myself that often. I mean, we do go back and update certain topics, obviously, because things do change.Sue 01:29And all your columns, are they all on the Flat Chat website?Jimmy 01:32Most of them are. That's why we in fact, we started the Flat Chat website, to have a kind of repository for all the columns. And you know, I wouldn't dig too far back, if you're looking for information, because the laws have changed. But, I was amazed to find that all my previous columns are still online, for the Fin Review.Sue 01:56Oh, fantastic. And tell me, have things changed enormously in the last four years?Jimmy 02:02Some things have changed enormously; some things have not changed at all.Sue 02:06Okay, shall we look at the good news first?Jimmy 02:09Well, I think the biggest news (certainly in New South Wales), is the appointment of the Building Commissioner, David Chandler. He was appointed because things weren't changing. Dodgy builders were building dodgy buildings, and then 'phoenixing' into other entities. You know, just shutting down shop, before the unfortunate purchasers of of their apartments could claim for the defects. And even if they did claim for the defects, they'd just shut down, and then disappear, with a slightly different name, but with exactly the same business address and exactly the same phone numbers.Sue 02:45And has the Building Commissioner changed an awful lot,

Podcast: Pets & renters, prices and owner revolts

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 20:15:08 -0400

This week’s podcast has placed a ban on the C-word … no, not that one, the other one that’s filling our news bulletins on radio and TV and clogging up our newspapers and online reports.Instead, we start off talking about pets and renters, courtesy of a guest spot Jimmy did on James Valentine’s Afternoons on ABC radio.We’ve snipped out his listeners’ contributions but we’ve left in the insights from Tenants-NSW CEO Leo Patterson Ross about what happens to pet-owning renters who have to move house when a lot of landlords are still saying “no pets”.You can here the piece in full here, with listeners' calls, from the ABC Radio website (go to the one-hour mark if you only want to listen to that segment). And you can get your own advice from the Tenants Union here (it will automatically connect you with the right website for your state). LISTEN HEREBy the way, if you are a landlord rather than a tenant, that website will give you all the information you need about your rights and responsibilities, so it’s a good one to bookmark for the future.Also in the podcast, we discuss a worrying trend towards unhappy owners trying to sack their strata committees and why, even when they’re successful, it doesn’t always work out the way they had hoped.And finally, we look at fluctuating apartment prices and where the “sweet spot” may be for those brave enough to take an investment plunge right now.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00We have a challenge.Sue 00:02Oh, what's that?Jimmy 00:03We have to try and get through a whole podcast without saying the C word. Oh, I mean the other C word. The new C word.Sue 00:14Oh, that's a good challenge to have, because I'm really...Jimmy 00:17Sick of it.Sue 00:18Yes, exactly.Jimmy 00:19Alright. We've done all we can to help people.Sue 00:22Yep.Jimmy 00:23It's up to them now; we're moving on. We're going to be listening in to a session I did on the James Valentine show on ABC Radio last week, when we were talking about pets and tenants. We are going to be talking about sacking your strata committee and replacing them with a compulsory manager. And, we're going to be talking about apartment prices and what is going on there. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:55And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:58And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Sue 01:14I understand you were on James Valentine last week, Jimmy? What were you talking about?Jimmy 01:18We were talking about pets and tenants and the problems that tenants have when they've got a pet and they're trying to find somewhere else to live. And also on the show, was Leo Patterson Ross from the Tenant's Union.Sue 01:33Oh, great!Jimmy 01:33So, we covered quite a lot of ground and this is how it went out on air.James 01:39Your'e on ABC Radio, in Sydney and Newcastle this afternoon. There was the sad story on ABC News last week, about the difficulty that many renters have, trying to find accommodation, when they have a pet; when they've got the dog, got the cat. Many landlords say "nope, you can't come in." This is relevant and increasingly relevant, because more and more people have dogs and companion animals; we value that relationship so much more than perhaps we once did. The numbers are increasing; more and more people will be turning up with dogs and with cats and companion animals, when they're trying to rent. What's interesting also, is that the situation in New South Wales is different to the situation in Victoria and the ACT, where landlords are not allowed to discriminate against people with the dog; they're not allowed to say no to the dog. What's the situation here and what experience have you had? Is this something that you've had to deal with? Are you a tenant,

Podcast: Lockdown PHO a strata dog’s breakfast

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 00:21:26 -0400

We had a new PHO out last week – that’s a Public Health Order, not a Vietnamese noodle soup – and as we discuss in the pod, it’s more of a dog’s breakfast from NSW Health.Are we supposed to allow renovations in apartments when people are being told to stay inside and even work from home?Are cleaners essential workers? How about building managers? Does anybody in NSW Health realise that apartments and townhouses are significantly different from each other and, certainly, from free-standing bungalows?When they tell us to pass by-laws to fill the gaps in their legislation, do they even know that that means and how hard it can be.LISTEN HEREDo they know that some blocks – maybe even the majority – don’t have building managers, strata managers or even active committees? Or that half the strata population are tenants with zero effective say in the way their blocks are run?Is anyone in Fair Trading trying to explain the facts of strata life to the Health Department policymakers … and are they listening?We ask former OCN board member and active advocate for strata residents Jane Hearn what NSW Health is thinking, if anything. Also in the pod, we discuss this story about a new star ratings system for new apartment blocks in NSW and try desperately not to be too cynical.And we discover a tiny skerrick of good news for owners in Mascot Towers.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 0:00 I've got a bit of a confession to make.Sue 0:01 What?Jimmy 0:03 I think I might have Olympic fever.Sue 0:06 What's Olympic fever, Jimmy?Jimmy 0:08 Well, I started to suspect this, when the figures came out last week for the new number of infections in Sydney. There were 96 and my immediate response was to go "come on, Australia! Come on, Sydney; you can do it!" Which is probably an inappropriate response.Sue 0:28 Absolutely, yes, but the Olympics have been amazing.Jimmy 0:32 Terrific relief from all this doom and gloom, of which there is much.Sue 0:37 It's been fantastic for keeping us occupied during lockdown.Jimmy 0:40 Yes and keeping us thinking about going to the gym, or having a swim or whatever. Today, we will not be talking about the Olympics; we'll be talking about a new scheme that the government's bringing in to have a star rating for new developments. And, we'll be talking about the latest public health orders and how confusing (and confused), they are, when it comes to apartments. And, finally, a tiny little bit of good news for the people in Mascot Towers. I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 1:20 And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 1:23 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyThis weekend, we had yet another public health order from New South Wales Health. Once again, apartments seemed to be totally beyond their capacity for thought or concern, because in their bureaucratic gobbledygook (because of pressure from the construction industry), they have now removed all restraints on building work, apart from in the eight local government areas that are in southwest Sydney, that are currently the worst affected by the pandemic. What this means is, on one hand, you've got the Premier, Gladys and the Health Minister, Brad, saying you've got to stay home; just stay home. Just don't go out. Don't leave; if you can work from home, work from home and people, generally, seem to be doing that.Sue 2:31 On the other hand, you've got construction workers allowed back into apartment buildings to redo bathrooms and redo kitchens and carry on with the renovation frenzy, that we're all in.Jimmy 2:43 And one suspects, it's all done on that basis of 'well, if you wanted to have a nice life, you should never have bought an apartment.'Sue 2:53 So with that in mind, we had a chat to Jane Hearn.

Podcast: Shhh … the future will be a lot quieter

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 00:45:33 -0400

On this weeks’ Podcast Sue Williams and JimmyT explore the differences if any that our current locked down, work-from-home life will make to the way we build and live in apartments in the future.Last week we were taking the mickey out of marketers promoting “zoom rooms” … but then we thought about it and agreed, if they were done properly, they could be great.Then we look at the Australian Building (sub)Standards for noise mitigation in apartments which are close to useless even before builders start cutting corners and trimming costs on all the things we can’t see between walls and under floors.LISTEN HEREMeanwhile there are products like those we mention from Arcicture.com that cut down noise and look pretty good too.Then there’s open spaces, infrastructure for home offices, shared workspaces and areas in and around blocks where you can just chill out.Sooner or later developers are going to work out that putting a small premium on a lot of apartments that have access to a rooftop social space, is worth more (in every way) than selling a penthouse apartment to one person for their exclusive privileged use.This isn't going to happen overnight but unrenovated flats and new apartments, all with poor sound insulation, will drop down the priority list for buyers and renters alike.There’s all that and more – including the stupid “nanny state gone mad” arguments about leaf blowers in Bondi.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00Thank God for the Olympics!Sue 00:02Yes, it's come in handy at the time of COVID, hasn't it? Not for the athletes and the people who wanted to go of course, and the officials and the volunteers, but for...Jimmy 00:11Those of us stuck at home?Sue 00:12Yes. It's pretty amazing.Jimmy 00:14Yeah. I briefly toyed with the idea that maybe, it was deliberate.Sue 00:19I think somebody on Insider said today, isn't it fantastic; we're all cheering for Australia and we're all Australians when we win a gold medal at the women's relay, but when we're talking about dividing our Pfizer shots, we're a nation of different states.Jimmy 00:34Yes, exactly. Okay, now, we're going to be talking about how dealing with COVID has affected the way that we live in apartments and what that might mean for the future. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:54And I'm Sue Williams, and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:57And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Jimmy 01:13Sue, if you were going to change anything about the way apartments were built in the future (given that this may not be the last time we have a pandemic, or a wave of the current one), what would you change?Sue 01:29Obviously, I'd want buildings to be much better built and to have much better soundproof qualities as well, because I think we're all at home a lot. If we had (god forbid), another pandemic, we'd all be home again. We don't really want to hear our neighbours playing the piano, or their kids running around above us on wooden floors, or playing the bass really loudly on rock music, or clanging weights in the gym; that kind of thing. We want to have some peace.Jimmy 02:00There's been a culture in and around apartments and I remember the old CTTT, one of their members saying you have to expect a certain amount of noise, when you live in apartments and that noise from other people. Of course, 'a certain amount' is a very undefined level of noise transmission. The building standards for noise transmission (even in apartments), even in the most recent figures, are ridiculous.Sue 02:29Ridiculously low! They should be much better.Jimmy 02:31Much, much better, yes. So, is that the first thing to tackle; the building standards, to have a reasonable assumption that you will have a reasonable amount of peace and quiet in your apartment?

Podcast: Covid toolkit and the lure of Zoom rooms

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 09:42:16 -0400

Covid kicks off the podcast again this week, unfortunately, but with both Sydney and Melbourne shut down it’s the first thing that springs to everyone’s mind.However there are some new talking points – like the surprisingly handy Strata Covid Toolkit produced by the NSW government last weekend, which we highly recommend.Then, just when they’ve final acquired some Flat Chat Brownie points, the NSW government goes and stuffs it up by issuing Public Health Orders about who can work where, completely ignoring strata and the people who run it.LISTEN HEREThe in some non-covid chat (praise be!), we talk about some of the astronomical prices being paid for apartments in the Crown tower at Barangaroo.And we recall spending a night in one of the poshest (and worst laid-out) penthouses in Sydney.Then we discover “zoom rooms”, the new name for that awkward corner of apartments that developers don’t know what to do with. Too small to be a study, too impractical to be anything other than a cupboard, now it’s the potential hub of your burgeoning media career.As our picture of US broadcaster Ira Glass (purloined from Medium.com) shows, you don’t need a special room – just a wardrobe with a desk and lots of noise-absorbing clothes.Sue also introduces us to once-desirable areas where rents are 30 per cent lower than they were five years ago. And we get the inside running on the sale of a disgraced League player’s Parra pad.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 0:00 I feel like we're in double duty this week, because we were on Amanda Farmer's podcast, where everybody actually got to see us for a change.Sue 0:09 Yes. Amanda looks so glamorous and we both looked like we just got out of bed.Jimmy 0:15 Well, you had! She does look very glamorous. It was interesting and quite challenging, the three of us trying to speak, all at the same time, often. We still managed to get through a fair bit of material. Today, we've got a few things to talk about. We've got the new strata toolkit from the New South Wales Government. I noticed it's branded 'government,' not health and definitely not Fair Trading. We've got some confusing messages coming out in the public health orders and you've got some stories about rents and the sales of fabulous apartments.Sue 0:57 Yes, that's right.Jimmy 0:58 I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 1:04 And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 1:07 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.Late on Friday night (which seems to be when they release anything that has to do anything with strata), the New South Wales government released its strata managers and committees COVID-19 handbook.Sue 1:37 Fantastic.Jimmy 1:38 I'm sorry, it's a toolkit. It's not a handbook, it's a toolkit.Sue 1:41 That's great, isn't it? Isn't that the first time they've done very much for strata people?Jimmy 1:47 Well, yeah. It's kind of like they keep forgetting that we exist and keep forgetting that it's a big chunk of the population and issuing all these very specific rules that leave us out, a lot of the time. We've had the whole thing about wearing a mask inside, but your home is being excluded. They didn't define whether that was apartment buildings, or apartments or whateve, so they brought out this toolkit, which I think looks pretty good.Sue 2:17 Great. What kinds of things does it involve?Jimmy 2:20 Well, there are things like the posters for putting up. You download them as PDFs, you print them and you stick them up in your lifts and on your notice boards and on your doors. And, they're quite specific; they're saying you must wear a mask.Sue 2:37 Oh, good. So there's no two ways about it?Jimmy 2:39 Yeah. What they don't have is the thing saying it's a condi..

Podcast: What mixed mask messages really mean

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 21:10:04 -0400

This week’s podcast makes a brave effort to pretend life is going on as normal … and almost pulls it off.We talk about the new DNA for apartment blocks, or the Building Assurance Solution, to give it its proper name, which the NSW government says is going to help track down dodgy developers, just like forensic scientists catching criminals on TV dramas.Then we talk about a development in one of Sydney’s most affluent areas that has seen work halted until problems with the construction are fixed. LISTEN HEREThe developers and some early off-the-plan purchasers are saying “nothing to see here”. The government is saying fix the problems or you won’t get an occupancy certificate.And we talk about the areas where residential apartment rents and investment yields are soaring, which is just about everywhere … except Sydney and Melbourne, where most of our apartments are.But first we get into the nitty gritty of compulsory mask wearing in common property areas of apartment blocks and ask why it was, less than two weeks ago, that NSW Health didn’t even think it was worth suggesting this sensible precaution to apartment residents, let alone ordering us to mask up.Could it be the rapid spread of Covid-19 in apartment blocks? This episode was recorded before the 29-unit block in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, where eight infections across five households were discovered.This new variant of the virus is spreading so fast that even we almost can’t keep up … almost. But we've managed to bring out a bumper edition of the podcast to help get you through whatever impacts Covid-19 is having wherever you live.And as of today, the Flat Chat crew will be fully vaccinated and masked to the max, so - fingers crossed - we’ll be here keeping you informed and entertained for a while.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 0:00So, straight from isolation into lockdown; the never-ending lockdown. But, at least it gives us a chance to catch up on things, like tidying our offices.Sue 0:12Absolutely! I completely tidied mine today.Jimmy 0:14And then, you couldn't find what you were looking for.Sue 0:16I couldn't find anything at all!Jimmy 0:20Right, so we have nothing to talk about (that's not true). We're going to talk about the lockdown; we're going to talk about mask wearing. We're going to talk about a thing called the Building Assurance Solution, which sounds like a cleaning product, but is in fact, a brilliant (allegedly), idea to have all new buildings have a kind of digital DNA, so you know everything about what went into the construction. And, we're going to talk about rents and yields. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 0:56And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 0:59And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySo, last week, after we'd recorded the podcast (complaining about how the government wasn't taking the casual infection of people living in apartments and meeting each other in common property seriously), they issued an advisory, telling people who were in apartment buildings; in common property, that they should wear masks.Sue 1:40They suggested it, that we should.Jimmy 1:41It would be a good idea. And that is good; that's fine. They sent out posters and stuff and then this weekend, they've said no; it's now mandatory.Sue 1:52Which is what we've been saying. We've been saying that apartment residents need special attention, because we're all kind of chucked in these blocks together and we could potentially be a big risk of being super-spreaders. The government said no, no, no, we're not a special case; we're going to be treated exactly the same as people who live in houses. Now, they've finally come around to our way of thinking. Why did it take them so long, Jimmy?Jimmy 2:19Well, what was it; apart from the intense pressure from us and people like the Owners Corporation Net..

Podcast: Social housing a Sirius miscalculation

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 02:54:19 -0400

As we emerge from our “close contact” self-isolation we are probably going to have to go back into hiding after the selfie we took of ourselves still at work, despite lockdowns, which appeared in the Fin Review last weekend.Responses have ranged from “a picture-perfect combination of domestic bliss and productivity” to “oh, dear … you look like two crazy old people.”Of course, either or both of these may possibly be true.Back to the podcast, on which we discuss how much (or little) the government is getting out of the controversial sale of the Sirius building.LISTEN HEREWe look at the new focus on owners corporations who deliberately hide their building’s defects, presumably so they don’t damage the prospects of selling their flats.And we talk about how buildings’ reputations can be easily harmed when rumours and gossip get out of hand.We chat about the very shaky start to the new Property Services Experts Panel, with one of the biggest players pulling out.Plus the new regulations that will require the professionals involved in property development – like architects, engineers and builders – to register their involvement in new schemes.Domesticity and productivity ... or two crazy old people?And we mention Sue’s new book “Daughter of the River Country” the biography of an amazing Aboriginal community leader which is out now, just in time for Naidoc week.All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPTION IN FULLJimmy 0:00 We only have just over 24 hours left in isolation!Sue 0:06 Woohoo! I can't wait to get out. Well, I guess we have got out on three occasions, haven't we? But, that was purely to have a COVID test.Jimmy 0:17 Although yesterday, we walked down to the one at the park.Sue 0:21 That was very pleasant.Jimmy 0:22 Yeah, just to get out in the sunshine. We'd had two negative tests before that and that test proved negative. So, it's just a matter of time now.Sue 0:32 Yeah, absolutely.Jimmy 0:33 Until we're free!Sue 0:34 Yes! Never been so pleased to get out and have somebody stick a thing up your nose, but still!Jimmy 0:41 Today, we're talking about the sale of the Sirius building, or more to the point, what they're going to do with the money. And, we're going to talk about the hiding of defects. What else have we got, Sue?Sue 0:53 The next phase of the apartment buyer protection.Jimmy 0:57 And then, there's something we should mention, which is the apparent collapse of the whole Property Services Expert Panel.Sue 1:06 Oh, really?Jimmy 1:06 The estate agents have pulled out.Sue 1:08 They were the ones who were lobbying for it! It was their idea.Jimmy 1:12 Yeah, and now they've pulled out. There's that and a lot of other stuff coming up. I'm Jimmy Thomson; I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 1:22 And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 1:25 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyOkay Sue, what's the skinny on Sirius?Sue 1:44 Well, the New South Wales Government has just announced where the money is going to be spent.Jimmy 1:49 We're talking about what they call the 'brutalist architecture' block down close to the Harbour Bridge, with the fabulous views of the Opera House.Sue 1:59 That's right and it was social housing for many, many years. It was built in 1979 and it's always been very cheap housing for social welfare recipients.Jimmy 2:09 I think from the front, it looks like a bar graph, because it goes up to a peak and then comes down again.Sue 2:15 Yeah, I can certainly see that.Jimmy 2:18 And, that peak could be the huge sums that the developers are going to get for selling the new apartments.Sue 2:26 Because, they've renovated inside and they paid $150 million to buy it from the New South Wales Government. There have been reports that they now stand to..

Podcast: Stuck in Darlo with the Covid blues again

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 22:05:58 -0400

There's a saying going around that it's the hope that kills you - and certainly, fans of the Scotland, Sweden, France, Netherlands and German football teams at the European Championships would concur.Of course, it's nonsensense. If anything kills you, it's complacency. You walk around feeling like you're immune and then you find out the person sitting next to you in a cafe definitely wasn't virus-free, and your attitude changes quickly.So in this week’s podcast Sue and I chat about what it’s like to be self-quarantining (we were deemed to have been close contacts with an infected person) and ask why NSW Health doesn’t want to tell people in apartments just to take a few minor sensible extra precautions.LISTEN HEREWe also look at the tragic and terrible apartment block collapse in Miami and what that might and maybe should mean for buildings of the same age constructed in a similar fashion here in Australia.Interestingly, a comment piece by our very good friend and strata expert Cathy Sherry appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald the day after we recorded our podcast, and it pretty much confirms everything we were saying.Meanwhile, I’ll just take a break from self-congratulation to point out an error I made in the podcast where I referred to the apartment block in Melbourne’ Southbank as Kings Court.I should have said Kings Park. If you Google “Kings Court” you might find a very different kind of establishment … so don’t! No! I said don't! Or at least remember to clean up your search history when you're done.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 0:00 It's very quiet today.Sue 0:01 It really is!Jimmy 0:03 It's quieter than normal, when we do our podcast.Sue 0:09 And that's because we're in Sydney.Jimmy 0:10 And, we're in the middle of lockdown-central.Sue 0:13 Absolutely!Jimmy 0:14 Even more lockdown than most people, because we are actually in quarantine. We are in quarantine, because of close contact. We spend half our lives in cafes, and it was bound to happen, sooner or later.Sue 0:28 An infected person was in the cafe at the same time as us, apparently.Jimmy 0:32 Let's talk about that in a minute, and we're going to talk about this tragedy; this horrible tragedy, in Miami. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 0:46 And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 0:48 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC}JimmyWell, while our theme music was playing, there was a very atmospheric ambulance siren in the background. Kind of appropriate, but difficult to edit. We had that heart-sink feeling, earlier last week, when we looked at the list of places where infected people had been at and discovered we had been in the same cafe at the same time.Sue 1:28 It was a bit depressing, wasn't it, really?Jimmy 1:30 It was a bit alarming, because we didn't really know what to do.Sue 1:35 It was funny, because we didn't receive a notice through our apps, because we'd signed in. I think the app was a bit faulty, or it blipped, or something and it missed it. So, it was up to us to look up where we'd been and the times; work out with our diaries, whether that was the same time as well and then voluntarily go into quarantine.Jimmy 1:55 It was a bit pathetic, wasn't it? I mean, we're going "okay, what day was it, we had the cheese toasties? What day was it that our friend came and sat and talked to us?" Yes. That was the final clincher when she called up and said "hey, I'm in isolation and you should be, too."Sue 2:12 Yeah, absolutely.Jimmy 2:13 So, we went on the New South Wales Health website and it told us to immediately make our way to a testing place. We went along to the testing station; there was hardly anybody there, to begin with and then suddenly, all these people started turning up with their mobile phones, looking at messages.

Our comedy hits 1000 listens – and it’s still funny

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 23:14:38 -0400

OK, it’s not in the same category as someone getting a couple of million clicks on a Tik Tok movie of them trying on a new pair of trainers, but Hyperbole Towers, the Flat Chat venture into “PodCom” quietly clicked over 1000 listens at the weekend.Hyperbole Towers is the pilot episode of what would once have been called a radio sitcom, set in an apartment block where a long-suffering chairperson struggles to manage a dysfunctional strata committee.Written by yours truly (drawing on many years of scripting for TV) and voice-directed by Warren Coleman, who was co-director on the Happy Feet movies, performed by a number of top voice-over actors and, with a special cameo from Todd McKenney, it’s actually quite a slick production.The set-up is that the chair, Charlie, is aided and abetted – and often undermined – by a calculating and conniving caretaker cum building manager called Alfie.He occupies a permanently locked office from where he seems to be able to monitor everything that’s happing in the building, via an impressive array of CCTV cameras.The other characters include:Amber a “massage therapist” who says it as she sees it … and she sees a lotSteve, the committee treasurer who regards everything in terms of money.Brooke the hopeless committee secretary who ducks criticism by telling callers that their line is breaking up.Retired class warrior Joe, who is still fighting the revolution in his mindDo-gooder Wendy who thinks her charitable works entitle her to interfere in everyone else’s businessDamien a manic day trader for whom the committee is his only social contact.In this episode the set-up is that Brooke has accidentally created a by-law that says the committee MUST meet on Zoom, rather than can do so.The café in the commercial area of the block is closing and a massage parlour has applied to take it over.And there are complaints about a constant tapping noise from one flat which leads to speculation that it’s occupied by drug dealers. Oh, and there's an attempted coup when Charlie can't get her Zoom to work.What happens next? Have a listen just by clicking on the “play” button below and it will come pouring out of your computer speakers or into your earbuds if you are reading this on your phone.And, if you enjoy it, pass it on to a friend in strata who may recognise some of the characters here. Just click on the social media links at the foot of this story.LISTEN HEREThis podcom was made with the generous support of City of Sydney Council.

Podcast: What can we do when Covid hits home?

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 19:08:53 -0400

Covid-19 is back in the news in new, super-infectious variants, and in the podcast this week we ask the highly relevant question of what do you do if it comes to your apartment block?Do you expect everyone in your block to be told that someone is self-isolating because they have been tested, or were in a certain place at the same time as an infected person, or if they just have a bit of a cough and the sniffles?Would you be annoyed if you were that person and all your neighbours were warned to stay well clear of you? Do we have to wait for a resident to get the bug? And should our entire block be locked down if someone does?LISTEN HEREShould residents in “hot” zones be wearing masks in lifts and carparks right now or do we have to wait for the state government to tell us what to do?The Owners Corporation Network is asking NSW Health to take strata seriously (they say they are) and strata lawyer Amanda Farmer has advised us all to stay vigilant.We say, most blocks watch the states’ health departments’ notices slavishly, so we need some clear advice now, so we can be ready.Then we follow the story of the woman whose leaky balcony was getting up her nose – literally – in the form of black mould.And that story has led to a revelation about Victorian balconies in the Forum.And, finally, three big developers face a range of negative reactions as their projects are rejected or are in serious trouble, while real estate agents are in the crosshairs for not warning prospective purchasers.All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap. Transcript in FullJimmy 0:00 There's a lot going on in apartments this week and a lot of news and not much of it very good. We've got the lockdown of the apartment block in Melbourne. We've got the spread of the Coronavirus in Sydney and the call by OCN for New South Wales Health to actually have protocols for apartment blocks.Sue 0:24 Sounds like a good idea.Jimmy 0:26 And we've got developers getting themselves into all sorts of trouble. Plenty to talk about! I'm Jimmy Thomson; I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 0:38 And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for DomainJimmy 0:41 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySo, lockdown of an apartment block in Melbourne and then virus spreading through... I mean, I don't know if you can even call it casual contact... Passing clouds.Sue 1:10 Absolutely! That's a real worry, isn't it?Jimmy 1:12 It is and they are connected, these things. The apartment block in Melbourne; apparently, the transmission of the virus was through people passing in the carpark. These are townhouses, although it looks like an apartment block from the pictures. These are basically townhouses and they have their own front doors to the outside. So you're thinking, well, how's the transmission going on here? Apparently, it was in the communal carpark, underneath.Sue 1:43 That puts it on another level completely, doesn't it?Jimmy 1:47 Well, yes, in so many ways, Sue. Then, we hear about the spread from the Bondi Junction shopping center and they've actually found CCTV, where they've got the original infected person and saw him basically brush past. I don't know even if they made physical contact or walked in the vicinity of the person who got infected and that's all it took. Basically, two people, breathing the same air.Sue 2:17 So, what can you suggest to help keep apartment and townhouse residents safer?Jimmy 2:24 Stay home! Look, the Owners Corporation Network has sent out a press release. It's actually a letter that they sent in February to New South Wales Health, saying "come on, you've got to come up with a protocol for apartment blocks." Remember back a year ago, or a little bit more. We were outraged that Airbnb hosts were saying "come and self -isolate in our apartmen..

Podcast: Work cut out for property commissioner

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 23:19:11 -0400

We’re looking at some big news this week on the podcast and wondering what it all means.NSW Fair Trading has announced that they will be appointing a properties commissioner - like building commissioner David Chandler, only maybe without the fear factor – to help regulate all the professions involved in looking after buying, selling, renting and managing properties.What might those professions be? The inaugural appointees of Fair Trading’s Property Services Expert Panel provides a clue. The invitees included strata managers, real estate agents, building facilities managers, real estate trainers and employers, livestock and property agents, business brokers, short-term rental managers, someone from the Wool And Pastoral Agency and a representative of private landlords.LISTEN HEREEverybody and his or her brother or sister – except apartment owners and tenants. But hey, what would we know about buying and selling, let alone letting and renting property?You can see the full list, with the lucky participants named, if not shamed, here. By the way, a couple of times in the podcast we refer to the strata managers’ organisation SCA as Strata Community Australia. That’s their old name. The A now stands for Association, and has ever since they pulled New Zealand into their orbit.Anyway, the big questions are, what is this new Property Commissioner going to do and how are they going to do it? Will they be kicking butt and taking names, a la David Chandler? Or will they follow the established Fair Trading protocol of a light tap on the wrist and a quiet word with miscreants?Will they be looking at under-quoting, misrepresentation of properties, excessively long contracts, systematically waived cooling-off periods, gazumping, embedded networks, endemic dishonesty and general incompetence?Having kicked those topics around, we turn to security in strata buildings and a free webinar scheduled for June 30 (not this week, as I briefly thought).There’s a lot in this week’s podcast so it runs a little longer. Enjoy.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 0:00So, you're back from Arnhem Land?Sue 0:02I am. It was so nice and warm up there. It's freezing down here again.Jimmy 0:07Yeah, we had a really cold day during the week. We've got a lot to talk about, because last week, there were a couple of big announcements from Fair Trading New South Wales and, the property market seems to have gone completely nuts.Sue 0:21Oh, it really is mad. I mean, it may not be hot weather, but it's certainly a hot market.Jimmy 0:28I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 0:33And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 0:36And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.So, for the past year, we've been talking about the Building Commissioner, David Chandler, and the difference he seems to be making in apartment buildings; getting them built. But, last week, the Fair Trading minister (or whatever they call themselves now; the Better Regulation and Shorter Titles. I think that's what the ministry is called). They announced there's going to be a properties commissioner.Sue 1:20This is something that the Real Estate Institute was really pushing for, wasn't it?Jimmy 1:24Well, they were. I wonder if that's one of these 'be careful what you wish for' things, because if this guy turns out to be anything like David Chandler… I'm saying it's a guy; it could very easily be a woman. I wonder if they're going to shake things up more than the real estate industry suspects. I mean, why would they be keen to have a commissioner?Sue 1:45Well, I think in the same way that SCA, the Strata Community Australia, are really keen to have tighter regulations for strata managers. They want to clean up their industry. To make sure it's really respected and operates well and it has no charlatans in there.Jimmy 2:02This kind of goes back about a month or..

Podcast: Boom town and band-aids for buildings

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 08:49:46 -0400

This week in the podcast Sue Williams is in Darwin on an assignment, and finds that not only is Darwin the hottest city in Australia temperature-wise (probably … apart from Alice … and maybe Coober Pedy) it has the hottest property market with house prices going up an astonishing amount and apartments not far behind.Then we delve into the woes of the Toplace developers – or maybe their off-the-plan purchasers – as defects are found, repairs that might be fine but look suspiciously like band-aid fixes are revealed, and court cases are publicised.LISTEN HEREIs there a solution to the whole developer and defects conundrum? Sue reminds me that I am going to be MC-ing a Strata Matters owners day for the Owners Corporation Network (OCN) supported by City of Sydney, at which Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson will give the keynote address and Building Commissioner David Chandler and other Fair Trading bigwigs will be in attendance.It should be a terrific day - all I have to do is remember which of them I have insulted over the past couple of years and how deeply I'll need to apologise. There are more details on the seminar here.And finally we reflect on our newsletter piece from last week on lift notices warning against throwing things off balconies, and follow a link sent by a reader to a story from Scotland about what must be the worst case of “things thrown off a building” we’ve encountered.Actually, it’s a bit mad and quite poignant really, and you can read about it HERE. Oh, and FYI, "aufguss" (see notice above) is a kind of herbal infusion they put in saunas to aid relaxation and health.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 0:00 Things are a bit strange in the Flat Chat Wrap makeshift studio today; my usual partner in crime, Sue Williams isn't here. In fact, she's in Darwin and we'll be talking to her later, about why that city in the Northern Territory, is the boomtown of Australia when it comes to property. We're also going to be talking about a developer who is responsible for more than 1000 apartments, either newly built or in the process of being built, who's suddenly come under a very bright spotlight. A microscope, you might say, and people have been complaining about the build quality in their blocks. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review and this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyAs I said just a few moments ago, Sue isn't here with us today in person. She's up in Darwin and I caught up with her before she disappeared into Arnhem Land on her assignment. If there is a deterioration in sound, the fact that we're talking via zoom should explain most of why things sound a little different this week. Here's Sue. Hi, Sue!Sue 1:35 Hi Jimmy!Jimmy 1:36 You're in Darwin?Sue 1:37 Yes, I am. I came up here today. I'm up here doing a story and gosh, it's so hot! It's fantastic!Jimmy 1:46 Alright, so talking about hot, Darwin is the property boomtown of Australia at the moment.Sue 1:53 Yeah, it's kind of like the epicenter really, especially for apartments, which is nice, because I remember a few years ago, apartment prices in Darwin, absolutely crashed through the floor. A friend of ours bought an apartment up here and thought it would be a fantastic investment and in fact, it turned out to be one of the worst things he'd ever bought, but had he hung on; over the last year, apartments have done incredibly well up here.Jimmy 2:18 But you know, that was during the GFC and everybody suffered to some extent, but Darwin suffered especially badly. They seem to be affected up there, to some extent, the same way that they are in WA, with the boom and bust, with their mines and whatnot.Sue 2:35 Yeah, because they're so dependent on resources, so it depends so much on resource prices. I think in Darwin more recently, the public sector has become a really big investor in th..

Podcast: GOMO, strata facts and sea changes

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 01:21:01 -0400

This week on the podcast we look GOMO, specifically grief over missing out on your dream home.It’s the other side of FOMO, where fear of missing out has you plunging headlong into what might be unwise purchases and contracts.When it comes to houses, it can feel more like a seduction and betrayal when you’ve been encouraged to imagine living there for years of domestic bliss, then the faithless vendor goes and sells it to someone else, just because they have more money.You can get a taste of Sue’s original article on GOMO (© Sue Williams) for Domain here.LISTEN HEREThen we chat about sea changers and tree changers, why people are fleeing our city centres and where they are going. And try to explain exactly how we came to ignore our own advice about diligently doing your homework before purchasing a flat, especially off the plan, and plunged into buying one in Kiama.We talk about how newcomers to strata often don’t have a clue about their rights and responsibilities and how an Owners Corporation Network and City of Sydney webinar is setting out to resolve that issue.And we discuss the benefits of having electronic notice boards in our lifts (not so much those highlighted in this week’s newsletter). That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPTION IN FULLJimmy 0:00A couple of years ago, you invented an acronym, which was GOMO. What does that stand for, Sue?Sue 0:06That's right. It was a variation of FOMO; you know, fear of missing out. I was doing a story about grief, when you do actually miss out and so I called it 'grief over missing out.' It never really caught on, GOMO, but in fact, I was asked the other day to write another story about GOMO! And, I was delighted, because maybe this time, it will stick.Jimmy 0:27So, we'll be talking about GOMO; what else have we got?Sue 0:32The move of lots of people towards coastal regions in Australia (and also regional areas as well), post-COVID and the newest recruits to that trend.Jimmy 0:43Right. And, we're going to be talking about your rights and responsibilities when you move into an apartment block and how you can get some advice on that. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 0:59And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 1:02And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmySo Sue, you've been writing about GOMO; 'grief over missing out?'Sue 1:22Yes, because the housing market at the moment is so tough and the apartment market is similarly tough. I mean, in some areas, it's a little bit soft, particularly in Melbourne CBD. It's kind of quite easy to buy an apartment there and the prices haven't gone up at all and in certain areas (well, very few areas of Sydney is the same). Harris Park out west, has actually shown a drop in apartment prices, but everywhere else, apartments are doing incredibly well. There's a huge demand; an excess of demand over supply. A lot of people are going to auctions or trying to buy apartments that are actually for sale, and a lot of them are missing out and time and time again.Jimmy 2:07I thought apartment prices were going down and rents were going down?Sue 2:12Rents have gone down but they're coming back up again. Apartment prices in most areas are quite strong. They're just soft in some areas; the CBD's of most cities (certainly Melbourne and Sydney), but in lots of other areas, apartments are doing pretty well and there is still a shortage of apartments in many areas. There's an excess (Docklands), or Green Square over in Sydney, but in most areas, it's quite patchy and demand is much greater than supply, so lots of people are missing out, a lot.Jimmy 2:46So, people are going into the areas that people really want to go into and there's just not enough supply?Sue 2:53That's right. A friend of mine is trying to buy an apartment;..

Podcast: Premiums soar thanks to sins of the past

Tue, 25 May 2021 00:16:01 -0400

We admit we can get a little city-centric here at Flat Chat so last weekend it was good to get out of the urban jungle and find out what’s happening elsewhere.And the news is that Newcastle is booming, beach holiday homes are bouncing back and the roads are almost as crazy as they were pre-covid.Back in what passes for the real world, in this week’s Flat Chat we talk about how construction insurance premiums for low rise buildings and renovations are getting out of control, based on this story.LISTEN HEREAnd we chat about the pretty disappointing investment on affordable housing announced by the government, as covered in this story in the Guardian.We also discuss Sue’s major piece in Domain about why apartments may be better for families than you think. We have an edited extract HERE.And we talk about whether charcoal barbecues can be allowed on balconies. That’s kicked off in the Forum again, HERE.All in all, a pretty varied and wide-ranging podcast. Enjoy.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 0:00 We just got back from Newcastle. Well, not Newcastle (although we've been to Newcastle); up to Forster and...Sue 0:06 The mid North Coast and then Newcastle and then Lake Macquarie. Just having a bit of an explore, really.Jimmy 0:13 Newcastle is going gangbusters on apartments; the skyline is full of cranes. Most prices are higher than the cranes are!Sue 0:22 Yeah and apartment prices are getting pretty expensive as well. Some of those new ones, off the plan; I mean, the architects have won prizes for the designs and the prices really reflect that.Jimmy 0:33 Right, okay, but we're not going to be talking about that in this show. We've got so many other things to talk about. We're going to talk about building insurance. We're going to talk about barbecues on balconies. We're going to be talking about affordable housing and families; are apartments appropriate for families, or even better than houses? Is that possible? I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 1:00 And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 1:03 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.Did you see that story about insurance premiums for new buildings?Sue 1:25 Yes, that they've gone up five times in the last few years.Jimmy 1:28 And, do you know what it's all about?Sue 1:31 I get so confused about home warranty insurance in apartments. It just seems so complicated.Jimmy 1:36 So basically, that's because with any apartment block over three storeys high, the builder doesn't need to take out building warranty insurance.Sue 1:46 Right, so our insurance though (for the people in those blocks), is just going sky-high, it seems.Jimmy 1:52 Well, the ones who will be buying properties that are covered by building warranty insurance, are finding (and there was a report earlier, and we mentioned it on the podcast), that the fund for these insurance claims was $700 million in debt and so they're trying to claw that back by increasing the premiums. But, it's a very strange system. That insurance only kicks in if you have building defects and it's within the first six years and the developer is either dead or has gone out of business. So, it's very limited and narrow, but everybody's got to pay the insurance premiums.Sue 2:37 Okay, because I guess if there are defects, and if a builder has gone out of business, then people can be up for millions of dollars in costs, I suppose. That's why maybe premiums are going to be so high?Jimmy 2:50 Well, exactly, because what it comes back to is buildings being badly-constructed and that's what the much-mentioned David Chandler is trying to deal with and is doing so with some effect. But, it still leaves this $700 million hole. So what it means is yet again, we are paying for all the mistakes that have been made o..

Podcast: Sirius, sunset clawbacks and feral cats

Tue, 18 May 2021 03:09:32 -0400

There is no building in Sydney that has polarised opinions more than the Sirius apartments on Circular Quay – unless you include the Opera House, its architectural antithesis across the bay.After years of controversy, plans have been revealed and expressions of interest sought in what will be a revolutionary revamp of the former housing commission apartment block.You can read more about it the multi-million-dollar project here - and see a slideshow of the proposed revanp - but, naturally we also have our two cents worth here in the pod.LISTEN HEREAfter that, we talk about the developer who was the first to fall foul of the Sunset Clawbacks law – which we personally helped bring into being – and who has now gone bust (pause to be mentally carried shoulder-high around the room). You can read more about that HERE.And we follow up some fairly heated discussions on the Forum about feeding stray cats with news from the Guardian Online about how Chicago is putting 1,000 feral felines to work.Also from Chicago, there’s this amazing video about how a cat has survived a leap from the fifth floor of a burning building. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqWPeKT_FPg[/embedyt]As we say on the pod, don’t mess with Chicago cats …TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 0:00 Okay, we have a lot to get through today. We've got the sale of the Sirius; we've got a developer who has gone out of business. We've got cats!Sue 0:12 Great!Jimmy 0:14 So, we'd better get on with it. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 0:19 And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 0:22 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]So, there seems to be a bit of a stoush about the Sirius building.Sue 0:45 The Sirius building, I think, has been in the news for a long, long time. I mean, they've been lots and lots of fights over it in the past, over the heritage listing of the building. Lots of people love the building, because I think it's a fantastic example, of 70s brutalist architecture.Jimmy 1:00 So, for anybody who's not familiar with it (and we'll probably put a picture on the website), but if you're not familiar with it, it's the one as you're coming over the Harbour Bridge towards the city from North Sydney, it's on the left, and it looks like a stack of Lego blocks.Sue 1:21 I guess it does! It's on Cumberland Street and it just can't be missed, really. As I said, some people think it's a great icon of brutalist architecture, which is increasingly rare these days.Jimmy 1:32 Well, for the good reason that they keep knocking it down because it's ugly.Sue 1:35 Well, other people will think that the building is a really ugly eyesore. A lot of people thought the building should be demolished. Other people felt that the building should be retained, because it was built for public housing. About 200 people originally and they felt that they should be allowed to stay there.Jimmy 1:53 With the best views of the Opera House you'll ever see.Sue 1:57 Yes and other people felt that, well, they just didn't deserve it really, I suppose and that rich people are the ones who could afford to live in such a fabulous harborside location and should be allowed to do so.Jimmy 2:11 Is it as polarizing and divisive? Is it a case of maybe saying this was terrific that for 40 years, Housing Commission tenants could live there with these fabulous views, but Sydney has moved on. The money from the sale of that building (which is allegedly going to be put into public housing), can be put to much better use and house more people.Sue 2:37 But where is that public housing? It's probably way out in the suburbs and personally, I think it's wrong to keep cities just for rich people. Cities should have a really vibrant, demographic; a huge diversity.

Podcast: Property price panic and dodgy donations

Tue, 11 May 2021 03:22:39 -0400

With property prices soaring but houses outstripping apartments, as detailed in this story, we try to make sense of it all.Why is the gap between the cost of houses and apartments growing, even though apartment prices are coming back up to pre-pandemic levels.And will the current apartment glut in Melbourne – with consequential 11 per cent drops in rents – flip to a shortage, soaring sales prices and runaway rents as soon as our borders reopen and short-term rentals are re-listed?Who knows? But we try to make sense of it all.LISTEN HEREThen we visit the vexed question, raised on the Flat Chat Forum, of whether or not it’s legal for your owners corporation or strata committee to make donations to political campaigns or fighting funds – even those related to strata issues.If not, is there any way owners can support campaigns and movements they agree with, but not all of their neighbours do?And then there’s another old chestnut form the forum – does your owners corporation have a duty of care to enforce by-laws? We say yes and explain why.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.TRANSCRIPT IN FULLJimmy 00:00House prices seem to have gone nuts all of a sudden.Sue 00:03They certainly have and unit prices are going up as well, but not by as much.Jimmy 00:07And in some places, are actually going down, I believe.Sue 00:10Yes. In some places they are going down; in areas where there's an oversupply.Jimmy 00:14Okay, well, we're going to be talking about that; we're going to be talking about something that's come up on the Flat Chat forum, about whether or not your Owners Corporation can make donations to campaigns.Sue 00:26That's interesting.Jimmy 00:27And we'll be talking about an old chestnut, about whether Owners Corporations have a duty to act on their bylaws. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:41And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for DomainJimmy 00:43And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.MUSICJimmyOkay, Sue, you've been keeping an eye on house prices. Part of your many duties, writing for Domain.Sue 01:06Yes, that's right. It's been kind of quite hard to keep your eye on them all the time, because they're moving so quickly.Jimmy 01:11It's kind of surprising, isn't it? That we're, you know, we've just come out of there so we haven't even properly come out of the pandemic.Sue 01:20But we just seem to be valuing our home so much more now. I mean, most most of us are now working from home a lot more. Time in lockdown has allowed us to look at our houses, and homes and apartments and think, what do we need? We need more space? Are we thinking of relocating? Actually spending a period, thinking about what we want out of life.Jimmy 01:40And what effect is this having on apartments?Sue 01:43It's interesting, because house prices, as you so rightly say, have gone up enormously. Apartment prices have generally gone up as well, but by nowhere near as much. So, it does mean with a growing gap between prices; between houses and apartments, more and more people are having to look at buying apartments, when maybe once they would have wanted to go and buy houses. So, there's gonna be a lot more new people moving into apartments, because, you know, it makes financial sense as well. We kind of all really adore the apartment lifestyle. Some of these people have never lived in apartments before, so they're not really in a position to be able to appreciate that. But, they're looking in terms of finances and when you look at the Sydney median house price now, it's hit a new record, $1.31 million, which is incredible. The unit median is now $754,000. So, last year, houses cost, on average 55% more than apartments. This year in Sydney, they cost 74% more than apartments.Jimmy 02:02Wow!

Podcast: Would you roll the dice on a $22m flat?

Tue, 04 May 2021 02:11:12 -0400

If you have a hankering for the high life and have a lazy $22 million lying around, you could score an apartment in the huge Crown tower above James Packer’s (currently non-functioning) casino.If that’s too rich for your blood, how much would you expect to pay for a two-bed, two-bath pad on a lower floor? All is revealed in our Flat Chat Wrap podcast this week.But before we get to that, there’s the small matter of how data mining is going to lead to a trebling of the number of apartment blocks under construction that will fall under the critical glare of NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler.Listen HereAs this story explains, Fair Trading is planning to dig into its accumulated data to find out which certifiers have historically signed off on the most problematic buildings, then reverse engineer that to find out which buildings under construction those certifiers are now connected with.That will trigger a visit from someone from the Building Commissioner’s office who will start tapping tiles and probing plaster to see how well or badly this building has been constructed.Then we get to the issue of the high cost of buying into Sydney’s tallest apartment block, the Crown Tower at Barangaroo.Yes, an apartment changed hands for $22m recently but there are others there that are a lot cheaper … okay, a bit cheaper.The we look at the new 899-unit apartment complex proposed for Campbelltown and discuss the issues confronting owners in separate strata schemes that are also part of a larger scheme sharing some facilities.And finally, Jimmy answers a question asked by Sue last week – will the big insurers ever come back and cover the construction of apartment block over three storeys high.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.Transcript In FullJimmy 0:00Big news on the defects front, Sue?Sue 0:02Yes, absolutely. The New South Wales Government is acting to start auditing a lot more buildings than they usually do (and they have been doing over the last six months).Jimmy 0:11Okay, because we saw that report last week about how a huge percentage of defective buildings were certified by like, six different certifiers.Sue 0:23That's right; about a third of risky buildings, by the same six repeat-offending certifiers.Jimmy 0:30We're going to be talking about that; we're going to be talking about a big new development and I'm going to be answering a question that Sue asked last week (and I went off-track, and answered a completely different one). I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 0:50And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 1:09And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. [MUSIC]JimmyJust as we were about to sit down and record this podcast, a press release came in from New South Wales Fair Trading, Sue, and it's big news.Sue 1:20That's right. Kevin Anderson, the Minister for Better Regulation, has launched a data-led audit regime to target the state's high-risk building certifiers and triple the number of buildings to come under scrutiny by the building regulator.Jimmy 1:34What sort of numbers are we talking about?Sue 1:36Well, at the moment, there's a pre-occupational certificate audit regime, and they target around 50 site-based audits every six months. But, with this new regime of audits, they're expecting to be able to audit an additional 100 to 150 buildings every six months, which more than triples the regulator's compliance and enforcement efforts on residential apartments.Jimmy 2:00Wow.Sue 2:01So, that's a big jump.Jimmy 2:02It's huge. So, they're basing this on certain new data or analyzing data they already have?Sue 2:11Well, they've got apparently, new digital tools, where they can analyze the data really effectively, because apparently, they've got so much data coming in; they've got something like 170 million lines of data to look at certifi..

Podcast: Horror of our $700 million defects hole

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 08:39:55 -0400

There’s a horror story, a happy ending and a bit of housekeeping in this week’s podcasts.The horror is the $714 million owed by Home Building Compensation for all the insurable building defects in Australian homes. And that is money that we, the taxpayers, will eventually have to payIt was all revealed in this story in the Sun-Herald which made us think, if that’s the level of defects in homes than can be insured – anything three storeys or under or any work costing $20,000 or over – how may defects are there in the high-rises that CAN’T be insured?Listen HereThe happy ending comes courtesy of Waverley Bowling Club in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs – a struggling sports facility that was at various times going to be two 45-metre high rises plus a training ground for Easts rugby league club, and then an aged care home with attached child care facility.As outlined in this story, Easts, the Waverley club and developers Mirvac have come up with a plan to build 55 luxury apartments for over-55s, plus two world class bowling greens and a café restaurant.By the way, in the podcast I refer to the bowls as bowling balls. They’re not balls, they're bowls. I apologise.Finally we chat briefly about why we’ve (ever so slightly) changed the look of the Flat Chat website.I’ve never been a huge fan of form over function and we needed people to be able to access the latest Forum topics high on the front page. So it looks a little busier but we think it still works. What do you reckon?You’ll find a full explanation pus an email address where you can send your complaints or kudos, HERE.TRANSCRIPTION IN FULLJimmy 00:00So, your friend David Chandler, has interfered with the completion of our renovation; did you know that?Sue 00:06No!Jimmy 00:07We were supposed to be getting a silicone guy come in on Saturday, and he couldn't, because there was a building they're working on that the Commissioner had been through and insisted that all the bathrooms had to be 're-caulked', as they call it.Sue 00:25Oh, gosh! David didn't let me know that!Jimmy 00:29So basically, there were panic stations.Sue 00:32So, that's the reason I still can't have a shower in my fabulous new renovated bathroom?Jimmy 00:37Yeah, David Chandler.Sue 00:38Bloody hell!Jimmy 00:40We will be talking about, not renovations, but rectification of defects in a minute, and we're going to talk about a rescue plan for the Waverley Bowling Club, which is going to result in 55 luxury apartments for over 55's, and we're going to talk about the redesign of the Flat Chat website. It's not redesigned; it's a bit of a tweak, that's all. I will explain what we've been up to. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:13And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain,Jimmy 01:16And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. That was a huge story in the Sun-Herald at the weekend, about the amount that's having to be paid in home building compensation.Sue 01:41That's right. I didn't quite understand it, though... I wanted you to explain it to me, because builders pay for home building compensation.Jimmy 01:51HBC, yeah.Sue 01:52But, then they pass the cost on to homebuyers?Jimmy 01:55Yes.Sue 01:55How does that work out? Can you explain to me?Jimmy 01:58Okay, well, first of all, it's only for buildings that are under four storeys.Sue 02:04Right. Buildings over that can't get any insurance whatsoever, which is ridiculous.Jimmy 02:09That's because in 2010, the insurers (the private insurers) said, 'look, all these buildings are being built, that are being self-certified. It's just too big a risk. We're out of here. It's going to cost us our industry, if we insure buildings that we know are going to be shoddily built.

Podcast: Another U-Turn as Airbnb history repeats

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 03:13:18 -0400

Apologies for subjecting you to another short-term letting vent, but after last week's state government schemozzle when the new holiday rental regulations were announced, then shelved, we thought we’d better have a look at what was going on.And it turns out it was a case of history repeating itself. Remember a couple of years ago when the then Planning Minister Anthony Roberts and former Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean were about to announce new NSW short-term letting regulations that would basically have handed the whole box and dice to Airbnb-style hosts on a plate?The microphones were plugged in, the TV cameras lights were at full dazzle, and then right at the last minute a couple of Government MPs realised that residential rentals across the state were about to be handed wholesale to a bunch of American “disruptors” with few if any comeback or restraints.Listen HereSuddenly it was mikes off, lights out and “don’t call us, we’ll call you”.Well, something similar happened last week, only the announcement of what would probably have been the toughest short-term letting regulations in Australia was made and then three days later they were shelved until NovemberWhat happened? Surely it wasn't just that holiday rental giants Stayz and apartment owner advocates OCN both complained bitterly, was it? Listen to the podcast for our somewhat cynical insight into the whole farrago.Also we look at Mascot Towers, two years down the track, the massive financial losses apartment owners face and what we think the government should do.And Sue visits West Australia where property is going through the roof in a state that almost defines the phrase "boom and bust".That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.Transcript in fullJimmy 0:00 Wow, what a week; double whammy! No sooner had we published last week's podcast, all about the new Airbnb or short-term letting regulations, then the government did a U -turn.Sue 0:14 Yeah, they were obviously listening to you, Jimmy and thought, 'wow, we realize there's so many problems with it.'Jimmy 0:20 Then I've looked on the internet and discovered that you couldn't actually hear the podcast anyway. We had about 11 listeners and then you were away; you were in Perth?Sue 0:31 Yes, I was.Jimmy 0:32 So, I couldn't re-record.Sue 0:34 But you managed to sort it out.Jimmy 0:35 Kind of, yes and here we are today. We're going to talk about why we think the government changed its mind. We're going to talk about Mascot Towers; the latest on that. And, we're going to talk about a massive projected increase in house prices in WA.Sue 0:53 A sign of my dedication, going over there to check it out for you.Jimmy 0:56 Absolutely, going round all the real estate agent windows, taking notes. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 1:08 And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 1:11 And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.So, that was a pretty sudden turnaround by the government on short-term letting. I mean, they released it on Friday afternoon, a week ago. 'Take the trash out day' (they call it on the West Wing here, where you get rid of all the stories that you don't want to have too much coverage in the weekend papers, in the hope that they'll all be forgotten about, come Monday). The Owners Corporation Network got really upset about some of the provisions. The Stayz people (I think they're owned by Expedia), got very, very, very upset and Airbnb stayed very, very, very quiet.Sue 2:07 Who knows what they think?Jimmy 2:08 I think we know what they think. Then suddenly, the planning minister came out and said in the interest of conciliation and fairness and giving everyone a chance to adjust to the plans, they were putting them off until November.Sue 2:22

Podcast: Airbnb update as holiday let regs put on ice

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 04:58:30 -0400

Sometimes you can be just too efficient. There we were with the NSW government's proposed regulations on short-term letting hot off the printer, plus industry responses and reactions from apartment owners ... then the Government panicked in the face of widespread complaints from all directions and put them on hold.Just as well this week’s podcast also deals with those other perennial issues in strata – parking and defects.However, our chat about the now-shelved short-term rentals code of conduct and related regulations - which seem to have annoyed just about everyone on all sides - is still relevant because these issues aren't going to go away, even if the solutions are seen to be more of a problem than the problem.As detailed here, Planning NSW had done a magnificent job in uniting both pro and anti-holiday letting bodies … if only in everyone being cheesed off with the state’s planners.The changes have been delayed until November 1 to "give everyone a chance to adjust." Have a listen and see what we need but aren't going to get until November at the soonest. And see if you can tell which policies will survive six months of pressure from Airbnb and Stayz.Oh, and apologies to anyone who tried to listen to the podcast but couldn't. Not our fault - there was just some glitch somewhere in the internet. I suspect the Russians, but it's all been fixed now (fingers crossed). Listen HereThen we move on to the prospective property purchaser who found that there’s nothing she or Building Commissioner David Chandler can do about an allegedly defective building that probably should never have had a certificate of occupation issued – certainly not on the basis of the certification signed by an unlicensed and unqualified tradie.In Maryam Behrouz’s case, the building has been certified for occupation, the developer denies the claims of serious defects and she either has to complete the purchase or walk away from her $65,000 deposit.In Mr Chandler’s situation, this all happened before he was given the power to block certification and as a result, he says, it’s not in his domain.Fair Trading – the department in charge of builders, tradies, strata and certifiers – typically, says it has nothing to do with the problem as it’s “contractual”. Some things never change.And finally, we float the idea of providing a service that can move illegally parked cars without towing them. Have a look at the video along with this story and see what you think.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.Transcript in fullJimmy 00:00We had a bit of a podder's nightmare this week. We prepared our episode for this week's podcast, all about the new Airbnb or short term letting laws and regulations and what we thought was good and what we thought was not so good.And we got it all packaged up and ready to go out. And late on Tuesday night after the podcast had gone out, the government changed its mind in the face of some fairly hostile criticism and decided to postpone everything until November.Now that left us with our podcast having gone out to the world, and us commenting on something that's still gonna happen, it's just not going to happen very soon or in the form that possibly we had thought it would.Anyway that I think it's still a worthwhile discussion. The rules are on the table, they're going to be pulled apart and put back together again, and they may end up being pretty much as they are in this discussion.We're also talking about that terrible situation where the young woman had put in a deposit for an apartment and then discovered that not only were there defects but that also the certification was extremely suspect.And we're going to talk about an interesting way of moving cars without towing them when they're parked in the wrong part of your car park.I will as usual be talking to Sue Williams, and I am as usual, Jimmy Thomson,

Podcast: States’ split is rental as anything

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 20:50:23 -0400

This week, having survived a computer crisis on the home office front, we delve deeper into the differences between the way renters are treated in Victoria and NSW.In the same week that Victoria’s new rental laws come in, curbing “no reason” evictions of tenants, NSW Fair Trading confirms that they will be reinstated as soon as the post-Covid period is over in September.So why should property owners not have the right to end their tenancy leases when they want to? Why should they need to prove that their reasons are valid, such as showing that they have permission to undertake renovations, or that they have signed a contract to sell the property?Jimmy puts up a strong argument that many landlords in Australia owe a debt to the community as a whole and that involves treating tenants fairly and decently.You can find the details of the NSW transitional measures for renters and landlords HERE and the Victorian regulations HERE.Listen HereThen we move on to the “brave” developer who, according to a story in a recent Sunday Telegraph, complained about building commissioner David Chandler closing down one of his apartment block building sites because of defects that were being built into the structure – faults that the eventual purchasers would probably end up paying to fix.According to a story in the Sunday Telegraph last week, Omar Abdul-Rahman, director of OandE Developments, had a litany of building defect complaints raised against him, or companies of which he was a director, dating back to 2017.He complained that he had never been on a building site where Australian Building Standards were resolutely adhered to.Maybe so, but if he wasn’t on David Chandler’s radar before, he certainly will be nowFinally, we move on to an idea being floated – not for the first time – that voting at strata AGMs should be compulsory, as it is at every other level of the democratic process.Jimmy argues that if strata really is the fourth level of government, then it should have the same compulsion to vote as in national, state and council elections.Sue argues that it’s up to strata schemes to engage their owners more effectively and if they can’t do that, then why should owners turn out for dreary nights at AGMs when either nothing happens or nasty personal disputes are played out in public.That’s all (and more) in this week’s podcast.Transcript In FullJimmy 00:00Computers, eh?!Sue 00:01Yes!Jimmy 00:02They're great when they work, and they're bloody useless when they don't.Sue 00:07Well, I had a problem with my computer and you tried to fix it (which I was very grateful for), but apparently you 'bricked' the computer.Jimmy 00:16You've never heard that phrase before?Sue 00:17No, I havent.Jimmy 00:18Which means literally, you have turned the computer into something that is as useful as a brick.Sue 00:25Yes. Well, thank you very much for that, Jimmy!Jimmy 00:28I went and helped you get a new set up and almost stuffed that up, because I used the wrong dongle.Sue 00:37A complete nightmare. I hate computers!Jimmy 00:40I think they're great. Okay, today we're going to be talking about different attitudes to renters, between New South Wales and Victoria. We're going to be talking about the brave but possibly foolish man who decided to take on Building Commissioner, David Chandler. And, we're going to discuss whether it would be a good idea to have compulsory voting at AGM's in strata buildings. I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 01:10I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:13This is the Flat Chat Wrap. So, it was a very interesting coincidence regarding two political changes in Victoria and New South Wales the other week, concerning rentals. In New South Wales,

Podcast: Meditations on a block of Wellness

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 05:52:03 -0400

In what turned out to be a fairly hectic week we hit a very welcome speedbump in the form of enforced rest and relaxation at a new apartment block launch, of all places.The apartment block was Portman on the Park in Sydney’s Green Square where Mirvac launched their latest concept with an evening of meditation, massage and mineral water.You can hear all about that and what’s so different about this project on the podcast where we also caught up with architects Tina Engelen who co-designed another iconic, environmentally conscious block, the Altair in Sydney's Kings Cross.Listen HereSo what has changed in her view of her job in the 20-plus years since the Altair was built? A lot but she still constructs great big wide buildings that are really a series of independent towers stacked side by side.You’ll hear Tina and her collaborator Will Fung talk about the challenges of creating more intimate areas in massive buildings too. You can find out more about the Portman on the Park here. Then we move on to the NSW government’s Real Estate Experts panel which has been set up to make the industry more responsive to the needs of their consumers (it says here).Great idea – shame they didn’t include any consumer groups around the table. Look forward to more reports on people telling us what they think we should have rather than us telling them what we need.Next, it's the NSW state government’s invisible blacklist for short-term holiday letting miscreants. Plus, why, unlike in Victoria, landlords don’t need a reason to terminate rental agreements.And finally, there’s a tribute to Barry Dickson, who was the real Darryl Kerrigan of The Castle, holding out in his little bungalow on a corner as high-rises went up all around him. That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.Transcript in FullJimmy 00:00It's been a busy week in strata-land.Sue 00:02Yes!Jimmy 00:03Well, we were at what is possibly the most relaxing launch of a new apartment building, ever.Sue 00:10That's true…Jimmy 00:12And, all sorts of announcements from the government, so we'd better get cracking! I'm Jimmy Thomson; I edit the Flat Chat website and write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:23And I’m Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:27And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Jimmy 00:47We were at a very relaxing launch (it was kind of weird, to be honest), at the Mirvac Portman on the Park building.Sue 00:55It's centered around wellness; everything's very healthy and sustainable and green. The building's meant to make you happy and relaxed, so they tried to make us happy and relaxed at the launch.Jimmy 01:15Well yes, to give us a sense of what it might be to live there, because they’ve got a building in George St (an office building), which has a ‘WELL’ rating, and they want that to be the first apartment building in Australia to have a WELL rating, so I had a quick look at what gets you a WELL rating.Sue 01:35What does?Jimmy 01:36Clean water, clean air and good light, so basically anything that helps you to be physically and mentally healthy, is going to get you those things. We had a water sampling…Sue 01:50A water tasting, and because I don't drink, I thought I’d be really good at the water tasting, but in fact I was rubbish.Jimmy 02:02Almost got them all exactly wrong! We had very nice food; very healthy food and then we were all taken into a darkened room and we had to meditate.Sue 02:13We had a guided meditation…Jimmy 02:18Which I found quite stressful.Sue 02:21Because you had to breathe at the same time. There was a special length of breath that you had to have, which was a bit beyond me.Jimmy 02:24‘Hold your breath for eight seconds.’Sue 02:30That's not relaxing at all!Jimmy 02:32

Podcast: Life savings lost thanks to dodgy dealing

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 01:54:05 -0400

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap we discuss the awful story about the young woman who put her life savings into a deposit on a flat in a block that’s turned out not only to be riddled with defects, but was certified by an unlicensed tradie and subsequently OK’d by the local council.Now she faces the very real choice between losing her $60k+ deposit or finalising the purchase of a flat she knows is seriously defective and with no legal approvals.Listen hereThen there’s the local council that’s telling developers they can build higher if they don’t install gas but do put solar panels on the roof to supply 40 percent of the block’s electricity needs.This is a clear example of a council taking positive action on climate change – and if you wonder if that’s an over-reach, ask the people being rescued from floods right now.But can electricity ever be as good as gas for cooking? One celebrity chef thinks so.We also hear about government plans to make it harder for developers to build “affordable” new generation boarding houses. Why would they make it harder? Because developers are getting planning concessions and then charging top dollar for the bed-sits.Wow! Developers taking advantage of planning concessions to make some extra dosh? Who’da thunk it?And finally, there’s the couple who were so worried about the potential noise from proposed renovations in the apartment block next to their luxury beach-side home, that they bought the whole block. Is it so they can, if they want, shut the renos down? Or do they just want to be able to choose their neighbours?That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.Transcript In FullJimmy 00:00They say it never rains, but it pours. It's certainly pouring outside at the moment, and it's been raining stories on your computer, Sue Williams?Sue 00:09It sure has.Jimmy 00:10We have a lot to get through today. We've got a story about a woman who's going to lose a deposit on her apartment because somebody certified it, who wasn't entitled to certify it. We've got a story about a developer, building apartments with no gas for cooking. We've got a story about developers wanting to develop… what do you call them?Sue 00:20New generation boarding houses.Jimmy 00:24New generation boarding houses, and the couple who have bought the apartment block next door, so that it doesn't get renovated and disturb their peace and quiet. If only we had that much money! I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:58And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:01And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. Okay, Sue, a terrible story about somebody who put a deposit down on a flat and discovered that the apartment had been certified by somebody who was not in fact, a certifier?Sue 01:33Yeah, I think he was an unlicensed tradie, wasn’t he? He was a bricklayer or something like that, who no longer had a license.Jimmy 01:43So, he just signed off on this certification, and so that meant that the council gave them a certificate of occupancy; is that correct?Sue 01:49That's right, even though they discovered there were considerable non-compliance’s in the building. There were huge faults in the building, but poor Marianne has no option really, but to carry on with her purchase, because otherwise she's going to lose her deposit.Jimmy 02:07I mean, what's the point of having certification, if anybody can come along and certify, and there's no comeback? The council just goes, ‘oh, yes, certified.’ Then you say, ‘well, the certifier shouldn't have certified it,’ and the council say, ‘yeah, there's all these compliance issues, but we're going to allow it to go through.’ Where is the consumer protection?Sue 02:26Yep, it's a ridiculous system; private certification always has been.

Podcast: Virtual commutes are transports of delight

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 23:34:40 -0400

Are you over working from home? Does your formerly perfectly adequate apartment now seem tiny. Is your kitchen table too high and your laptop screen too small?Are you one of those people who gets up and dresses as if they were going to the office – then just goes to the spare room?Or do you take personal pride in how much of the day you can spend in your pyjamas?Importantly, and are you missing those moments of splendid isolation on your bike, bus or train that transport you mentally into work mode as your body is moved from home to the workplace.As this story from the Guardian shows, some frustrated commuters are prepared to fake it if they can’t actually make it.As pressure quietly mounts to get more people back to the office, there are still plenty of us who don’t have that choice and may even miss the journey to and from work more than the experience of being in an office.Listen HereEnter, the Virtual Commute championed by Microsoft (who else?), it allows you to make that mental transition into your working day while your body stays exactly where it is.We’re talking about that, and other coping strategies, on this week’s podcast.Also, we’ll be looking at how the lure of free money may be helping some people overcome their concerns about the state of the apartment building industry.And, on that topic, we revisit the “worst block in NSW” that prompted Building Commissioner David Chandler to be given his sweeping powers to shut down building sites and demand repairs for badly consturcted high-rises.All, and more, in this week's Flat Chat wrap.Transcript in fullJimmy 00:00When was the last time you worked in an office?Sue 00:03Gosh, about 20 years ago, I think.Jimmy 00:09I occasionally have to, for special projects. I have to go and spend time in an office and I'm really, really bad at it.Sue 00:18Absolutely. I sometimes have to go into an office, and it takes me ages to work out what to wear. I'm just completely out of practice.Jimmy 00:25I'm thinking more in terms of people coming up to you and saying, ‘oh, how was your weekend?’ My instinctive response is, ‘what is it to you? I'm trying to work here,’ which is not the appropriate response. There are some people who, apparently, can't wait to get back to the office, who have been working from home. We'll be talking about that and we'll be talking about the end of the Home Builder grant, which is ending in just a couple of weeks. I'm Jimmy Thomson, I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:59And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 01:02And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Jimmy 01:15There's a big push on, to get people to go back to work in their offices. Mainly, I think, from the little cafes around office blocks in the city.Sue 01:32That's very expensive real estate, those commercial offices. They're designed to foster the cultural capital of companies and provide good workspaces for people. As you said in the intro, we've worked from home for a long time, so we've got a good desk, we've got good chairs; we've got space. We've got office cats. We've got everything, really, but a lot of people are working in their bedroom or their kitchen, on dining room tables, which are the wrong height, and they're getting back injuries. It's not really very good for them. While productivity soared at first, they've noticed that productivity is now flagging a little bitJimmy 02:13I saw a politician saying that, and it made me wonder, has anybody done any test; any checks, or any measures on this? Or, is this just a grumpy old politician saying everybody should be back in the office? This is a politician in Canberra, saying that all the civil servants should be back in their offices, rather than sitting at home in their pajamas.Sue 02:38

Podcast: Dogs banned but NCAT says OK to cats

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:04:04 -0500

There’s a few differences in this week’s podcast from previous editions.For a start, Sue is on the other end of a Zoom call as she takes advantage of easing travel restrictions to get out and promote her new book … and finds herself attacked by birds on the Gold Coast.Having survived that, we discuss the latest twist in the pets saga as celebrity dog owners are told they are living in a cats-only block (maybe that's why they call it NCAT).And the Tribunal Member decrees the recent Court of Appeals ruling that blanket pet bans are invalid is irrelevant. Isn't banning dogs but allowing cats discriminatory? Who are we to judge? Listen HereThen, another change is that we have short audio grabs from interesting people, rather than long interviews. And we have several of them.Sue joins Building Commissioner David Chandler on a development and sees for herself the galvanising effect this force of nature – ok, force of structure – has on the developers, architects engineers and builders when he sweeps into a building site.And you’ll never guess the one thing he always heads for, photographs and then confronts the developer with.Finally, Jimmy visits a new apartment that’s been tiled with “micro-recycled” product made from old clothes and glass.That’s all in this weeks’ Flat Chat Wrap.Transcript in fullJimmy 00:00Well, this is a bit strange. I'm sitting looking at an empty chair, and that's because my normal sparring partner and co-host is not here. She's on the Gold Coast, and that's because now that all the travel restrictions are lifted, she can do her book tour, promoting her new book. In real life; in person. She doesn't have to do it on Zoom, which is ironic, because now she has to do this podcast on Zoom. We'll be talking to her later, about things like the new twist in the pet laws, her visit to a site with Building Commissioner David Chandler, and a new product that I went to investigate in an apartment block, which is a tile made out of old glass and old clothes. I'm Jimmy Thomson, and this is the Flat Chat Wrap. [MUSIC]JimmySue, what are you doing in the Gold Coast?Sue 01:23I'm being attacked by birds at the moment. I'm just in the Gold Coast doing a talk about the history of the beginnings of colonial Sydney.Jimmy 01:31Why would you be doing that?Sue 01:35It’s related to my book, an historical novel, called Elizabeth & Elizabeth, about Elizabeth MacArthur and Elizabeth Macquarie in the early days of the colony. The book is apparently going extremely well, so I'm doing a little mini-tour. I've done a few Zoom talks and meetings; you know, talks in front of lots of different people, and this is my first one in person. So, with the borders open, they're doing it here.Jimmy 02:01Which means you have to talk to me via Zoom.Sue 02:06Yes, that’s right, but never mind. The sound is okay.Jimmy 02:09It's not bad. You're sounding better than me; I don't know how that works. This whole thing with pets, has reared up again.Sue 02:19Yeah, and in quite a bizarre way. It always seems to be, you just never can quite predict it, really. We've had the big fight about allowing pets into buildings. Then we've had the Court of Appeals saying, well, no, blanket bans on pets aren't allowed and now we had a couple who had a dog. They went into a building that didn't allow dogs. Kind of a little bit like Jo Cooper at Horizon (which started this whole fuss off), and they were told no, they had to get rid of their dog. So, they went to NCAT, saying, ‘well, the Court of Appeal has said blanket bans are unconscionable.’ Then NCAT came back with a very interesting ruling, because that building didn't actually have a blanket ban on pets. It only had a blanket ban on dogs. It actually allowed cats and fish, so he said the ruling wasn't relevant. Incredible, really, the twists and turns of this whole saga.

Podcast: Why we’re turning to ‘new terraces’

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 05:45:31 -0500

What do you do when you want the shared responsibility of strata but don’t particularly want to live with people above and below you?You buy or rent a townhouse, which is the fancy-pants modern name for what we used to call terraces.It seems that while pre-sales and construction of apartments are going down, sales of townhouses are on the way up and in this week’s podcast, we discuss why that might be.Listen HereThen we turn our gazes south to Victoria where their new strata laws have just passed. OK, they won’t come into force until December, but we ask if they are blazing a trail for NSW strata laws to follow.And we preview Sue’s trip to the front line – well, a new apartment block under construction – with Building Commissioner David Chandler. Will she need body armour? Will he? It’s all in the Flat Chat Wrap.Transcript in fullJimmy 00:00So, it seems that people are buying fewer apartments, but more townhouses.Sue 0:07Oh, like strata townhouses?Jimmy 00:10Yep, most townhouses are strata these days, even in Randwick, where they tried to make everybody have company title.Sue 00:18Right.Jimmy 00:20There's that, and there's big changes to the law in Victoria, so we'll be talking about that. I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:31And I'm Sue Williams. I write about property for Domain.Jimmy 00:35And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC] JimmyOkay, Sue, there's new figures from a company run by your old sparring partner, Dr. Andrew Wilson.JimmyWhat they've indicated is that the government has been pumping money into the building sector; most of that money is going into stand-alone houses. The number of purchases (or the builds starting), for apartments has actually plummeted. It's going right down, but going down by less, is townhouses. You look at the graph (and the graph is on the Flat Chat website)…I'd say in about six months, it could actually meet; the number of townhouses, and the number of apartments are going to be about the same, which shows a big shift in people's thinking about how they want to live. They want to live in strata, because of the benefits of that, but they don't want to necessarily live in apartments. Why is that?Sue 01:57I wonder if that's the influence of the downsizers on the market. A lot of older people are a bit more nervous about moving into apartments, if they've never lived in them before. They're a bit anxious about having to deal with an owner’s corporation or a body corporate. I was talking to someone the other day from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. They were saying that, often older people were a bit nervous about moving into apartments, if they've never lived in them before, because they're nervous about who their neighbors might be, and whether there's going to be a noise above them, or next to them or below them.They can't quite get their head around the fact that (hopefully), apartments are built to be almost soundproof, but you know, I grew up in a terrace house… We heard everything our neighbors said; both sides of us and it wasn't such a big deal really. You just kind of got used to it. Well, I didn’t know anything different when I was a kid.Jimmy 03:03That’s the key; you know, if you've lived in a house where you're separate; even these big McMansions are exactly one meter apart, or whatever it is. You're not going to hear your neighbor so much, except when they go out into the backyard.Sue 03:18I'm arguing you often do, and there's less you can do about it, when you're living in a house. If the house isn't so well-built, you're always going to hear your neighbors from next door if you’re in a terrace. We know somebody who lives in a terrace and has terrible trouble with neighbors’ noise and that’s in Kirribilli in the lower North Shore of Sydney.

Podcast: Pets (again!) with James Valentine

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 03:14:47 -0500

Every so often – about once a month – I get invited on to James Valentine’s Afternoons on ABC 702.Last week the topic was pets in apartments – partly because that was all anyone was talking about.So we had a couple of people ringing up with their pet questions and complaints, all of which has indirectly added to a pet-heavy Flat Chat website this week.And that was exacerbated by my response to a question about whether or not there was a guide to the best dogs for apartments.Listen Here“Oh, yes,” I blithely replied. “You’ll find it on the website.”I wasn’t sure where but I knew it would be there … except it wasn’t. I don’t know how I managed to convince myself that I’d already done this, but I did and I hadn’t.Which is why I spent my weekend digging through and collating the opinions of half a dozen websites purporting to offer the definitive list of the best dogs for units.If you are interested, you can find that info here. Otherwise, if you missed the session on Afternoons, sit back and enjoy our chat from last week which we hope was entertaining and informative.Transcript in fullJimmy 00:00Every so often (I won't say regularly, because it's anything but regular), but just about once a month, I get invited onto James Valentine's Afternoons on ABC 702 radio. Last week, James asked me on to talk about pets, because everybody's talking about pets. Nobody's talking about anything else except pets at the moment. I thought that would make a very good podcast. I'm Jimmy Thomson. This is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]James 00:55Hello, Canberra, hello, Sydney, hello, Newcastle. Three of the great cities of this nation, combined together with one radio show. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing. For those in Canberra who haven't encountered Jimmy Thomson, let me set the scene for you. Jimmy Thomson (for longer than even he cares to remember and for longer than most people can), has been looking at the strata rules of largely, New South Wales and the ACT. Now, you might think to yourself, ‘wow, he sounds like an interesting fellow,’ and this is the odd thing about Jimmy Thomson… He makes it very interesting. As more and more Australians (in all those cities I'm describing), end up living in apartments and strata and townhouses and the like; more of us have got to get our head across what that means and what some of the issues are. Jimmy runs a website called www.flatchat.com.au He's also written for the Domain and the Herald for many years on these issues. You can follow up on anything we're talking about today by going to www.flatchat.com.au and you can look at the debates they've had and the issues that have been there. We found it very, very helpful (and many have, listening to this), to get Jimmy in to talk through changes as they're coming along. Now, we decided to have something of a Flat Chat special today, because Jimmy and I were linked in to a discussion on Twitter, about an assistant dog. Jimmy, g’day!Jimmy 02:27Good afternoon.James 02:31Good afternoon. Nice to have you have you along, as always. Look, I'm so annoyed. I can't believe that our building manager is having another go at removing Buddy from the building; Buddy being a dog. We've got the Assistant dog jacket and approval. This person has now gone to their employer and they've sent a letter, because now the building manager is saying ‘oh, the dog is overweight; the dog is over a weight limit. The dog is too big for the building.’ The building manager hates dogs, and it's making it so difficult to deal with this. This is an Assistance dog. These are these marvelous dogs that will be trained in all sorts of ways to help people with all kinds of disabilities, mental health issues, and all the rest. It is absolutely fantastic thing. If there's one dog you might want in your apartment building, it would be an assistance dog. It'll be really great; it will be well-trained and would abs..

Podcast: New pet laws and defining ‘reasonable’

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 21:05:59 -0500

In this week’s podcast we give the NSW Parliament’s deliberations on it’s new strata pet laws a kick along.As reported here, the Lower House has taken a good six months to deal with a procedural Bill that would have promoted sustainability and tidied up several odd loopholes in strata law.However, it was tagged with an amendment that would have meant pets could only be excluded from apartments if it was detrimental to the animal.Listen HereThe amended Bill, which was approved by the Upper House with its Animal Justice Party alteration, had zero chance of being approved by the Legislative Assembly. Right or wrong, the majority Coalition government was simply not going to approve open slather for pet owners in strata.So Sydney MP Alex Greenwich stepped in and wrangled a compromise that basically says pets could not “unreasonably” be refused domicile in apartment blocks while getting a commitment to a parliamentary report on what “reasonable” actually means.And that’s where we hop in with our ten cents worth on the podcast. Rental as anythingElsewhere in the pod, in light of the tax and planning breaks now on offer from the NSW government, we discuss the rise and rise of build-to-rent apartment blocks – there are 40 “in the pipeline” according to real estate marketing giant CBRE.But will they be snazzy upmarket facilities-filled developments like Mirvac’s Liv Indigo? Or will they be cheap and cheerless, renters-only versions of the cram-em-in, stack-em-high chicken coops beloved of some well-known developers? Time will tell.Commish kicks buttFinally Sue chats about her recent conversation with Building Commissioner David Chandler. Six months into his much-hyped crackdown on dodgy developers, is he making a difference, especially with regard to confidence in our high-rise buildings?We dig around for evidence.Zany Zoom callsAnd keeping things upbeat, Jimmy points us to these two videos.The first, is balm to the soul of any strata chair or secretary who’s had to deal with unruly members at an online committee meeting.If you are one of the few people on the planet who hasn't already seen this, it made a global viral video heroine of Council Clerk Jackie Weaver and her ruthless handling of obstreperous members of Handforth Parish Council in England.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB3P_0GAi0IAnd on a lighter note, there’s the lawyer who appeared on a Zoom video as a cute little talking kitten. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcnnI6HD6DUAlmost as amusing in the video from Texas is the warning in the top left corner that recording the meeting was an offence. Well, that really worked.But maybe if we all had to adopt animal alter egos, online strata meetings would be a lot less fractious and a lot more fun.Enjoy the podcast and let us know what you think of the new format on mail@flatchat.com.au.Transcript In FullJimmy 00:00Big news on the pet front this week in strata.Sue 00:04Yes! it's all happening, isn’t it?Jimmy 00:04We've got ‘build to rent’ to talk about and you've been chatting to Building Commissioner, David Chandler?Sue 00:14Yes, that's right.Jimmy 00:15Is he making a difference; let's find out, later on. I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:24And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain with the Sydney Morning Herald and Melbourne Age.Jimmy 00:29This is the Flat Chat Wrap. Well, let's get straight into it. The New South Wales lower house (which is actually the most important bit of Parliament), last week debated an amendment to their sustainability strata bill.Sue 01:01That was the one where there was an amendment put on by the Animal Justice Party, wasn't it?Jimmy 01:05Yes. This was originally a bill that was all about fixing up loose ends.

Podcast: Bad landlords and skinny buildings

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 04:47:16 -0500

The Flat Chat wrap this week is taken up with three main topics.The first is a petition to parliament to create a blacklist of bad landlords … launched by someone who is a landlord herself.Victoria is about to get one next month and it seems only fair that, if NSW tenants can be put on a blacklist that makes it harder for them to get rentals, then bad landlords should also be named and shamed in the hope they sharpen up their ideas to get good renters.You can find links to the petition here.Listen HereOur second topic is the “skyscratcher” hotel planned for Pitt St, Sydney. In the podcast we erroneously reference the architects’ (Durbach Block Jaggers) website as the home of some caustic comments.In fact, we were thinking of the excellent Dezeen online architecture and design magazine (from which we pilfered the illustrations on this page). Check it out if you are at all interested in innovative building design. And by the way, some reader comments on that site say the plan was just a kite-flying attempt to get publicity and that development application to City of Sydney had been withdrawn after objections from neighbours.That doesn’t seem to be the case if you look at the detailed application documents HERE on the City of Sydney website.If you’re excited by innovative high-rise architecture (even though it’s an hotel) have a look at Dezeen for more detail.And finally we found the pet-friendliest apartment block in Sydney which has its own cat café. However, we’ve also found another one in Surry Hills called Catmosphere which offers cat yoga (among other things) for feline-deprived locals.It’s bookings only so don’t just turn up or the fur will fly.Transcript in full.Jimmy 00:00Bad landlords and skinny buildings; that's what we're going to be talking about today. That new building in Sydney, they’re describing it as a sky-scratcher, because it's too thin to be called a skyscraper.Sue 00:17Hmm, interesting!Jimmy 00:19I think they're splitting hairs there. They are our main topics of conversation and a move to have a blacklist of bad landlords. I’m Jimmy Thomson; I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review.Sue 00:32And I'm Sue Williams and I write about property for Domain with the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age.Jimmy 00:37And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. [MUSIC]Sue, you've been talking to somebody about a blacklist for landlords?Sue 00:58Yes. They had a really bad experience renting property, and they're actually also a landlord themselves, so they know what they're talking about. They had a bad experience; lots of things went wrong. Repairs, problems, and the landlord's mother used to visit their home without giving notice and all that kind of thing. They went to Fair Trading, then they went to NCAT and got an order against their landlord. They feel that there are lots of lousy landlords out there, and they deserve to be highlighted so that when you go to rent an apartment or a house, you actually know…Jimmy 01:36What their track record is.Sue 01:39Yeah. Whether they have good tenant references; whether they've had rulings against them in NCAT in the past. Whether they've got a bad reputation or whether they're a great landlord.Jimmy 01:49Well, a blacklist is not going to list people who are great landlords, so that's a kind of separate thing, isn't it?Sue 01:56Sure, okay. I think you’re splitting hairs, now Jimmy!Jimmy 02:00We've got a blacklist for tenants, right?Sue 02:02Yes, that's right, and that's a privately-run blacklist. I think that's quite difficult; it's very hard to get off of once you're on there.Jimmy 02:09Yeah.Sue 02:10There should be an equivalent for bad landlords.Jimmy 02:13So, you get on the tenant’s blacklist by defaulting on your rent; damaging property. First of all,

Podcast: Unit prices stall and ropey reno regs

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 16:54:31 -0500

Hi, did you miss us? We took a little break last month but we are back with our new, improved Flat Chat Wrap podcast.We – Sue Williams and JimmyT – are now working on the basis that less is more. We are still going to talk about the apartment living issues of the day, large and small, to keep you informed and amused.But we’re going to put a clock on it so while our thoughts may occasionally wander down the odd tangent, our chat will never meander.We’re aiming for somewhere between 20 and 25 minutes per episode which is just long enough for a decent coffee break or a short commute.Listen HereDo let us know what you think and please, by all means, feel free to suggest topics we could discuss. It’s always good to get fresh ideas.This week we talk about the growing disparity between the median prices of apartments compared to houses and why this is happening. And you can also read more about that HERE.Jimmy will be talking about the window-sized hole he found in strata renovation regulations and how Fair Trading dodged the opportunity to fix it. You can also read more about that HERE.And Sue explores the world of community and neighbourhood Facebook pages while Jimmy dreams of a Mexican restaurant called Three Chihuahuas.On with the show (we did say it was going to be short and sweet).Transcript in FullJimmy 00:00And we're back. And in case you thought you dropped into the podcast halfway through, we're back from a little break we took over the holidays, to give you the Flat Chat Wrap again. Hello, Sue.Sue 00:11Hi, Jimmy, nice to be back!Jimmy 00:13Happy New Year.Sue 00:13And the same to you.Jimmy 00:15Today we're going to be talking about a flaw I found in the New South Wales strata regulations, and you've got something about apartment sales?Sue 00:26That's right. There's a huge report on apartment and house prices this week by Domain.Jimmy 00:33And there's a new piece of hardware being used for the Flat Chat Wrap now; it's a clock. We're gonna try and keep it tight. People seem to like podcasts that last less than half an hour, so we'll keep it tight, keep it snappy, keep it going. Keep it light, keep it funny, keep it short, keep it sweet. I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the Flat Chat column for the Australian Financial Review and edit the Flat Chat website.Sue 01:02And I'm Sue Williams, a property writer with Domain.Jimmy 01:05And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.Growing gap in house and unit prices JimmySue, there's been a big report about the difference between apartment prices and house prices.Sue 01:28The latest Domain house report came out last week, and it showed house prices surging remarkably all around the country, but unit prices either rising a little bit or even falling in some areas. The gap between house prices and unit prices has now reached a record 66%. So, the median house price is 66% more than the median unit price, which is the biggest gap they’ve ever had.Jimmy 01:57Why is this happening?Sue 01:58Dr. Nicola Powell, the research analyst with Domain, says it's for a number of reasons. Investor activity is down, and investors mostly buy apartments. Because rents are down and the number of tenants are down as well, because we don't have overseas students coming in. We don't have people migrating here and they usually go and live in apartments as well. People are moving to regional areas and coastal areas, because they want more space. Or, they're moving out of apartments, because they want more space in a house as well. And they want to be able to work from home, so they need a study.Jimmy 02:34There's a COVID effect, and there's people working from home.Sue 02:39Big COVID effect, yeah. There was a really big move towards apartments, but it seems that COVID has kind of slowed that down,

Podcast: Which apartment tribe do you belong to?

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 18:54:20 -0500

Do you know what your strata-living tribe is? Are you economically engaged, young and jobless or under-employed, battlers, established owners, downsizers or even public housing tenants?Professor Bill Randolph of UNSW department of the Built Environment was recently interviewed for an extensive feature in the Sydney Morning Herald in which he discussed a survey that reveals the reality of who is living in apartments in Sydney, rather than who is presented on the glossy sales brochures.We are not all, it seems, middle-aged middle-class couples sipping chardonnay on our harbour view balconies. Far from it.Listen HereEven less likely are we grey-haired newbies who’ve retired and downsized, or been in the same apartments for decades.These tribes do exist, for sure, but not in the numbers promotional material would have us believe.It’s a deliberately shorter (and we hope, sweeter) podcast this week as we dig into the question of who really lives in apartments and why.Awful apartmentsAnd there was another SMH article that caught our eye in the past week or so; a treatise by architecture writer Elizabeth Farrelly about how awful it is to live in a shitty apartment in a crap building in a crowded area of the city.Hey, Liz, we could have told you, if you’d only asked. But, seriously, she makes some very valid points, mainly that too many buildings and apartments are designed for sale to people who have no idea what they’re getting into, or to investors whose only thought is the bottom line.To add economic insult to infrastructure injury, they are often managed by cabals of connected professionals whose main purpose seems to be to find ways of extracting more money from renters and owners rather than charging reasonable fees for making their lives more liveable.All of which led to a discussion on this week’s podcast about expectation and experience.Basically, if you have moved from a grossly overcrowded one-bedder in a building with no facilities, are you going to complain about living in a fairly squeezy two-bedder in a block where the lift occasionally breaks down?25 floors, no liftsAs an extreme example, we cite this block in Chongquing, China, which has 25 floors but no lifts. However, as we explain, it’s not as challenging for penthouse residents as it sounds.The key to all this is money. If you have enough of it, you can make choices. If you don’t, you have to choose which compromises you are going to make, whether they be between location, size, facilities or liveability.That’s why it make sense to rent when you first set up home, than help pour money into the developer feeding trough by pursuing this national obsession with owning property regardless of who built it and how well or badly it’s managed.Finally, we manage to mention the Infinity building in Green Square without mentioning the reason we are mentioning them … it has won The Urban Developer’s Development of the Year – High Density Residential award.There’s all that and more, including a question for regular podcasters: do you like to hear other voices on the pod or would you rather just hear Sue and JimmyT in shorter podcasts (or a bit of both?). Let us know on mail@flatchat.com.au.Non-podders can catch up with our ramblings in the transcript below.Transcript in fullJimmy 00:00Do you know which apartment tribe you're a member of?Sue 00:03I think I'm part of the tribe, ‘economically-engaged.’Jimmy 00:06Okay, you're not ‘established-owner or downsizer?’Sue 00:12Well, I guess I could be ‘established-owner’, but they’re kind of over 65. I’m not over 65. A long way off, Jimmy.Jimmy 00:21I am! I'm part of both of those things; both of those tribes. There was a big article in The Sydney Morning Herald recently and we're going to be talking about that today. I'm Jimmy Thomson.Sue 00:32And I'm Sue Williams.

Podcast: What a great year … for pets and renters

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 07:33:53 -0500

This week’s podcast may be the first of 2021 but 2020 doesn’t get away that easily.Last year will be remembered in global politics as the year of Brexit, Trump, the Covid-19 Pandemic, and the Trump-rump. Democracy in the USA is hanging by a thread but it will survive.Talking about democracy, on a much more local level, we look back at the battle over “no-pets” by-laws and how it tore apart two apartment blocks, and made NCAT look pretty foolish too.Listen HereInevitably, we examine the entrails of holiday lets like Airbnb. In NSW, in particular, the slow drip feed of legislation to control the hitherto unfettered spread of holiday lets was a lesson in what happens when politicians make half-baked decisions that they neither fully support nor the consequences of which they fully appreciate.Meanwhile, Airbnb’s flacks continue their policy of answering only the questions they wish you’d asked rather than those for which we require answers.Sadly, it seems, Stayz aren’t much better these days, especially when it comes to manipulating statistics. It makes you wonder how dumb our politicians have to be to fall for all this claptrap.Collateral damageIt would be nice if someone just came out and said “we desperately need tourist dollars and apartment residents – especially renters – are just collateral damage in the ongoing battle for bucks. Please go and live in a crappy area where no one wants to go and give us some peace.”We also look at the effect of the pandemic across Australia and realise that it’s all intricately intertwined. Covid-19 lockdowns and lock-outs forced a lot of holiday letting hosts out of the market – which was great news for renters – but then compelled people to holiday nearer to home, which saw holiday lets come roaring back when locals who could travel replaced all the foreign visitors who were not allowed to come here.Oh, and the lockdowns persuaded lots of apartment owners to get pets, which takes us back to the first item.DefectsThen there was the continuing story of apartment block defects and the powers finally granted to Building Commissioner David Chandler to put the blowtorch to the belly of dodgy developers. We won’t see the results of his handiwork for years, when apartment blocks stop falling over.And we talk about changes to the legislations of various states plus build-to-rent, the new (old) way of renting. One landlord, no strata committee, great facilities, long leases and no bond.See, something good did come out of 2020 after all.Transcript in fullJimmy 00:002020 was a pretty horrific year across Australia, and you'd think the only story in town was COVID-19, but we're looking back at the whole year, purely through the prism of strata. There's a lot to talk about. We'll try and get it all into this episode. I'm Jimmy Thomson.Sue 00:21And I'm Sue Williams.Jimmy 00:22And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. Jimmy2020, Sue?Sue 00:40It was a huge year, wasn't it, in lots of ways?Jimmy 00:42Glad to see the back of it.Sue 00:43Yes, absolutely. Let's hope the next one is a good one.Jimmy 00:47COVID 19; it affected just about every aspect of Australian life, but there was other stuff going on, especially in strata. What was the big story that stuck out for you in 2020?Sue 01:01I think it must be pets. I mean, that's COVID-related as well, because lots of people got pets because of COVID.They were stuck in lockdown, so they wanted some company and we had that incredible decision by the Appeals Court, to uphold one owner’s claim that a blanket ban on pets was unconscionable. Therefore now, in essence, all apartment buildings in New South Wales have to allow pets. Nobody can impose a blanket ban,Jimmy 01:30They can impose restrictions on what they do in common property, but that was huge. I don't know if it undermined or supported the whole Tribunal..

Podcast: Fun and games as the Wrap takes off

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 22:04:48 -0500

OK, stop, relax, breathe. We’re not taking a break these holidays so much as easing our collective foot off the gasWe thought that, rather than drag someone out of their post-Christmas coma to be interviewed on the Flat Chat Wrap podcast, we’d give you a chance to reprise some of our most listened-to episodes of the past year, some of which you might have missed or want to hear again.In fact there are two “normal” episodes that stand out as our most downloaded. Episode 91 – Crackdown on Dud Developers and Episode 87 – Comedy, coffee and a new way of renting .In Ep 87, we first discussed build-to-rent apartments, had a chat with the owner of a café in an apartment block, and announced the completion of our Pod-Com “Hyperbole Towers” (which you can hear again by clicking on the link below).Pets, pets and petsIn Episode 91, we spoke to Karen Stiles, Executive Officer of the Owners Corporation Network, about the impact Building Commissioner David Chandler is going to have on new apartment builds in NSW.Given this week’s news that another major developer has gone bust, he certainly has his work cut out.Apart from those podcasts, anything with “pets” in the title rated well, no doubt due at least in part to the shenanigans that saw NSW “no-pets” by-laws revoked, reprieved and then re-revoked. These included Episode 89, Episode 92, Episode 95 and Episode 96.But these podcasts and the rest aren’t not all only about pets – there’s plenty of other stuff going on in strata for us to get our teeth into in these and other episodes.NeglectedFor the record, our most neglected podcast – at least since we trebled our listeners by moving platforms from our previous hosts, the podcast equivalent of witness protection – was Podcast 68: Six months of Sundays, classic movies, perfect pods.Maybe it’s because when it went out in April, this episode didn’t have it’s full title attached. Or maybe it was the content – how to survive lockdowns with a smile. It may be interesting to listen back to hear how we thought we’d fare as the pandemic spread.Sue Williams and I (JimmyT) will be back next week with a full and fresh episode as we review the year in strata across Australia.By the way, I have changed the podcast archive link on our front page to Google Podcasts as Apple iTunes doesn't seem to offer more than 10 old episodes. Let me know if you have an issue with any of that.But, meanwhile, sit back and enjoy (again) Australia’s first podcom (podcast sitcom), Hyperbole Towers and listen to its benighted committee, forced to meet on Zoom with all the back-stabbing, power plays and nefarious goings on that you’d expect.And, once again, thanks to our special guest Todd McKenney for adding some stardust to the show.Listen HereAnd for those of you who don't yet pod - and it's as easy as clicking on play, above - here's the script in full. You're missing half the fun but enjoy anyway.Hyperbole Towers - The Script Scene 1: the cafe FADE IN: NARRATORIt's 12 minutes past six PM on a post-lockdown evening and Charlie Lee, chair of the Hyperbole Towers strata committee, is wondering where the rest of its members are. SFX: Mobile phone ringing ALFIE(In phone) Hullo. Building Manager Alfie here... I'm sorry I'm in the middle of a meeting. CHARLIENo, you're not. ALFIE(In phone) I most certainly am... oh... hello, Madame Chairperson... I am in the meeting. Where are you? CHARLIEI'm in the cafe. At the meeting. Where are you? And where is everybody else? ALFIE(In phone) We are meeting online, Madame Chair. As required. CHARLIERequired? ALFIE(In phone) Our new by-law. Remember we had to pass one so we could have meetings on Zoom or Skype? CHARLIEDuring the lockdown? How could I forget? Four hours of mindless arguments punctuated by three resignations,

Podcast: Want chips with that (plus radio spot)?

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 01:23:19 -0500

With Christmas rapidly approaching and Covid-19 closing in on us again, we thought about not doing a full podcast this week.A quick intro and replay of Jimmy’s most recent stint on the James Valentine’s afternoons on ABC Radio 702, and that ws going to be it.But once we got chatting, all sorts of topic came up, such as, what is this obsession with toilet roll every time there’s a hint of trouble on the horizon?Why do some people “need” to have 10 times as much as they could possibly use outside of a combination of the apocalypse and a seriously bad curry.Listen HereAnd why does that outweigh other people’s reasonable hope that they'll find a couple of rolls still for sale on the shelf when they pop into the supermarket?Are we turning into Trumpians, with their "me first, stuff you!" attitudes?And talking about those who lack a highly developed sense of community, we hop into the anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers who use their belief in conspiracy theories about microchips in the vaccine and how only old people get Covid-19, to justify not wearing masks on trains and buses in the midst of a pandemic surge.As Jimmy writes in an upcoming column in the Financial Review, there’s no vaccine to prevent or cure stupidity.But, the worrying thing is, the theories might be stupid but some of the people who believe them clearly aren't.We discuss a friend of Sue’s who is an intelligent and articulate woman but who says she probably won’t take the vaccine when it gets here because of fears that it contains a chip created by Bill Gates that will be able to track and monitor us wherever we go.Jimmy likes the idea of this chip and says it could be used the same way as with missing pets, to check who you are and where you belong if you ever go missing (like after a Christmas or New Year’s Eve Party).All this is in the podcast and the transcript. What’s not in the transcript is the session on the James Valentine show but that’s worth a listen, if only for the question about whether or not visiting dogs now have to be allowed in apartment blocks now that by-laws banning pets are defunct?If you haven’t listened before, just turn up your speakers, connect your earpods or plug in your headphones, and click on play near the top of this story. It’s the most fun you’ll have in strata without breaching any by-laws.The transcriptJimmy 00:00It's kind of hard to stay positive at the moment, isn't it?Sue 00:03Yeah, I think COVID has come back and kind of depressed us all.Jimmy 00:07With a vengeance, and a lot of our friends who were planning to go away for Christmas and New Year are stuck at home.Sue 00:14Yep.Jimmy 00:15We'll just have to entertain them.Sue 00:17Yeah, and I think there's a lot of that going on; the ‘new orphans’ are being entertained by friends who've actually bought food and have food, whereas they’ve got empty cupboards.Jimmy 00:26But I was in the supermarket the other day, and, empty toilet roll shelves! They were filling them up again, so obviously, they're ready for it this time, but what is this strange obsession with…Sue 00:39It's good news for my local newsagent. I don't know if you've seen it, but it’s packed with toilet rolls, and hand sanitizer because I think it arrived all a bit too late for the last one.Jimmy 00:51So, he's had it in a cupboard somewhere, or a warehouse?Sue 00:53No, not at all; it’s completely taken over the shop. All the newspapers and magazines and cards and lollies are all kind of around the edge, because he's got so much stock. He's obviously got nowhere else to put it. Hopefully, this will be good news for him at least, because I do feel sorry for him. He's obviously incredibly over-ordered. It's so sad every time you go in here.Jimmy 01:17Anyway, we will try and keep your spirits up. I'm Jimmy Thomson.Sue 01:30

Podcast: Reno regrets and free strata legal advice

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 00:54:16 -0500

It’s very much a tale of two slices of strata in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast. To begin with, you can listen to two over-privileged, entitled professionals (us) whingeing about what went wrong … and right … when we decided to renovate both bathrooms in our flat at once.BOTH bathrooms? “When I was a lad we had a pothole in the road, and used gravel for toilet paper …” says one of Monty Python’s Yorkshiremen.Listen HereRegular readers of this website will have been following our reno (mis)adventures on this website for the past few weeks so we thought it was time to reveal all our triumphs and failures on the pod.From the too-flimsy door that started it all to the crack that appeared in a newly plastered wall, the whole catastrophe is there for your schadenfreude listening pleasure.Free legal adviceAnd quickly moving from entitled renovators to hard-pressed strata residents facing more urgent issues not of their own making, we have belatedly discovered a completely free strata legal service for NSW, based in the inner-west Sydney suburb of Marrickville.Lawyer Justin Abi-Daher joined us on the pod to answer questions about the service like:How long has Marrickville Legal Centre been covering strata?Who is on their strata team and what are their areas of expertise?What is the most common issue or issues that are brought to them?What do they do when both sides of a dispute asking for help?What is the extent of their involvement? E.g. would they ever represent a client at a tribunal or in a mediation?What is the most common piece of advice they give strata residents once they were in the midst of a dispute.To what extent do they find themselves having to explain residents' basic rights and responsibilities?Is there one piece of strata knowledge that surprises people more than any other?Finally we ask this not-for-profit hero to explain how they get their funding and why they need more so badly right now.You can read more about Marrickville Legal Centre HERE and look at their website HERE. And remember, their strata service isn’t just for Marrickville – it’s for the whole of NSW.If you’re not into podcasts – and really, you’re missing half the fun – you can read a transcript of the pod below.TranscriptionHere. slightly later than usual, is this week's podcast transcribed in full.Jimmy 00:00We've got a Christmas gift for our readers and listeners this week; free legal advice.Sue 00:06That's a good gift.Jimmy 00:07Some people will say, ‘well, you give legal advice all the time,’ but we don't really, because we're not allowed to. We just kind of point people in the right direction. Later on, we're going to be talking to somebody from Marrickville Legal Center and they do offer free legal advice for strata owners and residents, specifically resident owners, rather than investors and tenants.Sue 00:31Sounds like a good Christmas gift.Jimmy 00:33I think it is. Before that, we're going to be talking about our bathroom renovation, because that's been keeping people entertained for the last few weeks on the website. I'm Jimmy Thomson.Sue 00:45And I'm Sue Williams.Jimmy 00:46And this is the Flat Chat Wrap. MUSICBathroom updateJimmy How this bathroom thing started, was trying to fix my bathroom door.Sue 01:07That's right, because your bathroom door was a bit too thin.Jimmy 01:13Yes, and it’s the guest bathroom, so privacy was at a minimum.Sue 01:16And tell us how that worked out, Jimmy?Jimmy 01:19Well, the bathroom door is untouched and, in the meantime, we've renovated two bathrooms.Sue 01:26This is like $45,000 later. The one thing that we wanted, is still not yet done.Jimmy 01:33I said I wanted the bathroom door fixed. You said ‘hey, if you're going to have the bathroom door fixed, why don't you just renovate your whole bathroom?’

Podcast: Mascot in court and how to clinch a deal

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 21:16:53 -0500

In this week’s podcast we catch up with what’s happening at Mascot Towers as owners in the ill-starred building prepare for their day in court.Specifically, they will be pursuing legal action against the developers of the apartment block next door, construction of which, they claim, undermined the foundations of their block.Meanwhile they are facing tens of millions of dollars in defect rectification bills to the point where the repairs may cost more than the block is worth.And the people next door say they have pictures of cracks in the Mascot building before they'd so much as turned a sod. Then we talk to Scott Aggett a vastly experience real estate agent and ace negotiator with his company Hello Haus on some of the highly developed tactics that have seen him buy and sell 27 properties just for himself.Scott is a hired gun for people who think they can get the property they want for less, but aren’t sure how to do it. His biggest success? Saving a buyer $800,000 off the purchase of an apartment in London.It’s a fascinating interview which includes an insight into the classic error single women make when they are negotiating property sales or purchasersListen HereAs usual these days, our podcast is available as a transcript, interpreted by a computer, then made sense of by a human.Transcript in fullJimmy 00:00I was talking to a lawyer the other day, about a building with a large rooftop. The Owners Corporation claim that there's efflorescence (that’s salt coming up from underneath the tiles), ruining the tiles on the rooftop and he said they'd spent something in the region of $260,000 on various experts, and lawyers’ fees to take this case against the developer. He said then the developer turned up with their expert witnesses and said that the efflorescence was coming from cheaply-made planter boxes on the rooftop. So, the developer said, “okay, my bad. I'll give you $9,000 for new planter boxes.”Sue 00:48Oh, my god. Did the developer put those planter boxes up there, then?Jimmy 00:52Yes, they put them up there. Presumably, they're saying “okay, yeah, we shouldn't have put such cheap planter boxes, so yeah, we'll replace them. Off you go.”Sue 01:01Oh, my god. Is the damage still there?Jimmy 01:04The efflorescence… You can scrub it off the surface, but those salts (if you don't cure the problem), keep coming up through the tiles. So, if there is no problem underneath the tiles, then it's going be okay.Sue 01:20Why didn’t they say that before? Why didn't the other side's expert witness ever even look at that?Jimmy 01:25You wonder. We're going be talking about defects and court cases, because you've been following up on the Mascot Towers’ story. And we're going to meet somebody who makes a living from negotiating property prices down. I'm Jimmy Thomson.Sue 01:42And I'm Sue Williams.Jimmy 1:43And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyMascot Towers, Sue; you've done a story for the Sydney Morning Herald, Domain?Sue 02:04That’s right. I think we were all wondering what happened to Mascot Towers, because it's been 18 months now, since all those owners were evacuated from the tower and you kind of wonder what's happening. I hadn't heard anything for a while, so I put in a few calls. It turns out that they're having their day in court, next week, on the 11th of December. The case is finally getting to the Supreme Court, after all this time. It's the owners of Mascot Tower versus the developers of Peak Towers, which is the building next door. You’d probably remember; they were evacuated because the building was starting to sink, and they said it was because the developers of the building (which is just adjacent to it), had been tunneling down for this…Jimmy 2:50Digging down for a carpark.Sue 2:51That's right, for a basement carpark and had tapped into the underground water table..

Podcast: Crazy questions, architects with answers

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 02:14:20 -0500

We turn back the clock – but just a little – for this week’s podcast when we look at the weirdest and wackiest questions asked and problems presented on the Flat Chat Forum in recent months.And we have a long chat with Kathlyn Loseby, President of the NSW chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects as well as COO of Crone Architects.She’ll be talking about the importance of good architecture – and what architects can bring to a building that no other professional can.Listen HereFirst up, though, it’s our cavalcade of chaos starting with a strata manager who won’t let an owner even nominate for election to the committee because the resident has taken a complaint against the owners corp to Fair Trading and NCAT.Then there’s the owner who put a video camera on common property outside his front door without permission. When the owners corp complained, he attached it to a peephole inside his front door – which is still common property.We recently had someone ask if they could post on their notice board pictures from their security camera of people who had buzzed every apartment in the middle of the night until they found the one they were looking for.And there are a lot more example on the podcast, all results of people not knowing how to behave, or not caring.One bunch of people who do tend to care are architects, and we talk to Kathlyn Loseby about why architects are often employed to help get approval for building projects, and then their reputation is used to sell the apartments, but they are cut loose when things get tricky, especially when developers want to cut corners.NSW is about to bring in legislation that means any building over two stories high must be designed by an architect. But Kathlyn gives a compelling case as to why architects should be locked into projects until they are complete.As she says, a problem that costs $1 to fix during the build cost $15 to fix after completion and $45 once people have moved in.And there is only one profession that understands all the elements that go into a whole building – and that’s the architects.Oh, and we ask her for her favourite apartment building in NSW and she choses the 1948 International Modernist No 17 Wylde St (pictured above, featured here). Definitely a stunning example of inspiring architecture.You can hear Kathlyn in conversation with Jimmy and Sue or read the transcript below.Transcript in fullHere is a trancript of the podcast. Broad strokes by a computer, fine lines by an endlessly patient human.Jimmy 00:00It’s that time of year, when you start looking back on the previous year, and obviously a lot of it is to do with; if it isn't Donald Trump, it's COVID. But in strata, we trundle on, doing what we always do. I've been looking back at some of the weird and not very wonderful questions that have been asked on the Flat Chat forum.Sue 00:24That should be interesting.Jimmy 00:26Later on, we're going to talk to Kathlyn Loseby, who is, Sue?Sue 00:30The New South Wales President of the Australian Institute of Architects, and the CEO of Crone Architects.Jimmy 00:38Okay.Sue 00:40She’ll be talking about design and the latest in design of apartments.Jimmy 00:44Okay. I'm Jimmy Thomson.Sue 00:46And I'm Sue Williams.Jimmy 00:47And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]Looking back on the year, I decided to go back through all the forum things that I do every week. Every week, I do a little roundup of the latest questions on the Flat Chat forum. So, I went through them and it was quite amazing.Sue 01:17What was amazing?Jimmy 01:19Amazing thing was I’d planned to go through the whole year, and I got to September and already had more than enough.Sue 01:26What was the most bizarre question you've been asked?Jimmy 01:29I think one of the most bizarre and most disturbing was this guy..

Podcast 101: Pets and some post-Covid plusses

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 02:41:35 -0500

With most of the worst of the pandemic behind us here in Australia – or, at least, the first and hopefully the last wave of infections – we thought we’d take a few moments in the podcast to discuss positives that have emerged from the months of lockdown and working from home.Apparently, according to a Zoom conference that Sue sat in on (and that’s a great leap forward, right there), technology has advance by five years in the past five months, including having your apartment block’s or office’s lift knowing you are leaving before you’ve even opened your door.Quantum computing and robot-run farms are also making headway and there are even advances in electrically powered air taxis, although Jimmy reckons the biggest advance would be developing technologies to make sure they don’t crash into each other.Listen hereJimmy’s thoughts on how the pandemic has improved our lives are more prosaic – he likes having to book his gym sessions, as it means he’s less likely to talk himself out of exercising.It should be said that both of your podders admit to major technological snafus later in the podcast, both of which left them red-faced, albeit in very different ways.The podcast’s guest this week is Nadia Crighton of Pet Insurance Australia who talks about the implications of the recent revocation of “no pets” by-laws in NSW and how we can navigate this furrier and friendlier new world so that some day soon people will wonder what all the fuss was about.It’s all about respect for each other and our personal boundaries, she says, taking the time to train your dog properly and adopting basic courtesies like keeping your dog on a leash on common property and not getting into a lift with someone who doesn’t want to share it with your dog or cat.By the way, she draws the line at demanding that dogs be muzzled in lifts. "People who are scared of dogs are going to be more alarmed at the sight of one wearing a muzzle,” she says.And somewhere in there she explains why the smartest dogs aren't always the wisest choices for apartments, why low-shedding animals need just as much grooming, and why a good dog breeder will interview you, rather than the other way round.All that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.Transcription in fullWith the heavy lifting done by computer and the fine-tuning done by humans, the podcast transcript is more readable than ever. Yay!Jimmy 00:00So, it seems we are gradually coming out of lockdown across Australia.Sue 00:06Fantastic!Jimmy 00:07And it got me thinking, we should try and do something positive about the effects the pandemic has had on our society and the way we live, because I'm sure there are some positives. And later on, we'll be talking to Nadia Crighton, of Australian Pet Insurance about dogs; pets in apartments and how they should be compulsory. Well, she doesn't say that. I'm Jimmy Thomson.Sue 00:33And I'm Sue Williams.Jimmy 00:36And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]JimmyWhat positives have you seen come out of the pandemic and the lockdown?Sue 00:59Well, I guess we have a better idea of the importance of community and how we really need to be connected. I think perhaps we've kind of glossed over that in other times when we've been too busy to sit and talk to people. I was talking to somebody the other day, an AI expert. I was at a conference where she was speaking, and she was fascinating. She said, “the good thing about COVID is that in the five months that we've been affected, technology has increased by five years. So, in five months, we've had the equivalent of five years technological advance.Jimmy 01:38Why? Because everybody's stuck at home, inventing stuff?Sue 01:41That's right, and because we can't get together physically anymore, we've had to rely on new technologies like zoom to make the world keep going during this difficult time.

Podcast 100: Upside of a stairlift stand-off

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 01:43:08 -0500

There are two major strands to this week’s podcast.The first stems from a question raised in the Flat Chat Forum, about an apartment owner who wants to install a stairlift – one of those seats that trundles up a staircase – in a narrow common property stairwell.It's for his elderly mother, so you have some sympathy, as you'd have for the other owners who had to squeeze past the rail every day.Listen HereNow the plusses and (many) minuses of this proposal are thrashed out in the Forum but here in the podcast, we have come up with a cunning plan.Depending on the structure of the block, owners might be able to install a small passenger lift on the outside of the building for between $100k and $150k. Ouch, I hear you say. $150k?But get this, the value of EACH apartment that benefitted from the lift might easily go up by about the same amount.So say you had six apartments (excluding the ground floor units) who each contributed $25k – about the cost of a bathroom renovation – you could raise the value of every upstairs flat by about four times that or more ... and make your lives a lot easier.Of course it would depend on the layout of the block – the stairwell would need to have one external wall – and by-laws and what not. But the point is, it’s do-able and the owner in the Forum story would be able to get him Mum up and down the stairs without any trouble at all.The other major part of the podcast is a chat with Karen Stiles, the Executive Officer of the Owners Corporation network.She is working with NSW Minister Victor Dominello to create a register of every strata scheme in NSW, including their major points of contact, whether it be the secretary, chair or strata manager.It's one of those ideas that's both radical and logical - probably the two main reasons why it hasn't been done before.There’s all that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.The transcript, in fullJimmy 00:00This is a momentous occasion.Sue 00:02Really?Jimmy 00:03Believe it or not. This is the 100th podcast.Sue: 00.07Wow.Jimmy 00:08We have done 100 of these things.Sue 00:10That's incredible. Congratulations, Jimmy.Jimmy 00:13It means we've been doing it for almost two years.Sue 00:15Wow. It's gone quickly, hasn't it?Jimmy 00:18It has, and, and the numbers of people listening are slowly growing.Sue 00:23Fantastic. Thank you very much listeners.Jimmy 00:25Yes, thank you and to help us celebrate her 100th, pass it on to your friends. Get more people listening; that would be very cool. If you enjoy it, your friends will probably enjoy it too. This week, we have an intriguing story about somebody who wants to install a stair lift, where we suspect no stair lift should be installed. And we'll be talking to Karen Stiles, the executive officer of the Owners Corporation Network. I'm Jimmy Thomson.Sue 00:56And I'm Sue Williams.Jimmy 00:57And this is the 100th Flat Chat Wrap.[MUSIC]So here's the scenario that was posed on the forum. Older building, narrow stairs; an apartment on the third floor. The owner, he’s put up a bylaw to give him permission to install a chairlift; a stair lift. They call it stair lift, not a chairlift. That's what you use in ski resorts. It's not quite as elaborate as that.Sue 01:37So that's up the fire escape, up the fire stairs?Jimmy 01:39No, no, no, no, it's in the commonly used general staircase thing. I don't think there are fire stairs.Sue 01:47Oh, okay. Well, there wouldn't be I suppose, would there. There’s just one, one staircase. There’s only fire stairs if you've got a lift.Jimmy 01:53So he's got a situation where there's 16 apartments, or 18, 12 in one block, and six in his block, but it's all the same strata plan. And he's worried that the 12 people in the other block won't really care about what's happening in his part..

Fun and occasional fury as our podcast hits 100 eps

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 22:28:23 -0500

We’ve scored a century! This week sees us post the 100th episode of the Flat Chat Wrap – and that's only counting properly produced and distributed episodes.We would have held a giant dance party to celebrate but, hey, what with Covid-19 and social distancing and all, we might limit it to a chocolate croissant with our morning coffee.Now, before we go any further with the self-congratulation, this week’s podcast, available here, is mostly about how you can turn an inaccessible old walk-up apartment block into a level-entry “gem”.And we hear from Karen Stiles of the Owners Corporation Network about plans for a new register of apartment blocks, including their main contact details. Hmmm. All you secret, anonymous, uncontactable chairs and secretaries take note.But getting back to our 100 episodes, it’s interesting to note how much the pod has changed. The major developments have been the addition of Sue Williams to the regular pod crew, and the inclusion of weekly guests.Their topics have ranged from interior design to exterior paint jobs, and bathroom renovations to building defects. We have one coming up next week on pets that animal lovers and haters alike won’t want to miss.The pod has gradually grown longer, musical “stings” have been added and the audience has expanded too. This website says that if your podcast episodes get more than 123 listens in the first month of release, you are in the top 50 percent of world podcasts – something we achieve easily.But we could always use more listeners, so please tell your friends.And we’ve made mistakes along the way. Just last week we talked about build-to-rent apartments for the second week in a row, and watched podders drift off in alarming numbers. Message received, loud and clear.And then there was the time I was riding my bike in Centennial Park, listening to the pod just to check it was all OK, and realised I hadn’t deleted some of the re-records and extra bits from the end.The upside is I did one of my fastest circuits ever as I raced back home to recut and re-post the offending episode.Somewhere in the midst of all this we produced a podcom – a podcast sitcom – called Hyperbole Towers which, as of today has been downloaded 679 times. Big thanks to City of Sydney for providing most of the money for that venture, and to our friend Todd McKenney for playing the uncredited Ted McKonney, just for the fun of it.If you missed it, the online player is at the end of this articleAmong other changes, we recently started providing a transcript. Those readers who don’t listen to podcasts seem to appreciate it (which is just as well because it can be a nightmare to produce).In case you were wondering, the podcast is recorded in our back bedroom (aka my office) every Sunday afternoon, when outside traffic noise is down, using a Blue Yeti microphone, Audacity free audio editing software, Zoom online calls for interviews, a folding table with a yoga mat on it to cut down the echo, and an online transcription service called Otter.ai, supplemented by the skills of a freelance editor, for the text version.When you put it all together, it’s quite an operation, but it’s OK once you get into a rhythm and we enjoy it. Hope you do too. Here’s to the next 100. And here, in case you missed it, is the pilot episode of Hyperbole Towers.

Podcast 99: Long-term rental will tempt tenants

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 03:10:26 -0500

This week we returned to a topic we raised in the last podcast, namely build-to-rent and specifically the new Liv Indigo building at Sydney Olympic Park.They held an open day last weekend and we went down to have a look and chat to … well, anyone who was interested in talking to us.You can hear the results of that in the podcast (or read the transcript at the end) but this build-to-rent block does seem to be a game-changer, although it’s not for everyone.[Powerpress]Why not? Well, it’s between 10 to 30 percent more expensive to rent there, for a start, although a lot of that can be offset by having no power bills, having whitegoods provided as well as saving on gym memberships and suchlike.But the most important thing is that tenants are the main game, not an afterthought. It still amazes and bothers me that tenants are treated as second-class citizens in some strata schemes, considering they make up more than 50 per cent of apartment residents, across the board.So, however the sums add up, being treated with consideration and respect would be worth spending a few dollars more.Complaints And it removes a couple of obstacles to a happy life that exist in strata. There is no rental agent to go through when there is a problem. Too many rental agents in Australia see their job as being to protect the landlord from being bothered by their tenants.So legitimate complaints go unanswered – often because the landlord isn’t even aware of them – while tenants constantly teeter on the edge of the dreaded six-monthly lease renewal and rent rise.Yes, I know there are bad tenants out there. But one bad tenant makes life difficult for one property owner. One bad rental agent can make life miserable for dozens of renters. And, trust me, there is more than one bad rental agent.And then there’s the strata committees, or lack of them. In build-to-rent, the developer, or a single investment entity, owns the block so it’s not strata and it doesn’t come under strata law.For anyone, owner or renter, who has felt excluded from the decision-making process in their building, there wouldn’t be much difference in moving into a renters-only environment.If your strata committee is a closed shop, and actively discourages communication in either direction – as many do – then you wouldn’t notice living in a building where there is no committee.EngageActually, that’s not fair, because the management team at Liv Indigo – if their sales pitch is to be believed – actively engage with residents, partly so that problems can be dealt with promptly, before they become “issues”.We can only go by what we saw with our own eyes and, unless Mirvac had hired actors, people seemed to be comfortable and happy. The plusses for many renters at Liv Indigo are pretty obvious beyond the bells and whistles of gyms and mini-cinemas.Pets are allowed, you can decorate the apartments to suit your tastes, leases are for 12 months, there’s a maintenance team on-site, faulty appliances are replaced immediately and short-term lets are strictly forbidden.Meanwhile, there is no bond required and you only pay for the parking and storage that you use, which you can vary according to your needs at any given time. For the environmentally conscious, the building has a very small carbon footprint, generating solar power and using grey water in its toilets.PremiumLiv Indigo is Australia’s first real build-to-rent scheme in terms of the overseas model where renters pay a premium for high-end facilities and services. Mirvac is planning to roll out more purpose-built schemes in Melbourne and Brisbane over the next couple of years.It’s not for everyone. In Sue’s story for Domain, she quotes one couple for whom the rent was too high and another potential renter who didn’t want to live in a building with so many people in it.Even so, it does offer a very real choice for renters whose life..

Podcast 98: A tale of two very different rentals

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 01:32:22 -0500

We are looking at two very different kinds of rentals this week. The first is build-to-rent apartments (which is definitely NOT affordable housing, regardless of what anyone else might tell you).The other is short-term holiday rentals which are routinely and often erroneously called Airbnb. That's the generic term but, in fact, we will be talking to Stayz, their biggest rivals in Australia.Listen HereBuild-to-rent is a new concept for Australia – the first in the country is having it’s inaugural “open house” this weekend – and it sees a developer build apartments specifically to let them out. None of them are sold to individual owners; they are all owned by the same entity so strata law doesn’t come into it (although residential tenancy laws definitely do).As a result of the block being run in a sole owner-manager structure, the rules can be established for everyone and if your neighbours don’t like them or consistently break them, they can presumably be asked to leave – something that never happens to even the worst-behaved owners in strata.UpmarketIn the property in question, the Liv Indigo, the developers’ Mirvac are also the managers and they have gone for an upmarket lifestyle approach with the focus on this being your home and not just somewhere you rent.As a result, there is no bond required, you can paint the walls, hang pictures and there’s an on-site café and children’s play room, a great gym and workspace.The fact that there are long leases of at least 12 months and permission to keep pets as the default, all contribute to a living space that should appeal to those who see rental as a positive choice rather than sign of failure.And there are flats of all sizes from studios for singles and start-up couples, to three-bedders for families. It will be interesting to see how popular these are when availability in “normal” rentals is higher than it's been for a while.Build-to-rent builds a bridge between apartment developers and the ultimate residents. More than half the residents in Australian apartment blocks are renters, but they are caught between strata laws and the whims of individual landlords, so you can see how a structured relationship with a single entity might appeal. Right now in Britain, build-to-rent projects are being viewed as potential saviours of inner-cities with one $400 million project in Glasgow’s West End just having been given the green light.We're heading to the open house at Olympic Park on Saturday and we'll report back. You can book a viewing time for yourself at Livmirvac.com.Holiday RentalsIf build-to-rent is one end of the spectrum, short-term holiday rentals are surely the other. And with the government’s first instalment of it STHL code of conduct having been announced last week, we invited Eacham Curry, Director of Government and Corporate Affairs for Stayz, the holiday rental platform, to be our guest on the podcast.And in case anyone thinks we’ve gone soft on holiday rentals in apartment blocks that don’t want them, we haven’t. But it’s interesting to talk to someone froma major player in that market that doesn’t have Airbnb’s smug mendacity and flexible approach to facts as their default position.In our chat we ask Eacham (pronounced HM, apparently) what is the main difference between Stayz and Airbnb, what effect Covid-19 has made to their business and if he thinks it will ever go back to what it was.We aks him what he likes and dislikes about the new short-term letting laws brought in, in April, and what he loves and hates about the new code of conduct announced last week.We ask about Stayz in apartments (not a lot but growing) and what are the biggest or most common mistakes owners – especially apartment owners – make when they start letting properties on Stayz?Finally, in our Hey Marthas, Sue discusses the trauma of taking cats to a pet-friendly hotel and Jimmy is worried about A..

Podcast 97: Renovation – best-laid plans (and tiles)

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 02:42:05 -0400

It’s renovations all the way in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap as we chat about a Forum post asking what can be done about a disastrous and unauthorised renovation, now that the owner is planning to sell, bodgy renos included.That’s one end of the spectrum where a major and mostly illegal renovation has been allowed to continue without so much as a “by your leave” let alone a by-law.At the other end of the reno rainbow, an old chum has called up to ask about the work she wants to do in her flat where the committee has had the plans for weeks but have only now decided they need to have a general meeting to approve them.Not only that but they want another 17 days to give notice to owners while she has tradies all set with their Makitas revved up and ready to go. Do they really need a general meeting (she doesn’t need any by-laws)? And if so, how could it have been avoided?Listen hereAnd finally we talk to our own project manager for our bathroom renos, Chris Triantis of CBT Projects, and ask him all the truly searching questions like:What's the price range for an average bathroom reno?How long does an average bathroom reno take?What are the biggest challenges for the home owner (especially in apartments)?What is the deal with waterproofing and why is it so hard to get it right?Tiles, paint, plaster or glass - what's the best wall covering?Is light better than dark for wall colours?What's the appeal of Venetian plaster?Do you tell people if you think they're making a design error?When it comes to fixtures and fittings, do you get what you pay for or are you just paying for the brand name?With wall-hung WCs, why can't you just replace an old WC with a new model from the same company?Niche or no-niche?Underfloor heating?Have you ever had to go in and fix someone else's bad reno?All that and more in the Flat Chat Wrap.Transcription in full.The following transcription is a bit patchy. Our various accents almost defeated our transcription service, hence the delay ... anyway, here's a picture of them at work ... enjoy.Jimmy 00:00I got a call this afternoon from a blast from the past. Remember Louise who used to do Urban Cinefile.Sue 00:08Oh , I certainly do.Jimmy 00:09So guess what? She's doing a renovation.Sue 00:12Oh, good luck to her.Jimmy 00:16And we're going to be talking about renovations this this week. But I thought it was ironic. She's in a situation where she put through all her plans weeks ago. But then there's been a change of membership and the committee and there's been a new strata manager come in. And they've just told her I think that work is supposed to start this week. And I've just told her now we need to have 17 days notice for a general meeting to approve,Sue Oh, no. And Strictly speaking, they don't need a general meeting, but they're going by the absolute letter of the law because their strata scheme, their Owners Corporation has never done the thing that most owners corporations do at their AGM, which is to say, the committee can take decisions on behalf of the general meeting.Sue Wow.JimmyThey can't do bylaws or special resolutions or anything else. They say most buildings like ours and 95% of the buildings in NSW. They say the committee can make decisions on behalf of a general meeting. They’ve never done that formally. And so they're saying they have to have a general meeting even though the law doesn't require by-lawsSue 01:27Well, because that that little thing is on most AGM notices I’ve seen, you kind of think I never really take any notice of it. But it shows how crucial it is.Jimmy 01:38Well, it can be if somebody gets a bit nitpicky anyway, later on, we'll be talking to somebody whose business it is to do renovations in apartments and in houses. That's ChrisTtiantis. I'm Jimmy Thomson.Sue And I'm Sue Williams.Jimmy

Podcast 96: Pets, rents and new age steam trains

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 04:21:51 -0400

People who don't care about pets in apartments shouldn't switch off just yet, regardless of how bored you are with the whole issue.It has implications for everyone in apartments, whether you have pets or not, as you may discover when your upstairs neighbour starts stomping around on their new, cheap timber floor. Letting ourselves off the leash this week, we also explore why Sydney's rents are going down a lot in some areas but up even more in others.Listen HereAnd we look at the fuel of the future and ask why we aren't pumping money itnto its development right now.But first we ask strata lawyer David Sachs of Sachs Gerace Lawyers, what are the far-reaching consequences of the Appeals Court decision last week in the case between Jo Cooper and the Owners Corporation of the Horizon building in Sydney - that have nothing to do with pets.Basically speaking, the NSW Court of Appeal ruled that Owners Corporations can't pass by-laws about what an owner does or has in their apartment if it doesn't impact on other owners' right to peaceful enjoyment of their lot.More to the point, there are remedies in strata law to pull owners into line if they get it wrong so pre-emptive by-laws that assume the worst are considered "harsh, discriminatory and unconscionable" and therefore invalid. What does that mean for other by-laws? We ask David the following questions in our podcast chat this week:Does the Court of Appeal ruling mean all no-pet bylaws are now defunct?Can buildings still impose restrictions on the type and size of pets?Can they ban pets from common property?Can they require owners to carry pets across common property?What implications does the ruling have for other by-laws?Will we expect more issues to be taken to NCAT e.g. when pets turn out to be a nuisance?Is NCAT up to handling an increased load of (predictably) emotional and contentious cases.Will the definition of "nuisance" need to be redefined in the current review of strata law.David's answers are authoritative and enlightening and he also takes time to support the people we routinely lambast in these pages - the NCAT Members who sit in judgement on our trails and tribulations.After that, Sue gives us a roundup of the areas of Sydney that are winning and losing on the rental roller-coaster ... and why.And Jimmy is talking trains that produce steam but run on an altogether cleaner fuel than coal. The Podcast transcribedJimmy and Sue's dulcet tones transcribed for those who can't or prefer not to listen. They are joined by strata lawyer David Sachs.Be warned: This was transcribed by a soul-less American computer and edited by a grumpy Scot. But it still makes more sense than a Donald Trump diatribe.Jimmy 00:00Got a post on the Flat Chat Forum this week from Jo Cooper ... name ring a bell?Sue 00:09The owner of Angus, the now-legal dog in the Horizon building, and it's a Schnauzer.Jimmy 00:14Yep, and basically, she was writing to tell me that I'm wrong. Because I said that there should be apartment blocks that people can go to. Even though I'm pro-pet, I believe that there should be apartment blocks that people can go and live in, who really don't want to live in the same building as pets.She said you can't have that. Because buildings have to allow support animals like guide dogs. And the law says you can't forbid them. So all it takes is one person to bring in a support animal and that whole argument about people's health and allergies and things goes out the window.Anyway, so it's been pets, pets, pets all week ever since that ruling at the Appeals Court. So this week, we have a special guest, David Sachs from Sachs Gerace Lawyers, who has a pretty interesting take on what that appeal court decision means not just about pets, but about by-laws in general.I'm Jimmy Thomson.SueAnd I'm Sue Williams …JimmyAnd this is the Flat Chat Wrap.

Podcast 95: pet ban block, websites and a new book

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 08:14:07 -0400

The big strata news of this week stopped us in our tracks. The NSW Court of Appeals has overturned a decision by the strata tribunal (NCAT) which, earlier this year, ruled that strata schemes could create "no pets" by-laws.Just to be clear, NCAT last year twice ruled that no-pet by-laws were illegal, then the NCAT Appeals Board overturned those decisions, then the Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state, overturned the Appeals Board decision. So now, in short, NSW strata schemes can't ban pets.The podcast was all set, edited and ready to go when the news came in so we plugged the mike back in, cranked up the recording software and had a chat about what this means to pets and by-laws in general in NSW and elswhere in Australia.You can also read an extensive commentary and find a link to the full news story HERE.After that, we go back to our original podcast which is on totally different subjects - websites and web designers. This chat was partly inspired by revamps of two websites that are very close to us - the OCN's new look and Sue's own website.We chat to Owners Corporation Network's Executive Officer Karen Stiles about what they were hoping to achieve in the revamp of OCN's website - accessibility, authority and clarity seem to be major factors.And then Sue tells us about her new book Healing Lives which was the impetus for giving her own website a major do-over - click on the link and see for yourself.All this plus James Comey, Donald Trump and JimmyT's obsession with bathroom sinks in this week's podcast.Listen HereListening is by far the best way to enjoy the pod, but if you aren’t a podder, or are hearing impaired, you can read the transcript of this episode a little further down this page.However, be warned, it was transcribed by a computer in America – “by-laws" become "BIOS" – then edited by an an over-caffeinated Celt.We caught most of what was lost in translation, but this is an informal chat – with tangent, upon aside, upon lateral thought – that makes a Donald Trump speech read like Shakespeare. But it's fun. Enjoy!Flat Chat 95: TranscribedJimmy 00:00We were just about to lock off this podcast and put it to bed for the week, when an amazing piece of news came in, what was it, Sue?Sue 00:10Well, the long running battle over pets and apartments, it had gone through NCAT a couple of times in New South Wales, and then it had gone to the New South Wales Court of Appeal. And everybody expected that the Court of Appeal would say that it's okay for buildings to ban pets if they want to ban pets with their by-laws. But an extraordinary ruling on Monday, the court ruled that a blanket ban on pets is unconscionable, oppressive and harsh. And therefore no building should be allowed to have a blanket ban on petsJimmy 00:43So does that mean that it's any apartment block anywhere in Australia you can now take your pet in?Sue 00:51In New South Wales, New South Wales everywhere you can take a pet in, which is quite incredible has turned everything on its head. And it really has I mean, lots of people are pretty upset. Lots of people are really happy. And as the dust settles, we'll see what's going to happen in the future.But really, now there's only one level of appeal left, and that's to the High Court of Australia, in Canberra.JimmyAnd that would be really expensive to lodge an appeal to them.SueAbsolutely. So one would kind of imagine that is possible. This final ruling is it, at least for the time being because as we're talking on this podcast about the strata review that's happening, the strata law, it could well be that people will now lobby the New South Wales parliament to introduce new legislation to allow bylaws to ban pets. And that's always a possibility as well, whether Parliament want to get involved. So you'd have to be a specific law saying the rules for pets are different.

Podcast 94: Tax shock and giving loans some credit

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 03:53:40 -0400

It’s a bit of a Budget special on Flat Chat this week, if only because we are talking about money.Specifically we are discussing the personal taxes that you probably didn’t even know you are supposed to pay when your strata scheme starts making a profit. And we'll discuss where to get dough when your strata schemes needs a lot of it in a hurry.To which end, we have a chat with Paul Morton, CEO of our long-time sponsors Lannock Finance. Along the way we’ll touch on why the Australian Tax Office would rather treat you as an individual than a member of a corporationhow it can cost more in real terms to pay cash up front rather than get a loanwhy footballers aren't working as hard as they once didwhat happens when the instructor knows your name in the gym and how potential purchasers are viewing properties in these viral days.You can hear all that by clicking on the play button below. Listening is by far the best way to enjoy the pod, but if you aren’t a podder, you can read the transcript of this episode a little further down this page.However, be warned, it was transcribed by a computer in America – “strata loan” becomes “straddle on” – then edited by an irritable Scot .We caught most of what was lost in translation, but grammar is one of the first things to go in informal chats, quickly followed by logical progression. Even so, somehow it all comes together. Enjoy!Transcribed: Flat Chat 94 Money, Money MoneyJimmy 00:00This week we're talking about moneySue 00:02Good subject.Jimmy 00:04Well, talking about it doesn't mean we have it. That's wishful thinking. Specifically it’s mainly about tax and a column I wrote for the Fin Review this weekend, which I think is going to cause a bit of a stir.SueOh, how unusual that you're being controversial. JimmyNo, I just can't help myself. People say I’m a troublemaker. I like to think of myself as a problem solver.Sue 00:31Or disrupter, I suppose suddenly becomes more respectable.JimmyBut you know, a problem solver, to the person who is the problem, is a troublemaker. It's all relative.And we will be talking to Paul Morton of Lannock Finance, about some of the ins and outs of borrowing money, because we had those stories about the building that borrowed money to do the upgrade.I'm Jimmy Thomson.SueI'm Sue WilliamsJimmyAnd this is the Flat Chat Wrap.Donald the DodgerJimmy 01:15It's very hard to make tax interesting. I've discovered.Sue 01:19It is, unless it's a tax rebate,Jimmy 01:22Or unless you're telling people they are about to get taxed for something you didn't even know you were liable forSue 01:30Tax is actually a bit more sexy at the moment, isn't it? Because I think we've all been fascinated by the stories about Donald Trump only paying $750 in tax. Suddenly, tax seems so much more interesting than it did before.Jimmy 01:44But he is a is an icon of the new morality that exists. You know, when we were growing up, basically, there was good and bad. And there were things that you were supposed to do. And, and you did mostly, and over the years that has evolved into what can I get away with?He's spoken about getting away with tax and not having to serve in the army. We should call him Donald the Dodger. Because he's a draft Dodger, and he's a tax Dodger. And now he's could be a Covid Dodger. That remains to be seen. But he’s a mask Dodger.Tax FactorSue 02:31Jimmy, that's not what we're talking about. In the old days, we always said the two things you can't get away with are death and taxes. Yeah, but you can actually get away with taxes. Yes. And possibly you can get away with death sometimes.Jimmy 02:44Well, you might delay it.Sue 02:46Okay.Jimmy 02:48Unless the people that you owe money to decide that they don't want you to get away with it.

Podcast: Now you can read it as well as listen

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 00:59:13 -0400

This week's podcast is all about wheel-clamping, email privacy and the amazing legacy of the Sydney Olympics athletes' village.But one of the biggest pieces of news this week is about the podcast itself or, more to the point, these show notes.As we approach our 100th edition, and following numerous requests from readers who don't listen to podcasts, we have finally discovered a program that will use Artificial Intelligence to transcribe the audio into text.Now, AI can only do so much with variations of Australian, Scottish and English accents, so it does require a bit of work to knock it into shape.Then there are the interruptions, half-formed thoughts, digressions and repetitions - not to mention umms, aaahs and other verbal punctuations - that you don't realise form part of your everyday speech until you see them laid out before you on a page.We've done our best to filter out the intrusions but I hope you get the sense of the discussions and the flavour of the podcast in this lightly tweaked and fairly raw form.Meanwhile, for those of you who prefer to listen, here's this week's podcast, where Sue and I talk about her story on the 2000 Olympic athletes' village, now a very desirable suburb.Then we are joined by Karen Stiles, Executive Officer of the Owners Corporation Network, to discuss the push to keep apartment owners' email addresses secret, and demands for a return of wheel clamping for rogue parkers.Listen HereYou can listen to the podcast by clicking on the "play" button below. If you haven’t already tried listening to a podcast, and you have speakers attached to your computer or earbuds attached to your smartphone, all you have to do is click on the link above.And if you like what you hear, you can subscribe to this podcast, absolutely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher. If the links provided don’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying. It’s free: no hooks, catches or sign-ups. Enjoy.Transcript: This podcast in print Jimmy: Hard to believe it's been 20 years since the Sydney Olympics.Sue Oh, wow. It sure is. I mean, it's interesting when we're getting this documentary now about Cathy Freeman. Lots of posts about it. Eric the Eel? Yes. And um, the memories come flooding back. But it does feel only about a couple years ago. Jimmy: Then you realize there’s been three or four other Olympics since then. But I was reminded, funnily enough, and these days of COVID going to the station to get in a train and finding that a certain time of night when it's going to be busy, the make you go round in a one way system through in and out the stations when people aren't bumping into each other facing each other.And that reminded me of at the Olympic Stadium, where they had a one way system for people to walk around. And you could see the gate that you wanted to get into about about 20 yards away. But you had to walk another half a mile around the system to get to that gate, but it worked. It worked tremendously well.So you're going to be talking in a minute about what happened to the buildings that they built for the athletes. The Olympic Village. And we're going to be talking to Karen: Stiles of OCN about email addresses and clamping illegally parked cars. I'm Jimmy: Thomson. Sue: And I'm Sue Williams. Jimmy: And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.Olympic village now sought-after suburbJimmy: Sue, you've done a story this week about the accommodation that was built for the Sydney Olympics.Sue: Yes, I went out to Newington this week, for the first time ever. It was during the Olympics, I covered the Olympics, for the Sydney Morning Herald the Melbourne age out of Sydney Olympic Park and the big media center. But we were never allowed to go to the athletes village because obvi..

Podcast: Renos, pets and kids in uncrowded houses

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 22:00:47 -0400

It’s another big week on the podcast front with a lot of serious – and not so serious – issues to discuss.First up we look at this story about how the radical renovation of unused storage space in a Bondi block has allowed the owners to upgrade the whole 1930s building with new electrics, plumbing, roof, balconies and terraces.This, we learn, is what the other side of the “forced sale” laws allowed – a majority of owners to make the most of their collective assets and give their 90-year-old building a whole new lease of life.Ban the pet banThen we chat to UNSW Associate Professor Dr Cathy Sherry – one of our eminent thinkers in the realm of strata law – about why she wrote an op-ed in the Sydney Morning Herald recently, supporting moves to ban by-laws that ban pets.It’s a wide-ranging discussion that goes from the fundamentals of liberal democracy to negative gearing, via Feudalism, Utilitarianism, assistance animals, company title, build-to-rent and Airbnb.Cathy argues that despite the serious health and religious issues that genuinely affect some apartment residents, we can’t legally prevent assistance animals from being resident in apartment blocks so the idea that we can ban companion animals is based on a fallacy.What it comes down to is that people don’t have an inviolable right to live in apartments, so their rights are not being impinged by laws that say apartment blocks don’t have the right to ban animals. Or something like that …It’s not as simple as that – it never is in strata – but we discuss the possibility that, if no-pets by-laws are banned, there could soon be an upsurge in interest in company title buildings where the “board” can set its own rules that are not affected by strata law.Moving on from pets, Cathy explains why she is dead-set against build-to-rent apartments, even the really nice ones, saying we need to get rid of negative gearing so that “mum and dad” property investors aren’t competing against their kids, pushing the price of homes out of their reach.Lonely kidsAnd finally in our Hey Marthas, Sue has found a story that says families that move into big houses where every kid has their own room – even their own bathroom – could be missing the point. Economics researcher Michael Dockery says kids in large family houses with their own rooms could be suffering social isolation and even loneliness.Learning to share and tolerate others’ foibles is an important social skill that our kids are less likely to acquire if they are allowed to lock themselves away in their rooms, playing their own computer games and going God-knows-where on the Internet.Just another reason why apartment living is good for kids.Meanwhile Jimmy takes a look at the building in Sydney’s Haymarket locked in a six-way stand-off over flammable cladding.You can read all about it here and listen to our thoughts on all these issues just by scrolling down this page.Listen hereIf you haven’t already tried listening to a podcast, and you have speakers attached to your computer or earbuds attached to your smartphone, all you have to do is click on the link near the top of these show notes.And if you like what you hear, you can subscribe to this podcast, absolutely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the links provided don’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying.It’s free: no hooks, catches or sign-ups. Enjoy.

Podcast 91: Crackdown on dud developers hits home

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 02:48:09 -0400

We have one of our longest ever Flat Chat Wrap podcasts this week, but it’s all good so brace yourselves, pace yourselves and buckle up for some interesting material from our multitude of guests (well, three, to be exact).First there is the redoubtable Karen Stiles who is the Executive Officer at the Owners Corporation Network (OCN) and, as such, has a seat at the table for some of the most critical discussions being made about NSW strata in decades.Karen has come on to the podcast to explain how Building Commissioner David Chandler has the power (and is using it) to enter newly completed blocks that are still under warranty and then order the builders or developers to fix the defects.One developer has already heard the hard word and is considering their options, while another has "surrender tackled" and is just getting on with fixing thingsAnd what if they refuse? The Commissioner's plan to stop future defects will see problem developers identified early by calculating an agglomeration of bad history and previous use of poorly performing certifiers, architects, engineers and builders.They will then come under severe scrutiny that could result in them being ordered to fix defects as they go, and if they don’t, denied certificates of occupation which will mean they won’t be able to complete the sale of their apartments.Thus, if Big Dave has told your developer to get their houses (or, in this case, flats) in order and you decline to do so, you could be entering a world of short-term pain and long-term extinction.RevolutionaryIt’s revolutionary stuff, and continuing the theme of fundamental change, Chris Duggan and Tony Irvine from Strata Community Australia (NSW) – the strata managers’ professional body – joined us via Zoom, to explain their plan to raise the professional standards of their members to the point where accreditation must be earned and maintained by increased education and training and constant scrutiny of their performance.This would be a huge step forward for strata managers – putting them on a par with professions like accountancy – and brings with it the promise of better consumer protections.Also on the agenda with the SCA bosses was the issue of building facilities management contracts and why they need to be pulled back from the crazy 10-year-plus deals that exist now, why apartment owners need more help on cladding, and why the much vaunted short-term holiday letting code of conduct is presumably under a too-hard basket somewhere in the bowels of Fair Trading.It’s an interesting and informative chat, and well worth a listen.Finally, in our Hey Marthas, we discuss why Queenland’s coronavirus restrictions are good news for swingers … unless they want to dance at weddings.That’s all in this week’s bumper Flat Chat Wrap.Listen hereIf you haven’t already tried listening to a podcast, and you have speakers attached to your computer or earbuds attached to your smartphone, all you have to do is click on the link below.And if you like what you hear, you can subscribe to this podcast, absolutely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the links provided don’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying.It’s free: no hooks, catches or sign-ups. Enjoy.

Podcast: Email privacy & Afternoons radio with JV

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 06:36:59 -0400

This week’s podcast takes a look at an area of strata life where strata managers could be breaking the law … because apartment-owning clients want them to.We’re talking about email addresses which, if they are part of your strata scheme’s records, should be available for inspection to all owners.But many owners – and a fair few tenants – don’t want their email addresses to be available to their neighbours or other owners.Why? Is it a case of simply not wanting to know what’s going on, so we don’t have to make difficult choices?Block nuisancesIs it about not being hassled by the obsessive serial emailers who just won’t let up once they get their teeth into a topic?As JimmyT says, it’s very easy to block nuisance email addresses. So is this more about strata committees not wanting anyone but themselves to be able to contact owners en masse, in case an alternative view of issues is too widely canvassed?By the way, when your strata manager or secretary cites privacy laws as a reason for not passing on strata information, there’s a 99 per cent chance they are talking through a hole on their strata hat.Ask them which laws they mean, specifically, and how they are supposed to be applied and then point them at these notes from our friends Lookup Strata and Amanda Farmer.Radio posersThen we move on to last week’s session with James Valentine on ABC 702’s Afternoons.Generously, James opened the session with a clip from our Hyperbole Towers podcom then we got down to the serious business of listeners’ calls.First up was one about who pays when a council-owned tree’s roots invade a strata schemes drainpipes? The answer is not as simple as you might think.Then there’s the scheme where a general meeting agreed to spend money on much-needed and long overdue repairs, only for 6 of the 30 owners to demand that the work be halted because they don’t agree with it.There’s the woman who’s 30-year-old flat is badly affected by mould and the strata committee says it’s not their problem. Is it? And what can they do if it is?Finally there’s the mum whose strata committee won’t let her put a safety cushion on common property so her daughter can practice gymnastics. However, the majority of owners are in favour – what should she do?Hey Martha!In this week’s Hey Marthas, Jimmy highlights the good news for Victorian strata owners where a two-year extension has been granted for claims against builders who installed combustible cladding.Plus there’s some relief for locked-down residents with apartment renovators told they can only work if the whole block is empty, not just their apartment.And Sue explains why she used to hit her legs with a badminton racquet until they bled. Not as weird as it sounds!Listen hereIf you haven’t already tried listening to a podcast, and you have speakers attached to your computer or earbuds attached to your smartphone, all you have to do is click on the link below.And if you like what you hear, you can subscribe to this podcast, absolutely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the links provided don’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying.It’s free: no hooks, catches or sign-ups. Enjoy.

Podcast: Pet laws, Airbnb fears and political fashion

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 08:03:22 -0400

We have a bumper edition of the Flat Chat Wrap podcast for you this week with a ton of material and some new voices too.You might want to ration your listening - for some people there are two commutes worth of pod in this episode.First off, we catch up with the amendment to the NSW strata Act that we flagged briefly last week, which would ban any apartment block from having a by-law that said pets weren’t allowed.How this came about is detailed in this story but, in a nutshell, there was a proposal floated in the Upper House to amend the strata Act so that changes to common property that would have a beneficial effect on sustainability wouldn’t require the normal 75 percent approval of a special resolution.Instead, a simple majority of owners at a general meeting could decide, for instance, to put solar panels on the roof, batteries in the basement and electric car chargers in the car park.It’s a good idea. Environmental recalcitrants can find a million bogus reasons why they don’t want to contribute to the fight on climate change and they can often drum up the 25 percent of support need to block any such moves.So it’s a good move. But then, late in the day, an Animal Liberation Party MP (did you even know we had one?) attached an amendment to it and it got through.Sue and Jimmy discuss its chances of becoming law.Airbnb loopholesNext up, it’s the scramble by some strata schemes to close the loophole left, possibly deliberately, that would still allow empty-flat Airbnb lets in buildings that really, really don’t want them.As it stands, the new anti-short-term letting laws say that owners corporations can pass by-laws blocking the letting of apartments that are owned by investors. However, people for whom their flat is their principle place of residence, can still let their apartments short-term whether their neighbours want them to or not.Now, we had naively thought this was to allow genuine “sharing” – when a stranger comes and stays in your flat while you are actually there.But, no, as this story explains, “principal place of residence” could cover someone who stays there four nights a week and lets it to strangers over the weekend while they are off at their country retreat, visiting their parents or shacking up with their significant other.Or perhaps they stay their 50 weeks of the year but disappear over Christmas and New Year when city pad rentals quadruple, if not more.That’s why a number of strata lawyers are devising legal but complex by-laws to make the whole process difficult if not impossible. Why? Because you really wouldn’t want to get between an Airbnb host and a bucket of money.Strata summitNext cab off the rank is Amanda Farmer who joins us to explain what her Shared Space Summit is all about and why she undertook to get a global view of how we deal with and make the most of living in strata.You can read about the Summit here.Senior systemsSue has been super-busy this past week with yet another yarn in the SMH, this time about a new approach to accommodating senior citizens of strata.As her story explains, connecting seniors to a system within their community will maintain their independence for longer and might even avoid the Covid-19 carnage that we have seen in aged-care facilities across Australia.FashionistaAnd out Hey Marthas! This week looks to the USA and the impact that Melania Trump’s fashion tastes had on the political landscape during the Presidential nomination last week.Should we even be discussing what female politicians wear? There’s a very interesting and controversial point of view from the (addictive) NPR Politics Roundup podcast from the USA.Listen hereIf you haven’t already tried listening to a podcast, and you have speakers attached to your computer or earbuds attached to your smartphone, all you have to do is click on the link below.And if you like what you hear,

Podcast: mind your Ps as we call for your Qs

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 02:41:52 -0400

It’s a case of too many Ps on the pod this week when we discuss your participation, the Hyperbole Towers podcom, pet petitions and payment for strata committee members.Let’s get to participation first. We want to hear your voices, literally, so send us a question or a suggestion for a discussion topic as an audio file – record it on your smartphone – and we’ll try to include it in the podcast and respond to it too.The format should be something like: “This is Jimmy from Darlinghurst and I was wondering …” Then you’ll get your 15 seconds of fame – sorry, 15 minutes would be way too much – and you might even get the answer to a question that’s been bugging you.Promoting the PodcomThe second P is a little self-indulgent in that it’s a clip from the Hyperbole Towers Podcom.Now, at time of writing, more that 310 people have listened to the Podcom in the first six days that it’s been “live”. Now, if that doesn’t sound like much, consider this; if a podcast gets more than 136 listeners in the first MONTH that it’s been released, it is in the top 50 per cent of podcasts in the world, according to this web page.So 310 in less than a week must be pretty good, no? You can still have a listen yourself, if you haven’t already, by clicking on the story somewhere on this page or going HERE.Pets in parliamentThe third P is the pet conundrum and how one of the people who thought she’d persuaded NCAT that a no-pet by-law was unfair, and was later told by the Appeals Panel told that it was OK, has launched an online parliamentary petition and a crowd-funding campaign to cover her legal bills and get the law changed.And, as I write, the NSW Upper House is debating a change to the strata Act, making it easier to approve environmentally sustainable changes to common property to which someone has added this amendment:137B Keeping of animals(I) A by-law has no force or effect to the extent that it purports to unreasonably prohibit the keeping of an animal on a lot.(2) The keeping of a particular animal on a lot is reasonable unless the owners corporation can show that it is not in the best interests of the animal taking into account the needs of the animal, including exercising, feeding and toileting.Whether or not that flies, you will know by the time you read this – but it’s a crafty, if shifty move to attach it to a Bill that has nothing to do with pets but has been sponsored by the Premier.Cash for committeesOur fourth P is about payment to committee members or office bearers. As it stands, strata law in NSW allows committee members to be paid for their work but only retrospectively. In other words, the have to do the work for a year and then turn up at the next AGM and hope that the majority of owners think they did a good enough job that they deserve some kind of reward.There’s always a danger of people getting elected so they can get some pin money, if you do pay them. Maybe it should be related to having done a basic course in strata management and committee work before you can be paid, retrospectively or otherwise.And finally, Sue talks about the chrome-plated, tiled and built-in Hell of choosing what to put in a bathroom renovation.Listen hereIf you haven’t already tried listening to a podcast, and you have speakers attached to your computer or earbuds attached to your smartphone, all you have to do is click on the link below.And if you like what you hear, you can subscribe to this podcast, absolutely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the links provided don’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying.It’s free: no hooks, catches or sign-ups. Even better, it’s fun.

Podcast: Comedy, coffee and a new way of renting

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 10:36:00 -0400

Were going flat out to lift the gloom in this week in the Flat Chat Wrap.First we go behind the scenes of the much heralded and long-awaited (by JimmyT, anyway) Podcom – podcast sitcom – which we are now calling Hyperbole Towers.Why “Hyperbole?” Because every new apartment block has some sort of exaggerated name, although not always creating the image the developers might hope for.For instance, we think The Babylon, for all its gardens, might conjure up slightly sleazier images, especially in the minds of fans of the TV series Babylon Berlin, if not Kenneth Aunger’s scandalous Hollywood Babylon.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5eorwxcIuUAnyway, Hyperbole Towers is a much tamer affair, although it’s more Number 96 than Fawlty Towers. You can find out more about it and listen to the episode right here.Bean me upThen we continue the “kick back and relax” theme with a visit to Frankie’s Beans coffee bar and café in Darlinghurst where Fern tells us what it’s like to run a café in a large apartment block during a Covid-19 lockdown.After that we take a trip to Sydney Olympic Park where two of the four towers of a new development are given over to “build to rent”. What does that mean? One landlord, longer leases, on-site maintenance and pets, among other attractions.ExperimentFinally Sue’s Hey Martha is about the little dog that travelled through several countries to be reunited with its owners.And Jimmy looks at the Sydney Morning Herald’s series on the “social experiment’ in Sydney’s Waterloo and why residents are angry at plans to demolish 2000 old homes and replace them with 6000 new ones.And finally, there’s a call out to our listeners to get involved by sending us questions as audio tracks that we can include, and answer, on the podcast.Listen hereIf you haven’t already tried listening to a podcast, and you have speakers attached to your computer or earbuds attached to your smartphone, all you have to do is click on the link below.And if you like what you hear, you can subscribe to this podcast, absolutley free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the links provided don’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying.It’s free: no hooks, catches or sign-ups. Even better, it’s fun.

Hyperbole Towers – an audio strata sitcom

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 23:40:21 -0400

It’s here! The long-awaited podcom (podcast sitcom) set in a dysfunctional apartment block’s strata committee is live and ready for your ears.The premise of this audio comedy, Hyperbole Towers, is as simple as it’s believable. The strata scheme has, thanks to a stuff-up by the secretary, accidentally changed its by-laws so that they MUST hold their meetings on Zoom (rather than CAN do so).Add in characters who work from home in their underwear, use “you’re breaking up” as their fall-back get-out-of-jail card and get involved in the usual committee power struggles, and you have a potent recipe for some serious fun.The Cast and crew (minus one) rehearse Hyperbole TowersThe Hyperbole Towers characters are:Charlie, the long-suffering chairwomanAlfie the manipulative and scheming building managerBrooke the hopeless secretarySteve, the committee treasurer who sees everything in terms of moneyWendy a do-gooder who is also a nasty gossip and a racist Joe a class warrior retiree for whom nothing is Left-wing enough (until it affects his hip pocket)Damien a manic day trader for whom the committee is his only social contactAmber a "massage therapist" who says it as she sees itThere is also a cameo guest appearance by star of stage and screen Todd McKenney, adding some pizzazz to the proceedings.The StoryThe Hyperbole Towers committee is in online crisis meetings to discuss the potential conversion of their former meeting room turned commercial space into a day spa … or is it a massage parlour?Meanwhile, constant thumping sounds, morning noon and night, are driving everyone mad, especially since building manager Alfie seems very reluctant to do anything about it.This is a classic radio sitcom with some very modern themes. But it’s a work of fiction and any similarity to anyone living or deceased is purely coincidental, and the nature of apartment living.In other words, if you think you recognise yourself or your neighbours, you don’t.And if you enjoyed it, please, please, please share it with your friends and fellow strata dwellers and professionals through this link, and encourage them to do the same.If we can find an audience, there will be more, we promise.CreditsHyperbole Towers featured Tsu Shan Chambers, Valentino Arico, Amelia Conway, Eveline Schubert, Michelle Rouady, Robin Queree, Matias Klaver and David MacPhail. It was narrated and directed by Warren Coleman.The podcom was written and produced by Jimmy Thomson and Warren Coleman. Audio editing and effects were by Sydney Sound Brewery under the watchful ear of John Hresc. Phoebe Armstrong was production assistant.“Hyperbole Towers” is a Flat Chat Production, copyright (2020) Words Worth Pty Ltd."Hyperbole Towers" could not have been made without the generousfinancial assistance of City of Sydney Council.Listen Here

Podcast: Defect deterrent and travelling wistfully

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 07:09:29 -0400

We cover a lot of ground in this week’s podcast … and by “a lot of ground” we mean pretty much the whole planet.First, we take a look a the recent 60 Minutes report which examined the progress being made by NSW building commissioner David Chandler in trying to make sure no one in the future suffers the same heart-breaking disasters as the residents of Mascot Tower.It’s a surprisingly well put together report - commercial TV usually doesn’t do too well on complex issue like strata defects.And it reveals a nasty piece of legal jiggery-pokery that seems to be geared towards nothing less than making sure the Mascot owners couldn’t claim against the people they believe are responsible for their current plight.And what is that plight? If you haven’t been paying attention, last year the residents of Mascot Tower had to be evacuated when the building started to crack and literally started sinking into the ground.It now looks like March next year before they can get back … if they can afford to pay the $53 million repair bill.Cladding winThe 60 Minutes track also looks at the flammable cladding problem, especially in Melbourne, where two high rises have become notorious for their external cladding going up in flames across several floors.In the podcast, Sue reveals that owners of a scheme in Sydney have just had a big win against developers who installed combustible cladding but said they weren’t liable as their Occupancy Certificate made it all OK. A Tribunal Appeals Board disagreed, as you can read in Sue's story, here.If you didn’t see it, the 60 Minutes track is well worth a look.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJdilY29t7YTravel fantasiesMoving on and, in our minds at least, far, far away, we talk to travel writer and podcaster Ben Groundwater about what travel will be like when the pandemic is over. Prior to Covid-19, cheap flights and Airbnb led to some of the world’s most wonderful places being almost destroyed by having too many tourists.Will this change when it’s finally safe to travel beyond these shores (and come back without having another enforced stay in a local hotel)?And Ben talks about people who go to the same place every year and how you have to strike a balance between fully exploring places you love by returning to them, and broadening your horizons by going somewhere entirely new.We suspect that there will be a short window between travel restrictions being eased and tourism swarms reforming when you will be able to go back and see the world’s great cities and sight as they were in the days before Tripadvisor.You can hear more from Ben on his Flight of Fancy podcast on the Nine newspapers’ website.Services rip-offAfter that, we talk about claims that some essential services providers are ripping off apartment owners by taking advantage of their dual role as inspectors and repairers.Then Sue picks the bones out of a report by National Bank of Australia economists that says apartments would be cheaper if we just let developers build them 20 storeys higher.Like many experts, we say no. Apartments will only be cheaper when people stop paying so much for them. Listen in for a vivid illustration of that fact of strata life.And finally, there’s a call out to our listeners to get involved by sending us questions as audio tracks that we can include, and answer, on the podcast.Listen hereIf you haven’t already tried listening to a podcast, and you have speakers attached to your computer or earbuds attached to your smartphone, all you have to do is click on the "play" button below.And if you like what you hear, you can subscribe to this podcast, absolutely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the links provided don’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying.

Podcast: Zoom into your chance to be on the pod

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 07:00:28 -0400

This week we get tangled up in the wiring as we examine the effect of Zoom meetings and electronic voting on the democratic processes of strata committees ... and the House of Lords.The chat was sparked by this forum post which alleges all sorts of skullduggery – okay, maybe not skullduggery but it suggests that a Zoom-based AGM was used to push through an excessively expensive window replacement contract.And it seems like some people may be taking advantage of the pandemic to sneak things past people who aren’t tech savvy and/or who have other things on their minds ... like how to avoid the virus and feed their families, maybe?By the way, in the pod cast, I say the meeting was an ordinary general meeting – in fact, it was a Zoom AGM. Danger, danger!Brush with a painterI was going to make a joke about painting over the cracks but that would do our guest this week an injustice. Paul Williams, general manager of Dukes Paint, joined us online to talk about paint in all its glories.He answered questions about whether a new paint job really makes that much difference to the value of the apartments inside the block and whether or not paint was an important part of the maintenance, regardless of the aesthetics.Did he ever discover paint had been used to cover up potentially serious defects (like concrete cancer, for instance) and what was the conversation like when he said "I've discovered problems, prepping the paint job, but I can fix them"?Are there different kinds of paints for different circumstances? How has paint technology changed in the last 10 years or so? How often should the owners in a high-rise paint the exterior? What happens if they leave it too long?On a lighter note, we asked if there are new trends in colour schemes and whether he had ever advised a strata block against using a colour they’d asked for?We asked what the oddest request he’d had when painting a building and what was the one piece of advice he'd give apartment owners when it comes to painting their building.All in all, it’s a painting masterclass, and if you are even just thinking your block might need a freshen-up, you should listen in.By the way, at the end of that segment, there’s a snatch of music from the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, playing “My Pink Half of the Drainpipe,” a situation Paul has encountered more than once when two adjoining homes can’t agree on a colour scheme.Following that, we answer a question about how you should present your case at a Tribunal (based on this Forum post). Keep personalities out of it and stick to the facts is our advice.Join the podAnd that got us thinking … if you want to be on the podcast, record a sound file (on your phone?) of you asking a question and we’ll play the clip and try to answer it in the podcast.Send your sound files to mail@flatchat.com.au and we’ll give them a listen. Just give us a name – maybe not your real one – and the state where you live, and we’ll do our best to answer your question or offer a solution to your problem.While, we’re at it, if there are any strata issues you’d like us to discuss (rather than direct questions – that’s what the Forum is for), send us a note to the same address and we’ll see what we can do.Todd's masksMoving on, our “Hey Marthas” this week are about Todd McKenney’s project Todd Masks, getting theatrical costumiers and dressmakers to make covid masks and sell them online (all the money goes directly to them).And Jimmy Zooms in on a clip from the end of this week’s Insiders on the ABC that shows high office doesn’t render you immune from technical incompetence.https://www.facebook.com/InsidersABC/videos/741300493356643Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there,

Podcast 84: Missing bricks and strata’s missing links

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 04:33:47 -0400

This week’s podcast is inspired by a question on our Forum asking what to do about two office-bearers who have taken bricks out of common property walls so as to install integrated bookshelves … with the predictable effect that has on noise insulation, not to mention fire safety. You can read the original post and responses here. All of which leads to a discussion about the dumb (and inconsiderate) things people do when they haven’t got the message that they don’t own the four walls around their flat – just whatever’s inside them.Strata AnswersMoving on, we talk to a couple of people who have made it their business to explain the facts of strata life to owners and tenants, especially those tied up in dysfunctional strata committees, or waging trench warfare against them.Our loyal sponsors StrataAnswers – Tonja Gibson and John Hutchison – explain what it’s like to walk into the no-man’s-land between warring factions in a strata dispute.They try to take the emotion out of the conflict by applying logic and considerable knowledge and experience.It’s all about education and communication, they say – and getting people to realise that doing nothing can costs more in the long run than paying to get things fixed.As Sue says, they are the missing link between strata managers, lawyers and committees.Unit price dropletsThen Sue talks about how apartment prices have fallen but not by as much as everyone feared. The worst is yet to come (for sellers, at least) but Sue reports the experts predict it won’t be as bad as we think.Hey, Martha!And finally, we have our “Hey Marthas” - oddities from the past week that may have nothing to do with strata but have caught our attention.Sue has been watching War of the Worlds, streaming on SBS and explains why it it makes her feel better about the coronavirus pandemic. Have a look at this promo (but don’t if you’re already addicted to the series as it contains a few spoilers).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FqABRhwWCEAnd with the TV drama in mind, she has spotted dancing robots at a Korean baseball game, some of which look like the nasty killing machines on WotW. Admittedly, some of them also look like people dressed up as robots. Maybe real fans have found a way of sneaking into the stadium in defiance of lockdown restrictions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHkVNLI9qFkScots scotch AirbnbJimmy takes partial credit for the impending crackdown on Airbnb planned for Scotland, where one in five properties on the Isle of Skye and one in six in the centre of Edinburgh have been given over to short-term holiday lets, despite chronic housing shortages.With some relief provided by the coronavirus hit to tourism in the UK, the Scottish Parliament is planning to crack down before it all goes crazy again next northern Summer.RIP Peter GreenAnd finally Jimmy pays tribute to Peter Green, one of the guitar heroes of his youth who passed away at the weekend.Green, who founded Fleetwood Mac, had his creative genius cut short by LSD 50 years ago at the age of only 23 (don’t do drugs, kids), but not before he’d left a musical legacy that still resonates today.Jimmy struggled to choose which one to sample – Albatross is the best known hit but not really representative. Man of the World is too sad (listen for yourself below). Green Manalishi? Oh Well? Need Your Love So Bad?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgJGcJ-EiXsAll terrific songs (check them out on Youtube) but if you want to know the song Jimmy chose, you’ll have to listen to the podcast. (Clue: You’ll probably know a more recent version by another guitarist, who's better known these days).Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap,

Podcast 83: Joke dad, garden secrets and pass-the-Corona party

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 02:16:31 -0400

It’s another showbag of conflict, calm and coronavirus craziness on the Flat Chat Wrap podcast this week.First, inspired by a question from our Forum, we discuss what you can do when someone who shouldn’t even be at a strata committee meeting – his daughter is the lot owner – bullies the other members.Our suggested remedies range from using existing rules – non-members shouldn’t speak unless the committee votes to allow it - to standing orders that empower the secretary to “name” disruptive elements.As a last resort, you could consider employing security guards or even calling the police.Secret Garden secretsIn a more restful mode, we talk to gardening guru and landscaper extraordinaire Matt Cantwell about what you can and should do with plants on the balcony.Matt is a passionate proselytiser for the power of plant life, and he really makes you feel your life is lacking if you don’t have some greenery around you.We took the opportunity to find out how his philosophy fits with apartment living and here’s the gist of what he had to say, as a Q and A.What plants would you put on a small balcony?Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Mother in laws tongue’ or Aspidistra elatior ‘Cast iron plant’,both great for shade, low water use.Plants that can be easily trimmed to the pot proportions like Buxus microphyllajaponica ‘Japanese Box hedge or Crassula ovata ‘Jade’ both low water use as well.What plants would you put on a large terrace?If you can, pop a tree in a large pot.Olea europaea ‘Olive tree’.Plumeria acutifilia ‘Frangipani’Acer palmatum ‘Japanese Maple’Palms are also great too, Howea forsteriana ‘Kentia palm’Camaerops Humilis – ‘European fan palm’If you like plants but are really bad at looking after them, what should you choose for your balcony or inside your home?Anything drought tolerant would be goodEuphorbia ingens – ‘Candleabra tree’Echinocactus grusonii – ‘Golden barrel cactus’Agave ‘Blue glow’Crassula varieties like ‘ovata’, ‘bluebird’ or ‘max cook’,Raphiolepsis ‘Snow maiden’ or ‘Oriental Pearl’.If you have limited space and want to go for herbs and maybe even some vegetables rather than flowering plants, what are your best options?Rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano, basil, parsley, mint, lettuce, rocket and tomatoes.What are the best balcony plants for screening and privacy?Lilly pilly – These come in many varieties.Podocarpus – Maki or elatusRaphiolepsis indicaWhat about indoor plants for a small space?Aloe veraAnthurium andraeanumEchievera spSpathiphyllum or ‘Peace lillyPeperomiaPothosPass the CoronaAfter chatting to Matt about flower power, our discussion takes a slightly less fragrant tone when we look at the disgraceful antics of the 60 partygoers who were fined $1000 each by police after they took over a short-term let (which has a track record of driving its neighbours nuts) and blew the Covid restrictions away.FYI, this party house wouldn’t even have been available if our politicians had taken a break from watering down our short-term rental code of conduct and got it out where it might actually save some lives in these times of covid crisis.But what can apartment residents do when the pollies keep dragging their feet and summer – when city apartments become party central – is just around the corner? There’s all that and more in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying. And please give us a rating or review … it all helps to keep us going.

Podcast 82: Dogs, design and Donald Trump

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 02:52:54 -0400

If you are up to your eyes in paint, tiles and taps – or even better, just looking through the brochures as you prepare the domestic make-over you can’t put off any longer – you could do worse than listen to this week’s podcast.We’ve Zoomed in on interior designer Stephanie Bungard to discover the easiest and most effective way to make your apartment look fresh and inviting.For instance, do you know what colours are popular these days because they are calming?And if you’re looking to freshen up the place for rent or sale – or just to make it a nicer space to live in – how you can supplement the paint job with new tapware in the kitchen and bathroom.Design questionsIn an enlightening and entertaining chat, Steff answers such questions as:What are the latest trends in apartment interior design?What’s the easiest way to make a small space look bigger?In a renovation, where should you spend more – kitchen or bathroom?Feature walls – in or out?Sliding doors on wardrobes are great space savers – but what if you don’t want giant mirrors in your bedroom?What are the biggest and/or most common mistakes apartment owners make regarding interiors?What are the trendy new colours for apartments?What are good alternatives to tiles in bathrooms (all that grout!)?Timber, tile or carpet on floors? Any tips for investors who will be renting out or selling their flats?Todd waltzes inBefore that, Sue and Jimmy talk about the case that came to light when Todd McKenney contacted us to say he wanted to help a pensioner who’s in danger of losing his dog.As this story explains, 81-year-old Colin Marshall firmly believed he was entitled to take his pet greyhound into his new home in an apartment block, only for the owners corporation to change its by-laws after he had moved in.Is that a rule made retrospectively? And if it is, does it hold water? Is there any difference between that and, say, a new rule banning barbecues on balconies when someone has bought one under the old by-laws?Obviously, the answer to the latter is “yes” as a pet is a member of the family as Bu is, in this case. As Todd is the Ambassador of the Greyhoud Adoption program, he’s “waltzed in” to offer support and advice.Rents up and downThen we get into the ups and downs of the rental market which has some revealing twists and turns in terms of where rents have actually gone up while most others have gone downThe cover of Mary Trump's book from Politico online magazineAnd Sue’s “Hey Martha” looks at the new book by Donald Trump’s niece. With a Ph.D. in psychology, Mary Trump is far from your average disgruntled family member.The book’s subtitle, “How my family created the world’s most dangerous man,” gives you a hint of its general thrust. You can read more about it in this Politico feature.Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying. And please give us a rating or review … it all helps to keep us going.

Podcast 81 – Negative equity & positive plans

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 22:39:35 -0400

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast we encounter the best and worst in apartment living, from negative equity in off-the plan purchases, to multiple tenants causing parking chaos in a block that simply doesn’t know how to enforce their own by-laws.In between, as some positive relief, we chat to an architect who won four gongs at the recent NSW Architects award, including for a revolutionary high-end high-rises, as well as an equally ground-breaking boarding house.Off-the-plan painBut first the issue of people who paid a deposits on off-the-plan apartments a couple of years ago, and have watched property values shrink and in some cases their jobs disappear because of the pandemic, just as their new flat is ready for occupancy.This item was inspired by this interview with ABC NewsRadio’s Sandy Aloisi – and you can hear a snatch of it on the podcast – which was in turn inspired by this story in the AFR.As Jimmy and Sue discuss, it’s not just a matter of walking away from the 10 percent deposit, which may cost less than completing the sale of a now over-priced unit for which you can’t get a mortgage anyway.The developers can sue for the difference between your surrendered deposit and the reduced price of the apartment, as well as legal costs. Any way you look at it, it’s a lose-lose situation for the apartment buyer.Moving on to happier thoughts, we chat to Philip Thalis the award-winning architect behind the spectacularly innovative Verve Building in Newcastle, NSW, pictured here at the head of last week’s podcast show notes.The Verve isn’t just a smart looking block, Philip has worked hard to make sure it contributes to the local environment and community.Boarding housePhilip also talks about the “new generation” boarding house he designed for five Muslim brothers who wanted a project to show off their concreting skills (seriously!).Boarding houses have a bad name in property development, not least, says Philip, because there are almost no quality controls over the finished projects, which can be cheap and very nasty.He’s hoping his project will not only inspire other developers to try a bit harder, but encourage the government to put some basic standards into the design and construction of accommodation that has previously had an terrible reputation.Parking madnessThen there’s a story straight off the Forum, where a strata scheme is suffering parking madness and they simply don’t know what to do … especially when they can’t even identify the tenants and sub-tenants in the offending unit.And finally our Hey Marthas take us back to the architecture awards and the toilet block, pictured above, that has its designer flushed with success.That’s all in this week’s bumper edition of the Flat Chat Wrap.Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying. And please give us a rating or review … it all helps to keep us going.

Podcast 80 – Shape of strata blocks to come

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 06:11:39 -0400

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast, in the run-up to the Australian architectural awards, we talk about some of the innovative apartment block designs that made it the short-list.For a start, there’s the Verve towers in Newcastle which offer more corner units because it’s two slim towers rather than one solid one. Judging by the above picture, it’s two slices rather than two fingers (as Jimmy suggests in the podcast), but the fact that it costs more to build is offset by the ability of the developer to charge more for each flat.Then there are “new age” boarding houses which, because they aren’t really apartments, can be as small as 24 sqm. And there are apartments with built-in designer furniture - which leads to a discussion about an embarrassing bed.Strata LoansThen we talk to Paul Morton, CEO of Lannock Strata Finance, one of our long-term sponsors whose company is one of the few sources of strata loans in the country.Usually when we do interviews we send our guests a list of likely questions (to get them thinking, avoid long pauses and reassure them that they aren’t going to be hijacked).Unusually, Paul answered his in print. So, never been prone to looking gift horses in the mouth ... here are his rough notes and bullet points. We asked other questions – including if he has noticed strata schemes struggling to pay their bills due to shortfalls in levies.And he said a lot more than we’ve reproduced here. So you’ll have to listen to get it all.Many apartment owners and committees are nervous about strata loans – why?Fear comes from lack of knowledge and understanding. Nothing is ever good or bad, it’s a matter of costs and benefits, do the benefits of a strata loan outweigh the costs?And as Australians, we’re often kidding ourselves. We say we don’t like debt, but we do it all the time. Who buys an apartment without borrowing? We actually love mortgages, because we know if we have a mortgage we can get a new house. And apart from the fun that means, we intuitively understand the mathematics, we know that the ROI from having the house or apartment is much higher than the cost of the loan, that’s why we do it.For some people it’s a leap of faith to apply that same intuitive knowledge to the benefits of refurbishing your common property and the return that this creates – increased capital value, emotional return, just feeling good about the place that you live. But it’s not a leap of faith, it’s just a matter of doing the financial maths, and the emotional maths. Will the return be greater than the cost of investment?What are the benefits of strata loans over special levies?Spreading cash-flows over time and tax benefits for investors If you or some people in your block won’t be able to pay a special levy, then borrowing is the only way to get that necessary work done. And even if you can pay a special levy, borrowing’s likely to be a better way.Would it make a different if the government made it easier for strata schemes to split funding for special projects and financial shortfalls between special levies and strata loans?Woo hoo, the government’s got it right. It doesn’t mandate whether to have a sinking fund, borrow or have a special levy. And it certainly should not change that and start interfering into what is an owner decision. The government says that once a year you have to think about the best way to fund those upcoming capital works. It has to be like that, each property is different, each owner is different, circumstances always alter cases. The question is what mix of sinking fund, special levy and borrowing is best for your particular building, your community.You are not a big fan of accumulated sinking funds. Why?It’s back to the knowledge and understanding thing. And like strata borrowing or special levies, it’s not a matter of sinking funds being good or bad,

Podcast 79 – bad pads, fams and James Valentine

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 05:08:40 -0400

It’s a bumper edition of the Flat Chat Wrap this week, boosted by an extract from JimmyT’s guest spot on James Valentine’s Afternoons on ABC radio.But first Jimmy and Sue revisit the worst apartments they have ever seen, inspired by stories of the block in Auburn, Sydney, that prompted Building Commissioner David Chandler to seek and get the most comprehensive changes to building and planning laws the state has seen for generations.But for Jimmy and Sue, it all brings back memories of apartments with full-sized bars where the kitchen used to be, the special “disabled” apartment couldn’t let wheelchairs through its doors and the air con system that blew the smoke from one flat into the next.James ValentineThen we get a taste of Jimmy’s guest spot on James Valentine’s Afternoons (you can hear the whole Monday June 22 session here). Among the topics discussed were Jimmy’s PodCom (podcast sitcom), voting for and against pets in company title, how much you should pay for building into your roof space, how much detail there should be in your strata committee minutes, mystery maintenance payments and the right to object to an air-con unit over your terrace.Plants and pantsLater, Sue and Jimmy tackle the issue of what you might find when you buy into a block where the majority of owners are members of the same family.And then this week’s Hey Martha’s are pets and plants in the office, and pants with elasticated waistbands.Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying. And please give us a rating or review … it all helps to keep us going.

Podcast 78 – Affordable flats, WhatsApp to the rescue & dining redefined

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 07:37:37 -0400

After what has felt like several weeks of doom and gloom, we are looking on the bright side in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast.First of all we chat about Sue’s story in Domain about a new mixed development where affordable rentals will be mixed in with full-price apartments … and you will never know who’s paying full fare and who isn’t.The apartments will be identical so there will be no discrimination … unlike other efforts where the affordable units had a different front door from the other flats in the same building.App chat Then we talk to Brent Clark, best known for WattBlock a company that helps apartment buildings with energy saving, solar feasibility studies, NABERS ratings and electric vehicle charging reports.But that’s not why Brent is on the Pod – maybe next time – he’s Zoomed in to tell us about the WhatsApp community in his block in Chatswood, Sydney, which has blossomed from a casual social tool to an essential piece of community infrastructure.From tracking down a noisy shower that was waking up a dozen or more residents every night, to identifying spiders and establishing whether or not they are venomous, the WhatsApp group has now spread to other buildings in the street.Finally, we discuss whether or not our dining habits will change after the restaurants reopen, Jimmy’s relates his encounter with a protesting martial artist and marks one year since the evacuation of residents from the Mascot Towers while Sue notes the election of a very unusual mayor in Vermont, in the USA.Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying. And please give us a rating or review … it all helps to keep us going.

Podcast 77 – cowboys, counselling and comedy

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 02:57:21 -0400

There are just two main discussions in this week’s podcast but the topics are both hugely significant in very different ways.In the first we look at the new powers given to NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler to deal with cowboys in the building industry (hence the cowboy music at the top of the podcast).In the second we hear from relationship counsellor and psychologist Amanda Gordon about how to deal with the pressures of being cooped up with your partner in an apartment during this pandemic (and the second wave if there is one).Duty of careDavid Chandler, the NSW Building Commissioner, has finally seen State parliament pass the laws he needs to start sorting the sheep from the goats in the building industry.And part of the way that will work is that any signs of clustering of bad operators – architects, engineers, certifiers, developers and builders - with poor track records in apartment buildings will draw the attention of his team of compliance investigators.Ultimately builders and developer who don’t work to basic minimum standards will be refused certificates of occupation, meaning they won’t be able to sell the units they built. That should put a serious dent in their business models, now and in the future.Another critical aspect of the laws passed at the same time is the establishment of a continuing duty of care, meaning that anyone involved in building an apartment block as an ongoing responsibility to the ultimate apartment owner.In the past, builders have been able to successfully argue in court that their duty of care was to the developer and if the developer no longer existed – often because they have shut up shop before they could be called to account for their crap apartment blocks – the duty of care expired with them.But no more, as Jimmy explains, in the pod and in this story.Too close for comfortThen we go to Armchair Psychology founder Amanda Gordon who talks about how to cope with the stresses and strains of couples being forced to spend much more time together because of the lockdown and working from home.Her answer is to take the time to fix any relationships that are broken – but also make an effort to find some “alone time”.And she points out the difference between doing things together and doing things at the same time. Watching TV or even riding bikes is not really doing things together since you are just doing the same solo pursuit at the same time.Playing cards or board games, cooking together and doing quizzes are different because you are interacting … and that’s the key.Finally in our “Hey Martha’s” we find out about the intercom that requires you to squat and Jimmy’s exciting project to create a PodCom – a podcast sitcom with real actors performing on Zoom.Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying. And please give us a rating or review … it all helps to keep us going.

Podcast 76: Pet bans, live crabs and gov-love for holiday rentals

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 03:05:25 -0400

There’s plenty of variety in this week’s forum, from pets to concieges, and from tourism promotions to a survey that suggests lower-income individuals and families do it toughest in apartment blocks.The Podcast opens with an examination of the Tribunal Appeals Panel’s ruling that strata blocks can have “no-pets” by-laws after all.The verdicts issued last week were the results of two appeals against previous decisions by the NSW Civil Administrative Tribunal that by-laws banning pets outright were harsh and discriminatory.Not so, says the Appeals Panel, and its findings have implications far beyond keeping pets in apartments.Most significantly, they reinforce the right of owners to create rules that some people won’t like (but the majority do).More than a doormanThen we talk to Deb Francis of A Class Concierges about how her team members have been handling the challenges of coronavirus and the lockdowns on strata communities, as well as the day-to-day dealing with residents of prestige buildings.Whether it’s being called on to offer advice on how to handle a live crab destined for the dinner table, or providing after-school care for a little boy whose parents were both working late, the concierge is the calm, on-call “butler” for everyone in their building.And it’s not all fun and games. Concierges also occasionally have to deal with the dreadful day when a resident simply doesn’t respond to phone calls and knocks on the door.But there are the dangers of being too popular, too. One of her staff had to join a gym after a resident insisted on providing a cooked breakfast and lunch every day.Gov love for Stayz exposedLater in the podcast, Jimmy and Sue discuss the imminent bounce-back of Airbnb and other short-term letting services, including Stayz (HomeAway) whose residential apartments are being promoted on the NSW government’s “Love NSW” tourism website.Then, a million miles from the world of concierges, pet by-law battles and holiday lets, there’s the survey that reveals that low-income individuals and families are over-represented in apartments.We discuss why they are often the least well-equipped to deal with the challenges that apartment living presents, and how they are poorly represented by rental agents while landlords are kept in the dark.Finally, in his “Hey, Martha!”, Jimmy has discovered a smartphone app that allows you to cheer for your team when you are at home and they are playing behind closed doors.Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.Click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying. And please give us a rating or review … it all helps to keep us going.

Podcast 75 – The future is right on our doorsteps

Tue, 26 May 2020 07:17:35 -0400

We seem to be so caught up in the day-to-day of avoiding or dealing with the coronavirus, so it’s refreshing to know that some people are thinking of a future way beyond that.In this week’s podcast, Sue Williams revisits a story about an ambitious vision for a brand new city planned for the area near the new airport at Badgerys Creek.If the architects and planners have their way, it will be self-sustaining in energy and water and will even grow enough food to export to other areas.Is it a pipe dream? The architects have been building communities in the deserts of the Gulf states so they know a bit about making the most of a hostile environment.But, asks Jimmy, how does that stack up against the cheap, cheerless and quick-fix options favoured by our politicians?Owners unite ... by ZoomAlso in this podcast, we talk to Karen Stiles, the energetic executive officer of the Owners Corporation Network about how that key organisation is coping with the challenge of building a community of communities when coronavirus is trying to keep us all at home.The answer lies in technology, she says, and to prove it, they had a very successful seminar on how to keep the short-term letting wolves from the door, which OCN members (exclusively) can now download from their website.It was also Karen who inspired the name of this week’s podcast – wolves and mung beans, but you’ll have to listen to discover how (and we don't mean the coyotes in California that Sue mentions).But seriously, over the past 18 years OCN has grown into a significant and well-respected organisation which has won itself a seat at the table when policy-makers are deciding the shape of our futures in strata.You’ll realise why when Karen outlines her vision for the future of this organisation.Forced outThen, Jimmy relates the alarming tale of a woman who discovered there were 10 apartments in her building that had been let, short term, to people self-isolating after having been found to be at risk from coronavirus.Health experts advised her to get out of the apartment block for her own safety’s sake. But it raises the question – who thinks the best way to isolate is to go into an apartment block where hundreds of people live (apart from the parasites and predators of the short-term letting industry)?And Sue’s “Hey Martha” is all about an old Temperance Hall, converted into luxury apartments … with a wine cellar.Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying.Oh, and give us a rating or review … it all helps to keep us going.

Podcast 74: Bully for you – how aggressive should strata lawyers be?

Tue, 19 May 2020 08:28:49 -0400

What is a strata lawyer’s job? That’s the question we ask in the Flat Chat Wrap podcast this week.Is it to find a reasonable solution, based on strata law, so that all sides can feel that they have been treated fairly (even if their client has to concede some ground)?Or is it to go in all guns blazing, threatening and bullying the other party, using hypothetical situations where all the “ifs and ands” are lined up to make the target of their intimidation fear they could lose their home, not just the Tribunal case?A case of blatant legal bullying dropped into our laps this week and it gets a good airing on the podcast.Build your own ebookOn a lighter note, we discuss what to do if you use all your free time at home to dust off that novel or non-fiction book that’s been gathering dust in the bottom of your desk (or languishing on a floppy disk from your old computer).How hard is it to self-publish an eBook. Is it worth the effort? How important is it to have a good cover?We talk to accomplished author Grant Hyde who’s taken time from being a sidelined Qantas baggage handler and tour guide to publish on the internet a sexsational novel about the rise and fall of a very naughty footy player.You will find links to Grant’s ebooks and paperbacks here on Amazon, including his sailing ship adventures Islands of Gold and Lords of the Pacific. And if you have a book in need of a cover, Grant’s graphic designer mate Stephen Fletcher of Big Impact Graphics can be contacted on fletchacha@gmail.com.$23 billion projectsLater in the podcast, Sue talks about the “topping out” ceremony at the new 700-unit Pavilion project by Mirvac in the Olympic precinct – made unique because the workers all stood on balconies while the guests – limit of 10 – performed a ceremony usually conducted on the roof, on the ground floor.On a more serious note, the story also discusses Mirvac’s $23billion portfolio of projects, fears of a 30 per cent drop in apartment prices and how social housing could save the post-covid economy. That’s HERE.And finally, Sue’s “Hey Martha” is the brilliant take-down of UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s confusing coronavirus message by British comedian Matt Lucas (Little Britain) and you can find a full report on the original HERE.Listen to the podcast here

Podcast 73 – stressed pets, property prices … plus James Valentine

Tue, 12 May 2020 03:22:11 -0400

It’s an extra long Flat Chat Wrap this week, so strap yourselves in.First of all, there’s a discussion about how our pets could be getting stressed from getting too much attention.Apparently dogs and, especially, cats just need to be left alone sometimes, especially when they aren’t used to you hanging around the house all day.Resist the temptation to pat your napping cat on the head every time you walk past, says Sue Williams.And, of course, sleeping dogs should be left to lie.Then we have a chunk of JimmyT’s session on James Valentine last week, where issues like people installing cameras that look on to other residents property came up.By the way, the answer that we didn’t get to (courtesy of Amanda Farmer, whose weekly podcast Jimmy was also on last week), was that you can pass a by-law forbidding owners from training cameras across common property, even when they’re installed on their lot properties.There was also a question about the height of balcony balustrades in older buildings – do you have to bring them up to code?And a tenant wanted to know if he had to move furniture from his car space when owners were allowed to have junk in theirs.You can also listen to the unadulterated version of James’ radio show from last Wednesday (May 6) on the ABC website HERE. Finally, Sue put on her property writer hat to discuss whether now is a good time to buy an apartment … or should we wait until prices drop even more? You can read her story in Domain HERE.So much to listen to – just as well we can’t go to work!

Podcast 72 – Move it … while the politicians lose it

Tue, 05 May 2020 04:25:59 -0400

Are you a gym junkie, hanging out for those palaces of pain, sweat and tears to re-open?Or are you just coming to the gradual conclusion that binge-watching TV while binge-eating corn chips and guacamole will come with a reckoning (somewhere around your waistline), some day soon.Well, if you're going to get moving, there's no time like the present - and time may be something of which you have plenty. So this week the podcast looks at the kind of exercise you could and probably should be doing in these plague-ridden days.Top fitness trainer Shannon Cleary Zooms in to roadtest a few home fitness programs for us and looks at some streaming exercise videos available online for no money! You can find links to the videos HERE.And she recalls who the somewhat surprising keenest audience was for her morning exercise show when she used to be on the telly.Scathing reportBefore we get down to that, this week’s podcast takes a look at a report issued last week in which the NSW government is taken to task over a raft of alleged failures directly related to apartment living.JimmyT and Sue consider why a scathing analysis of perceived failures in the areas of flammable cladding, certification and building defects barely rated a mention in the Press.OK, we have a global pandemic in full swing but does every story have to be about coronavirus?Apparently so (and we are just as guilty of that as anyone). So you can expect the Upper House report has already found it’s way to a “nobody cares” file somewhere in Macquarie St.You'll find our comprehensive story on the report HERE.Live auctions returnFinally, Sue tells us what a difference it will make to the world of real estate when live auctions and open homes return this weekend. You can read her story HERE.And she’ll explain how she accidentally turned her parents into addicts during the lockdown.It’s all in the Flat Chat Wrap podcast. And you can listen right here.Listen here

Podcast 71 – Redesigning flats for work and a legal view of solo meetings

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 02:00:24 -0400

Sometimes the way we want to live influences architecture, sometimes architecture influences the way we live.There are still older blocks dotted around Sydney’s harbour suburbs where someone who wanted a penthouse with a view, constructed several floors of units for rent to support (in so many ways) the fabulous pad on the roof.Some original apartment blocks in our inner-cities have tiny kitchens because they originally had restaurants and dining rooms on their roofs (and dumb waiter pulley systems to deliver meals to those who didn’t want to leave their apartments).In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, Sue Williams discusses a feature she’s written that examines the effect of the current lockdown on the way apartments will be designed in the future.With more people working from home, two trains of thought are in motion. One, working from home can be a great thing, either permanently or part-time. Two, our homes aren’t ideally set up to allow us to do that.Architects whom Sue has interviewed predict popular demand for proper studies, balconies and shared open spaces, as well as more clearly defined separate areas within the apartments so that residents can get away from each other when they need to. Even two-story apartments could be the next big thing.Home working injuriesSue also raises the issue of workplace injuries in the home – apparently your employer is responsible for your workplace safety, even when you are working off your own dining table.With that in mind, Jimmy explains how squeezing an invisible orange can help your posture, especially when you spend hours hunched over your laptop on a coffee table.A strata lawyer speaksAlso in this week’s podcast Jimmy and Sue chat with specialist strata lawyer David Sachs of Sachs Gerace Lawyers about the new short-term letting by-law provision in NSW and the ability of owners corporations to hold general meetings electronically, despite the Catch-22 of not being able to hold the meetings required to permit electronic meetings.Jimmy pats himself on the back for coming up with the one-person EGM plan which David says is perfectly legal, but suggests holding a plebiscite first, to show that the majority of owners want approval for electronic meetings.FYI, since this podcast was recorded, the Queensland government has announced that all body corporate meetings can now be conducted remotely, via electronic interfaces and voting, without requiring prior approval of owners.Surely NSW and Victoria can’t be too far behind, and avoid the one-person EGMs that Jimmy suggested.One interesting observation from David is that owner corps often “push the envelope” with their decisions to achieve a specific outcome, and they can operate for years until someone who wants something different decides to challenge them at a tribunal.Coronavirus guideLater, Jimmy explains why the NSW SCA guide to dealing with coronavirus is really good but also just a bit too much. Should information for strata managers and building managers be lumped in with essential advise for owners, committees and other residents? As in this post, he says no.Sue’s “Hey Martha!” is about how Captain Tom Moore raised $55 million for British National Health Service charities … and got to top of the pops.And Jimmy chooses a video showing how a deaf dog discovers it’s time for “walkies”!Listen here

Podcast 70 – renos and what to wear when working from home

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 04:12:34 -0400

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, Jimmy and Sue discuss the competing and often conflicting needs of those who are working from home and those who are working on their homes.On the one hand, there’s never been a better time to catch up on those little jobs – and some big ones – around the flat.People who live in houses are doing it, getting to project manage their own renovations. For apartment dwellers, it’s not so easy.And for people who are genuinely working from home, having their thoughts and Zoom conference calls interrupted by drilling, sawing and hammering is far from ideal.Other unintended consequences of the Lockdown are the growing piles of garbage in our bin areas as more of us work and eat at home, overflowing clothing and recycling bins as we take the opportunity to have a proper clear-out of the stuff we don’t use or wear any more.Are Boomers the last generation to hold on to clothes until they fall apart rather than go out of fashion?Jimmy recalls a World Cup football teeshirt he still owns after 30 years. How does he know how old it is? It has “Italia 90” on the front.Dressing for successAll of which leads neatly to what we wear while we’re working from home and how it affects our sense of being at work when we haven’t left our front rooms.Sue references an article she recently had published in the Sydney Morning herald which features a friend, Alice Hidajat, who dresses in a different smart outfit every day to work from home … with her laptop perched on her ironing board.You can see nine of Alice’s WFH ensembles HERE, Sue’s “pyjama inspired” outfit and the extremely casual Warren Coleman at his computer screen.Moving houseSpeaking of Warren, regular listeners will recall we spoke to Warren a few weeks ago, pre-Lockdown, when he and his partner Therese were getting ready to sell the apartment they’d lived in for 30 years.They avoided the ban on house viewings and auctions by about a week, but had to do their removals under Lockdown conditions. Jimmy and Sue catch up with Warren via Zoom and ask exactly how that worked out. Apparently gloves and face masks come off fairly quickly when a sweat is worked up.Social climbersIn this week’s “Hey Marthas” Sue honours 99 year old Captain Tom Moore who has raised $25 million (the figure keeps going up) for Britain’s National Health Service by walking sponsored laps of his gardenInspired by him, 90-year-old Margaret Payne, from Ardvar, Sutherland, is aiming to scale the equivalent of the 731 metres of Scottish mountain Suliven, on the stairs inside her Highlands home.She was aiming for $20,000 for the NHS and instead has raised $150,000 by climbing her stairs 282 times.As promised, Jimmy has calculated that if you wanted to do a virtual climb of say Mount Kosciuszko (all 2228 metres above sea level) that will take 13,105 steps (@17cm per riser) or 795 floors of a modern apartment block.Slightly less challenging, you could replicate the actual 863 metre climb from Thredbo to the top of the mountain, which would be 5076 steps or 308 floors.But it doesn’t count if you’re under 90 years old.Listen here

Podcast 69 – fostering pets, falling rents, failing tradies and TV flats

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 08:40:06 -0400

This week’s Flat Chat Wrap has just about everything; pets, tradies, TV shows set in apartments and, of course, Airbnb - plenty to keep your spirits up through the Lockdown.Before we get to Jimmy’s rant about Airbnb (Sue says he is “obsessed”), there are other issues you might want to wrap your headphones around.For instance, did you know you can foster a pet, and that’s foster, rather than adopt, which of course you can do too.But it seems there is a need for people who suddenly have the time and maybe the temperament to give injured, sick and recovering animals the level of TLC they might not otherwise enjoy.Really, if you’re seeking companionship and maybe adding a little purpose that’s suddenly missing from your life, but you’re not sure if you want to make a long-term commitment, this could be anything from a trial run to a stepping stone.It’s a win-win (unless the prospect of the emotional trauma of giving your new friend back seems worse than living alone for weeks). You’ll hear more about it on the pod and can read about it HERE.Home invasionsThen we get to short-term letting agencies, their hosts and various shenanigans all of which come under the category of trying to mitigate the disastrous effects of coronavirus on the global home invasion – sorry, sorry – “sharing” business by taking advantage of the current crisis and, potentially at least, putting apartment residents’ lives at risk.First they wanted to lure people having to self-isolate, including returned travellers, into their abandoned apartments in our homes.Then it was people for whom working from home wasn’t an option. Then it was frontline health workers who rightly wanted to avoid the chance of carrying infections into their family homes.As we’ve said many times, they present like a social service but behave like the corporate predators that they truly are.Sue says our empty hotel rooms are the best possible places to house people who need or want to be isolated. Unfortunately, we’d recorded the podcast before this news came out, taking that idea even further.By-laws: A cunning planThe latest outrage, which even has Sue spitting computer chips, sees Airbnb sending an email from its Irish HQ telling its NSW hosts not to worry about the new laws that allow buildings to ban them because, they say, we can’t hold the meetings to do that under social distancing regulations, and we can’t have electronic or paper meetings unless we’ve already agreed that at a proper meeting in person.What a bunch of charmers! But Jimmy has a cunning plan which he explains on the podcast; basically it involves one chairperson, a security guard and a copy of the NSW Strata Schemes Management Act, Schedule 1, Section 17 (4).Good news for rentersMoving on, Sue has good news for renters (and not so good for landlords) with rents plummeting and availability shooting up, especially in Hobart, which just happens to be the city where the State Government offered short-term holiday letting hosts free money if they would just put their properties back in the residential rental market.You hear more about the effects of the Lockdown on rents across Australia and read more about it HERE.Bad news for tradiesIt’s one of those unintended consequences but Sue has been working on a story about tradies who are doing it tough because strata managers, building managers, committees and individual owners are scared to allow them into their blocks in case they are carrying the virus.So while essential works are being ignored due to a large degree of over-caution, an annual industry worth $2 billion is losing 10 per cent of business per month, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to improve any time soon.Sue gives us the background to the story in the pod, by way of a preview. Keep an eye open for that one in the SMH or online in Domain.TV series set in apartmentsAnd finally we have a look at TV series set in flats and apartments,...

Podcast 68: Six months of Sundays, classic movies, perfect pods

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 02:51:11 -0400

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap. Jimmy and Sue look at the wealth of good advice about how to get through this crisis without the whole system falling around our ears.We log into a comprehensive newsletter that covers everything from managing facilities to online meeting etiquette for these days of Zoom and Skype.Even if your block is not managed by our sponsors Strata Choice, you can access their Covid-19 Update page which is full of valuable advice and information.Levies lossesAt the same time as many of us are seeing a decline in our incomes, our strata schemes are facing increased costs simply because more people are working from home.Understandably, owners are looking to reduce their outgoings and the whole question of levies (or fees) raises its head. However, it comes down to this: if you want to cut your levies, what services are you going to cut to make the savings?For owners corporations (body corporates), there’s the very real prospect of funds running out in the next quarter as owners who have lost their jobs can’t pay their levies on time.Now, those levies will be paid eventually – even if they have to be extracted from the sale of the unit concerned – but what happens in the interim?Lannock strata finance (another Flat Chat sponsor) is offering a line of credit through their Levy Assist Loans to owners corps to cover the shortfall. However, that comes with its own complications: how do you collectively pay interest on a loan not everyone needed?The answer, unfortunately, may be to resist the temptation to waive penalty interest on the overdue levies – harsh as that may seem. Or you could just suck it up in the interests of sharing the pain.Would you dob?On a slightly different note, JimmyT and Sue Williams ask, would you dob in a neighbour who wasn’t socially isolating, whether it was hosting dinner parties or hanging out with their friends on common property?And what would you do if you were the secretary or chair who received the report?Informed and entertainedAnd with a view to keeping ourselves informed and entertained during these isolated times Sue came up with a list of classic apartment-related movies, See how many you would have chosen.Meanwhile, Jimmy talked about the political podcasts that keep him up to date with what’s happening elsewhere in the world, including NPR Politics, Pod Save the World, Guardian Politics Weekly and its Australian Cousin, the BBC’s Coronavirus Newscast and Embedded.And if you’re into property in all its glories, check out the Elephant in the Room, if only because they described Jimmy as “multi-talented” in the blurb for the episode on which he was a guest. Finally there's our best of frenemies, strata lawyer Amanda Palmer, who has just published her 208th episode ot the yourstrataproperty podcast.On a lighter note, to put a (wry) smile on your face, check out Judith Lucy’s Overwhelmed and Dying, Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb’s Chat 10 Looks 3 and the Friday Night Comedy on the BBC.Finally, not really a podcast, more of an audiobook and, admittedly, a bit of acquired taste, Ed Reardon’s Week is a radio sitcom about a failing writer and you can get the fourth series free if you sign up for a 30-day trial of Audible here.And Sue mentioned this brilliant coronavirus parody of Adele's Hello: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5azNpTwVk8Play the podcastAnd finally, here’s where you can play our latest podcast:

Podcast 67: Airbnb bugged, gym junkies fret … and fun

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 11:36:05 -0400

In this week’s extra-long Flat Chat Wrap, obsession with coronavirus is spreading like, well, a virus. Jimmy and Sue discuss how it may be having a crippling effect on that other viral sensation from recent years … Airbnb.Not only are their potential guests staying home, whether or not they want to, there was the decision by Airbnb head office to waive all cancellation fees, plus NSW hosts are about to be hit with another blow … new laws coming in next week mean unit owners will be able to pass by-laws banning short-term holiday lets from their blocks.With many holiday letting hosts virtually dumping their properties on to the residential let market, that’s a lot of prime apartments and houses coming up for knock-down rents – well, compared to what they were getting from tourist.So there will be a lot of choice for renters, not least the decision of whether to go for long leases – in case the tourists come flooding back in Spring and they get turfed out to make way – or to gamble on there being even more uncertainty and disruption down the line when their flexibility will be at a premium.Jimmy and Sue discuss which are the best options.With many apartment gyms and pools being closed due to the coronavirus threat – rather than being managed properly to avoid breaching the social distancing regulations, residents are having to fall back on their own resources. J&S recommend the Centr fitness videos promoted by actor Chris Hemsworth with six weeks free membership.If that sounds too much like hard work, try the Seven-minute Body Weight workout – aka the “hotel workout” which you can do in your own home without any additional equipment. There’s an excellent example here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jru5B044HOsYou can load versions of that on to your phone so you can take it with you (if you were allowed to go anywhere.) By the way, Jimmy has heard that Fair Trading is about to issue guidelines that suggest the cautious committees who shut our strata gyms down may have gone too far.Meanwhile, you can do what J&S did which was to dig out all their old unused exercise gear – and there’s a lot of it – plus buy a couple of weights from a sports shop (if you can get them, Jimmy says they’re selling like toilet paper) then find an online workout that suits you.And if just the thought of exercise is stressing you out even more than fear of Covid-19, Sue recommends this article in The Conversation about enjoying the simple pleasures of life.And for Sue they include this hilarious video about a man who thinks he’s receiving a Skype call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0VHQj-6lBA.And finally, a song about what we do – or plan to do – during our coronavirus-enforced isolation, purloined from this BBC Sounds podcast of The Now Show.Listen to the podcast here

Podcast 66 – Locked down and loaded up with medical misinformation

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 07:08:38 -0400

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, Jimmy and Sue discuss Australia's coronavirus lockdown and what it means to people living in apartments.There’s the whole issue of returned travellers settling in to 14 days of self-isolation and whether or not they really will wear masks when they pass through common property, as government health measures demand.We look at lifts and whether or not we should travel in them with strangers. And then there are gyms and pools, with news that some apartment blocks are shutting them down, just to be on the safe side.But what do you do when the government also advises you to exercise to boost your immunity? Is the thump-thump of you exercising at home not really just revenge for the late night doof-doof of the downstairs neighbours’ sound system?Pets and hoarding are also on the agenda along with growing outrage over Airbnb hosts offering self-isolation packages in apartment blocks.Should we turn our asylum seeker detention centres into quarantine camps for suspected Covid-19 carriers and low-level sufferers?And there’s a fascinating clip from a BBC podcast about coronavirus misinformation, with Jimmy explaining how he fell for bogus medical advice passed on by a normally reliable strata source. And you can find a more detailed and expansive look at coronavirus conspiracies here.FYI, if you want the latest real and truly reliable information on Covid-19, log into the Federal Government Health website, the NSW Health website, and the Victoria Health website. There are also websites for Queensland, WA, South Australia, Tasmania, ACT and the NT.Finally, on the bright side, there’s a virtual visit to a couple of zoos, with furry friends to keep you company during your less-than-splendid isolation. Melbourne Zoo has a live ‘animal-cam’ where you can watch cute snow leopard cubs, majestic giraffes, penguins and other animals.Meanwhile, Mogo Zoo on the NSW South Coast has a beautiful picture gallery and you can support these survivors of the recent bushfires who are doing it tough all over again with tourist numbers, obviously, having hit a new low.Enjoy.

Podcast 64: New rent laws but same old story with point-scoring pollies

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 09:40:41 -0400

In this week’s Podcast, Jimmy and Sue examine the plusses and minuses in the new NSW rental laws, which tilt things in tenants’ favour but don’t go all the way.For instance, tenants will be able to make changes to their rented properties – subject to approval that can’t reasonably be refused – and they’ll be able to demand minimum standards of habitation.They’ll know what their break fees will be if they choose to end the lease and leave early, and they’ll have to be informed about anything significant regarding the property’s history – like, if it had previously been used to manufacture drugs (the example Fair Trading uses).And landlords will have to show them their apartment building's by-laws BEFORE they sign the lease for a flat.But there will still be the option of no-cause termination of leases for the landlords, who will only be required to give notice if they decide they want the tenant out for any reason – like, if they want to get another tenant in so they can put the rent up a lot.The old “my brother is getting married and needs somewhere to live” story will still be available as an excuse to evict the tenants so the landlord can charge the next residents a higher rent.That might even be more the case with the new laws limiting rent rises to one per year for ongoing tenancies.You’ll find a rundown of the whole comprehensive law changes HERE.Meanwhile we also look at why the NSW Liberals backed away from a law that would ban developers from being elected to local councils. [Spoiler Alert! It’s party politics.] If you recall the original story a couple of weeks ago, the NSW Libs were about to thwart the Right in their party room and bring in a long overdue law. Now Labor have been trying to get in on the act.And we look at how the coronavirus is changing all our lives, and not always for the worse. But first we have to cope with all the confusion and contradictions as different experts recommend different things … and then the politicians get involved.All that and more in this week’s extra-long edition of the Flat Chat Wrap.If you want to get new episodes of the Flat Chat Wrap and as soon as they are posted, just subscribe to one of the links underneath the player at the top of this page … it’s completely free! And if you enjoy the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

Podcast 63: Cowboy builders, coronavirus and … toilet rolls

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 08:27:47 -0400

JimmyT and Sue discuss his long chat with the building commissioner, what you can do to avoid coronavirus in your apartment block and how Sue learned about the great Australian toilet roll panic, all over the newspapers ... in India.If you want to get new episodes of the Flat Chat Wrap and as soon as they are posted, just subscribe to one of the links underneath the player at the top of this page … it’s completely free! And if you enjoy the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

Podcast 62: Free strata managers, fire stupidity, locked-out landlord

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 07:13:14 -0500

In this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, JimmyT and Sue Williams discusses the possibility of having free, or non-profit strata managers.Would it work, who would use the service and wouldn’t rich owners in boutique blocks just rort the system if it was done on the basis of the size of the building?Also they talk about the 100-year-old converted mansion where the owners ripped out a faulty alarm system and never got round to replacing it.And there’s the question of a tenant who has replaced the original handle on his rented apartment with an electronic key pad, which not only keeps the landlord locked out, but isn’t fire compliant.If you want to get new episodes of the Flat Chat Wrap and as soon as they are posted, just subscribe to one of the links underneath the player at the top of this page … it’s completely free! And if you enjoy the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

Podcast 61 – Electric cars and rogue parking with James Valentine

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 05:47:59 -0500

Roughly once a month JimmyT drops into the ABC radio studios for a chat with James Valentine about strata and all the myriad related subjectsThis month they start off talking about charging electric cars in strata schemes but pretty soon the calls from JV's listeners start pouring in.One caller wants to know if the owners in two out of three buildings in the same strata scheme should be responsible for the cabling when the third building gets NBN fibre to the basement, rather than fibre to the node that the other blocks have.Another caller in a duplex wants to know what to do when their neighbour (and half-owner) wants to render the external walls of their half, but the caller can't afford to match it.A frustrated member of a committee wants to know if there's anything they can do about owners who wilfully ignore warnings not to park in visitor parking.Also, who's responsible when goods stored in a garage get damaged by water pouring through in heavy rains?And is a flat occupied by different sets of employess of the company that owns it short-term letting? And what do you do when the visiting employees ignore or flout the strata by-laws and rules?These questions were all addressed in the Flat Chat slot in James Valentine's Afternoons. You can catch up with the rest of James' daily shows HERE.If you want to get new episodes of the Flat Chat Wrap and as soon as they are posted, just subscribe to one of the links underneath the player at the top of this page … it’s completely free! And if you enjoy the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

PODCAST 60 – Retirees rule, Airbnb lose and flooring fights

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 06:30:15 -0500

This week on the Flat Chat Wrap we ask whether retired business people are the best or the worst committee members you can have.Based on this column, Jimmy and Sue weigh the pros and cons of people who have experience and maturity, with the fact that they may also be used to getting their own way, are a little too keen to hold on to power when they get it, and often block the appointment of younger owners who want to make a contribution.Early retirees, with business smarts and energy to burn could be exactly what your block needs. Or they could be your worst nightmare.In another story, we look at how Airbnb has been touted as the answer to housing shortages in bushfire ravaged towns and rural areas.And we discuss why the global holiday letting company’s recent financial woes could mean they are about to expand, and come back even stronger.We hear a word of warning about taking owners to the tribunal even when you know you have them bang to rights on by-laws … because the Tribunal member might not be interested in strata law and by-laws and only sees things thorough the prism of personal ownership.And finally, if you can’t get enough of JimmyT’s dulcet tones, swing by The Elephant In The Room podcast where he was a guest a couple of weeks ago.If you want to get new episodes of the Flat Chat Wrap and as soon as they are posted, just subscribe to one of the links underneath the player at the top of this page … it’s completely free! And if you enjoy the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

PODCAST 59 – Fire and rain, gym hijackers and paying for repairs

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 08:49:39 -0500

In this week’s podcast, with the East Coast states of Australia only just having survived the bushfires, we are now dealing with torrential rain and floods.Sue has contacted the big property insurers to discover an astonishing amount of damage claims had been lodged as early as Monday morning after the weekend storms.And we examine what can go wrong in apartment blocks despite a feeling of being “above it all”.‘This is when you discover how well your block really has been built,” Jimmy says, with one expert musing that, when you have horizontal rain in these quantities, something is bound to give.Later in the podcast, Jimmy and Sue discuss under what circumstances it’s okay for personal trainers (PTs) to use common property gyms for their clients.Inspired by this issue on the Forum, they look at the three basic circumstances under which you might find a PT in your gym. One is fine, another is definitely not on but a third is borderline.But is a resident PT using the gym for commercial purposes really any different from an Airbnb host offering your shared facilities as part of their holiday rental package?Finally, we look at this Forum question of who pays for repairs and lost rent when your owners corporation needs to dig up your bathroom to fix a common property pipe.And before we go, take a listen to James Taylor’s Fire and Rain a tiny taste of which opens this week’s podcast.And, if you need cheering up, after all the real fire and rain that we’ve endured, watch him with his updated version on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

PODCAST 58 – Dogs in pools and nutty neighbours

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 03:40:51 -0500

This week’s podcast topics have come straight off our front page and our Forum.For instance, how would you feel if an owner started allowing – maybe even encouraging – their dog to swim in the communal swimming pool.Now, many free-standing home owners allow their pets to swim in their pools. And the pets clearly enjoy it.But does that mean we should allow dogs into our communal pools? Aren’t there by-laws against that?Well, check yours but probably no, there won’t be. There might be something about not allowing pets on common property, or keeping dogs on a leash.But hey, what if the dog is on a leash but in the pool? JimmyT and Sue Williams dive into that one.Then there is the problem of what to do with persistently, deliberately and aggravatingly annoying neighbours.A while ago we talked about the deposed committee chair who took his revenge by calling up tradies working in the building and abusing them to the point that they refused to work there again.Fortunately, there is an answer in the form of an Apprehended Personal Violence Order which, despite it’s heavy-hitting title, can be used to prevent verbal abuse between neighbours and unrelated civilians.And finally, we look at the environmentally right-on apartment block in Redfern that’s been sold in its entirety to an investor … who plans to use it exclusively for Airbnb.That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-60-Dog-pool.mp3If you want to get new episodes of the Flat Chat Wrap and as soon as they are posted, just subscribe (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us

PODCAST 57: Developer database – why bank computers could say “no”

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 09:13:16 -0500

Sue Williams is back in the Flat Chat Wrap co-chair this week as we discuss the proposed Dodgy Developer Database announced by the NSW government last week.Sue reckons it can only be a good thing to get all that information but is concerned that it might all be too complicated for ordinary owners to understand.Jimmy points out that he doesn’t think it will ever see the light of day, and even if it does, ordinary people won’t have access to it to begin with, and will eventually only get to see it if they pay.“Outrageous!” says Sue. “We pay for these things through our taxes.’In any case, Jimmy says, it will be like the East Coast Fast Train line plan that gets trotted out at every election … a great idea that never gets out of the too-hard basket.One group of people who Jimmy thinks will be all over the proposed database (if it ever eventuates), apart from the council and state planners for whom it is apparently intended, will be the banks and other mortgage lenders.‘Imagine,” says Jimmy, “You want to buy a unit off the plan, you have the deposit, a great credit rating, solid employment and your mortgage lender looks at the database and discovers your proposed developer has a poor rating. Result? The computer says no!”“Would that be such a bad thing?” asks Sue.Another problem will be any large, high-profile developers with a poor customer service record. What are they going to do when they discover they only have three stars when their direct rivals have five or six? Lawyers at 12 paces, probably.Elsewhere, we discuss whether it is reasonable to expect parents to tell their kids to play quietly on common property.One building in Sydney’s Western suburbs has threatened parents with $1100 fines for breaking the schemes noise by-laws by allowing their kids to play noisily on common property.As more families move into strata, is it fair to expect kids to be seen and not heard.?And Jimmy asks if his bike is technically a “roadworthy vehicle”. He’s been pinged for parking his bike in his parking spot which, the strata scheme’s by-laws say, can only be occupied by “roadworthy vehicles”.Now, he doesn’t particularly want to park his bike there – it’s usually in the back of the car ready for the next ride. But this does illustrate the angst and confusion that can be caused by a badly worded by-law.If you want to get new episodes of the Flat Chat Wrap and as soon as they are posted, just subscribe (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us

PODCAST 56 – Flat-hunting, packing and Swedish Death Cleaning

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 07:45:14 -0500

“It’s like heading down the runway while you are still building the plane” – no, we’re not talking about buying off the plan, but the pressures and perils of creating an Oscar-winning, multi-million-dollar animated Hollywood movie.We’re taking a slight detour this week into the world of comedy and show-business, in an interview with our good friend Warren Coleman, formerly of the Castanets Club comedy troupe but more recently a writer and co-director on Happy Feet and a writer on Happy Feet 2.Now, we do get to the question of apartments – specifically, what it’s like to be looking to buy and sell for the first time in 30 years – but we take a few side-roads along the way.We’ll hear how taking a hit comedy show on a multi-city tour of the USA can be like “hyper-flat-sharing” and we get essential travel tips from Davy Jones, formerly of the Monkees.But there's also how entering the apartment buying arena for the first time in a long time is a bit like dating after the end of a long-term relationship. ‘Until you make a commitment, you have to let any flat you like know that you’re still seeing other apartments, just like it's seeing other people,’ says Warren.And then there's packing. As you can imagine, there's a lot of accumulated stuff to get rid of - or not - after 30 years in the one flat.Due you use Marie Kondo's "does it bring me joy?" filter for all your stuff, or do you go hard core and use the Swedish Death Cleaning method. Yes, that's a thing ... it's even a book.But we also hear about Happy Feet producer/director George Miller’s seat-of-the-pants genius, what it’s like to be nominated for an Oscar, a Golden Globe and even a Logie, and what you do when you can’t find out if you’ve won because your party hosts are recording it to watch it later.All in all, it’s a very different Flat Chat Wrap this week … but it’s a lot of fun.If you want to get new episodes of the Flat Chat Wrap and as soon as they are posted, just subscribe (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us

PODCAST 55 – Privacy poppycock, powers of attorney and pets in peril

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 18:19:50 -0500

This week in the podcast we revisit the vexed question of whether or not you should be allowed to view other owners’ email addresses.The SCA (Strata Community Australia – aka, the strata managers) website says this in its FAQ for apartment block neophytes:How do I obtain the phone number/email address/postal address of members of the committee?Due to privacy laws you only have the legal right to obtain the postal address of lot owners, which you can request from the strata manager, or if the scheme is self-managed, the committee.In other words, no email addresses for mere owners. Now, we’ve had this discussion running on the Forum for a while and I, JimmyT, have to admit I got it wrong.I said that because the strata Act doesn’t require you to provide your email address, then that wasn’t part of the strata roll and was therefore private.But hang on a minute, the strata Act does require owners to provide their email addresses. And if strata managers and committees are using them to send out notices, agendas and minutes, they are part of the records of the business of the strata scheme anyway.So how come strata managers say you can’t have them?Privacy, they say. But corporations with a turnover of less than $3 million a year – e.g. most strata schemes – aren’t covered by the federal privacy laws, and even if you were in a mega complex that did qualify, the privacy laws are superseded by laws that require information to be provided … like the strata Act.So here on the Flat Chat Wrap podcast we are calling this out – especially since one of our readers took their strata managers and strata scheme all the way to the Supreme Court in WA and got a definitive ruling that they were entitled to see and use the email addresses of all the other owners. That's quite a saga, as we explain.You will often hear it said that sending someone an unsolicited email is an invasion of privacy. How exactly can that be the case? It may be an invasion of their email inbox, but that’s about it. Sure, sending complete strangers unwanted emails is spam.But co-owners in the same apartment block, with myriad common interests and concerns? In any case, the recipient doesn’t have to read it, and they can block the sender with the click of a ticked box, should they so desire.Personally, I would rather another owner emailed me and told me they were worried about decisions made by the committee, than hope and pray that the reason I don't hear any complaints is becasue they can't get past the fake privacy filter.Call us cynical, but we think the real issue is that too many committees and strata managers don’t want the instant, costless communication that emails offer. Why? Because, with half the strata units in Australia owned by investors, with snail mail often only going to their agents, the results could be unpredictable, to say the least, if owners with a grievance were able to communicate with each other and start asking awkward questions.So the next time your strata manager refuses to let you see other owners email addresses, stick your iPod buds in their earholes and make them listen to our podcast.Elsewhere in the Flat Chat Wrap, we look at what happens to proxy votes and Powers of Attorney when the owner of the property dies. {NB: This podcast has been corrected since it was first published}And we issue a warning to pet owners, especially the parents of pugs and bulldogs and their ilk, about the combined dangers of smoke and heat.That’s all there in this week’s podcast.

Podcast 54 – Bushfires, unit blocks and stray cats

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 20:46:21 -0500

This week’s podcast is about the bushfires. For a change, apartments are not portrayed in the media as the worst possible way to live in Australia.That’s not to say unit blocks are immune from danger and disruption; as the original article points out, you still have to protect them from fire and floating embers.And can you imagine what would happen if the flames nudged up to a block clad in flammable composite? We’d have our own Grenfell Tower right here.Thankfully, the reality for most apartment dwellers in country and seaside areas is a lot less dramatic. Our country town apartment blocks tend to be a lot smaller, however, that brings its own problems.It they’re not high enough to legally require fire sprinklers, you can reasonably assume they don’t have them. And it was internal sprinklers that arguably saved residents in our two major cladding fires – in the Lacrosse and Neo200 blocks in Melbourne – from suffering tragic consequences.So rural residents are just as keen to keep their smaller blocks free from flames. Meanwhile, they are suffering some of the less obvious effects of the devastating blazes, even when they are far from their front doors.Power outages mean their lifts have to be shut down and their mobile phones are not the lifelines they once were. Phone lines are also likely to be cut, as are main roads. Plug in radios are useless lumps of plastic while a desperate search for the right sized cells for the old battery powerd transistor radio. This week Narooma saw 500 metre queues for petrol ... when the pumps could operate.Shops have been running out of essentials, tourists have been trapped, others have turned back and chosen other areas for the holidays. And toiurist present another issue for apartment residents. Do your neighbours even know where the evacuation centre is if things take a turn for the worst.But on top of all that, there is the fear that this worst bushfire catastrophe in living memory could flare up again and wreak its havoc in their town.We also point people to a friend’s Facebook page where she’s raising money for Wires, to help all the injured animalsOn a slightly lighter note, JimmyT and Sue discuss the issue of what to do about stray cats … and how they evoke strong emotions in otherwise placid people.All of which leads to Jimmy’s “insult to injury” memory of what happened after a tom cat crawled into his recently robbed car.But as problems go, stray cats and car break-ins are pretty far down the list of our priorities right now.Lessons are being leaned from these bushfires – we can only hope there’s something left that will allow us to put them into practice.

Flat Chat Wrap 51 – Email privacy, off-the-plan protections and owner revolts

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 19:14:43 -0500

Privacy, consumer protections and how to engineer radical change in your apartment block are the main topics for discussion in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast.A heated discussion in the Forum has spilled over into the pod, with JimmyT trying to establish where or not it’s true that the law forbids strata managers from revealing owners’ email addresses in the strata roll (in NSW).Certainly, that’s what the strata managers say but neither strata law nor privacy laws seem to back that up.So why would the SCA – the strata managers’ professional body – advise its members not to pass email addresses to owners who are otherwise entitled to view all strata records?One sophisticated piece of strata management software – Rockend – even has a button you can click to hide email addresses from prying eyes.Could it be that this is one line of communication that strata managers and other strata professionals want to stay closed.Consider this, if you live in a block of 100 units and you want to run a campaign to get yourself voted on to your strata committee, that’s a lot of letters to print, envelopes to stuff and stamps to buy. One email, 100 addresses, total cost, zip.If your campaign is to get the committee or strata manager sacked, how much of an advantage is it that they have access to email addresses and you don’t!?!So, are you entitled to see other owners’ email addresses? You’ll have to listen to the pod.Also in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap we look at the fateful day four years ago when Jimmy told then Fair Trading Minister Victor Dominello about a story Sue Williams was writing about “sunset clawbacks”.It was a loophole in the law whereby developers would deliberately delay the completion of off-the-plan apartments, invoke the sunset clause to return the purchasers’ deposits, then put the units on the market again to take advantage of soaring property values.On Sunday, new laws came in that should put paid to those dodgy dealings for good, and provide much-needed protection for off-the-plan purchasers.And finally, Jimmy previews his column in this weekend’s financial review in which he explains how a softly-softly approach to moving the bullies and buffoons from your strata committee can work much more effectively than direct confrontation.

PODCAST : Email privacy, off-the-plan protection and power grabs

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 08:28:51 -0500

Flat Chat Wrap 50 – AirbnBS blitz, pet bans balked, bad neighours

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 20:19:38 -0500

Amazingly, this is our 50th Flat Chat wrap which means we have been doing this for almost a year.And yet, the same topics come up, time after time, albeit with the occasional (welcome) twist.For instance, co-presenter Sue Williams has had enough of Airbnb – or, at least, stories about them. She has a point but when you are dealing with a super-aggressive interloper in the property market, you have to keep tabs on them.What have they done now? Well, they have launched their campaign against “red tape” that they say will make it harder for ordinary working families to be able to afford seaside holidays?What red tape are they talking about?We can only assume it’s the regulations that will make it easier for holiday let guests to escape from fires and easier for the authorities to work out who’s running holiday rentals. Are they such bad things?Meanwhile, yet another major inner-city apartment block has had its "no-pets" by-law overturned and looks to be heading for an appeal.Sue reckons this has gone beyond the right of owners corporations to establish by-laws banning animals and is now about whether or not strata schemes can make their own rules for living as they wish.Also this week we talk about the worst neighbours we’ve ever had and who the perfect neighbour might be. And we touch on the latest popular names for pets.That’s all in the latest Flat Chat Wrap

PODCAST: We hit 50 … Airbnb, pet bans and nasty neighbours

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 09:31:18 -0500

Amazingly, this is our 50th Flat Chat Wrap which means we have been doing this - the podcast thing - for almost a year.And yet, the same topics come up, time after time, albeit with the occasional (welcome) twist.For instance, co-presenter Sue Williams has had enough of Airbnb – or, at least, stories about them. She has a point but when you are dealing with a super-aggressive interloper in the property market, you have to keep tabs on them.What have they done now? Well, they have launched their campaign against “red tape” that they say will make it harder for ordinary working families to be able to afford seaside holidays?What red tape are they talking about?We can only assume it’s the regulations that will make it easier for holiday let guests to escape from fires and easier for the authorities to work out who’s running holiday rentals. Are they such bad things?Meanwhile, yet another major inner-city apartment block has had its "no-pets" by-law overturned and looks to be heading for an appeal.Sue reckons this has gone beyond the right of owners corporations to establish by-laws banning animals and is now about whether or not strata schemes can make their own rules for living as they wish.Also this week we talk about the worst neighbours we’ve ever had and who the perfect neighbour might be. And we touch on the latest popular names for pets.That’s all in the latest Flat Chat Wrap. By the way, the podcast may have been going for a year but the website has been going for … what 15 years?That must be why the podcast has such a unique perspective.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-50-Airbnb.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

Flat Chat Wrap 49 – Half-million dollar defamation damage

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 14:24:00 -0500

This week’s podcast features JimmyT and Sue Williams examining the half-million dollar turnaround in a strata defamation case, a discussion about who’s the boss in a strata scheme – the committee or the strata manager – and a chat about how we can get a bit too relaxed when we’re planning our holidays from our “lock up and leave” apartment.The first item refers to the recent Court of Appeals decision in the case of the Manly apartment block chair who earlier this year won $120,000 in damages after alleging he’d been defamed by a tenant in an internal email war.However, the Appeals Court decided there was no defamation – due to qualified privilege attached to internal discussions in a corporation – and even if there had been, the payout was excessive.So the $120,000 hit was rescinded and all costs were awarded against the chair. With those costs estimated at $400,000, that’s a half-million reversal for the chair.All of that led to a discussion about what you should and shouldn’t say, especially online. Basically, all legal considerations aside, a little civility and respect goes a long way … and keeps you out of trouble.Then we look at the curious case of the misrepresented minutes, in which one Flatchatter received the minutes of their AGM from the strata manager, only to find they didn’t properly reflect the content of the meeting or the decisions made.Does the committee now need to wait until the next AGM to fix them? We say no. The secretary takes precedence over the strata manager and he or she can issue a more accurate set of minutes and instruct the strata manager to distribute those.Was there jiggery-pokery involved? “Never ascribe to malice anything that could just as easily be explained by stupidity” is our motto at Flat Chat.And finally, we look at how “lock up and leave” living can make you a bit lazy when it comes to packing and preparing for your holidays.More sunglasses than underpants? Some miscalculation there, we think. And we also take a moment to promote our sister travel website Mildrover.com where you’ll find a lot of travel features, some bargain holiday deals – and even advice on how to pack.

PODCAST: Defamation, fake minutes and holiday packing disasters

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 07:15:41 -0500

This week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast features JimmyT and Sue Williams examining the half-million dollar turnaround in a strata defamation case, a discussion about who’s the boss in a strata scheme – the committee or the strata manager – and a chat about how we can get a bit too relaxed when we’re planning our holidays from our “lock up and leave” apartments.The first item refers to the recent Court of Apeals decision in the case of the Manly apartment block chair who won $120,000 in damages after alleging he’s been defamed by a tenant in an internal email war.However, the Appeals Court decided there was no defamation – due to qualified privilege attached to internal discussions in a corporation – and even if there had been the payout was excessive.So the $120,000 hit was rescinded and all costs were awarded against the chair. With those costs estimated at $400,000, that’s a half-million reversal for the chair.All of that led to a discussion about what you should and shouldn’t say, especially online. Basically, all legal considerations aside, a little civility and respect goes a long way … and keeps you out of trouble.Then we look at the curious case of the misrepresented minutes, in which one Flatchatter received the minutes of their AGM from the strata manager, only to find they didn’t properly reflect the content of the meeting or the decisions made.Does the committee now need to wait until the next AGM to fix them? We say no. The secretary takes precedence over the strata manager and he or she can issue a more accurate set of minutes and instruct the strata manager to distribute those.Was there jiggery-pokery involved? “Never ascribe to malice anything that could just as easily be explained by stupidity” is our motto at Flat Chat.And finally, we look at how “lock up and leave” living can make you a bit lazy when it comes to packing and preparing for your holidays.More sunglasses than underpants? Some miscalculation there, we think. And we also take a moment to promote our sister travel website Mildrover.com where you’ll find a lot of travel features, some bargain holiday deals – and even advice on how to pack.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-49-Defamation-decision.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

Flat Chat Wrap 48 – Flats grow, Government ducks, Airbnb strife

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 19:48:36 -0500

We cover a lot of ground in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, starting with the surprising news that new apartments are getting bigger while houses are getting smaller. Is it all about downsizing and empty nesters?Or did we never really need all that space to begin with? You’ll never guess where the largest new apartments are … and Jimmy wonders what a rumpus room really is.Also in the podcast, we hop into Building Commissioner David Chandler about apartment purchasers and “buyer beware”. Sue (Williams) is furious and Jimmy calls it “victim blaming”.It seems the government has just parked the whole problem of defects, and cladding for that matter, passing the buck to the people at the bottom who have no choice but to cop it sweet and pay for other people’s mistakes.At least the future looks brighter for apartment quality … until the government’s mates water down the legislation to cut down on “red tape”.And finally, we look at what’s going on with Airbnb. They have taken a few hits in the past week or two but Sue reckons the one that will hurt most is the announcement that the Tax Office is planning to target holiday let tax cheats – short-term letting hosts who haven’t declared their additional earnings or have claimed too much against tax for the costs of running their ‘business’.We reckon the threat of the tax man is more of a worry to STHL hosts than all the by-laws, tribunals and three-strikes codes of conduct combined.And finally, we have new theme music and stings. It’s a bit rockier and stronger, because we plan to be a lot tougher on slack politicians, dodgy developers and bad neighbours for the next year or two. Let us know what you thinkIf you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

PODCAST – Flats get bigger, Government ducks, Airbnb in strife

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 19:41:47 -0500

We cover a lot of ground in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, starting with the surprising news that new apartments are getting bigger while houses are getting smaller. Is it all about downsizing and empty nesters?Or did we never really need all that space to begin with? You’ll never guess where the largest new apartments are … and Jimmy wonders what a rumpus room really is.Also in the podcast, we hop into Building Commissioner David Chandler about apartment purchasers and “buyer beware”. Sue (Williams) is furious and Jimmy calls it “victim blaming”.It seems the government has just parked the whole problem of defects, and cladding for that matter, passing the buck to the people at the bottom who have no choice but to cop it sweet and pay for other people’s mistakes.At least the future looks brighter for apartment quality … until the government’s mates water down the legislation to cut down on “red tape”.And finally, we look at what’s going on with Airbnb. They have taken a few hits in the past week or two but Sue reckons the one that will hurt most is the announcement that the Tax Office is planning to target holiday let tax cheats – short-term letting hosts who haven’t declared their additional earnings or have claimed too much against tax for the costs of running their 'business'.We reckon the threat of the tax man is more of a worry to STHL hosts than all the by-laws, tribunals and three-strikes codes of conduct combined.And finally, we have new theme music and stings. It’s a bit rockier and stronger, because we plan to be a lot tougher on slack politicians, dodgy developers and bad neighbours from here on in. Let us know what you thinkIf you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please share with a friend, (especially in strata) and leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

Flat Chat Wrap 47 – terror threats and a baffling unit block raffle

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 17:25:32 -0500

Flat Chat Wrap #47 – Terror threats, buying big and a baffling raffle

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 08:14:45 -0500

This week, JimmyT and Sue Williams tackle subjects that range from the sinister to the sublimely ridiculous … with some practical advice for investors in between.Why won’t the government release the lists of the 444 buildings that have flammable cladding on them?Is it the risk of terrorism, as they say … or is it just potential vandalism … or the effect on property prices?Jimmy has his own conspiracy theory … and it sounds all too plausible.Then Sue explains why, when you are buying an investment, you should go for somewhere better than the place you live in.What!?! How does that work? Why should your tenants live in a better place than you do?And finally, they discuss the strangest raffle prize ever – a whole apartment block worth $6.4 million in sunny Queensland.At $10 a pop, it would have to be worth a shot … but then, as Jimmy explains, there could be a downside.That’s all on this week’s Flat Chat Wrap:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-47-Cladding-list.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us.OTHER LINKS:Jimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

Flat Chat Wrap #46 – cracking down on by-law breachers and bad builders

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 15:04:58 -0400

JimmyT thinks of changing the name of this week's episode to Hard Chat (but won't because he's scared of Tom Gleason) as he's going in hard on two very different targets.Firstly, he wants by-law breachers to either accept instant fines or face a 50 percent increase, or even more if they decide to challenge it at the Tribunal and lose. Harsh? Not harsh enough, he reckons, for people who play the system so that only the victims and people doing the right thing are the ones that suffer.Then he thinks it's time the state government went after the developers who set out to build crappy apartment blocks then shut down their off-the-shelf company before they have to fix the many defects left behind by their shoddy work. "Sell their homes to pay for the repairs and put them in jail - that'll encourage the others to do the right thing."Finally, there's the ruling from Queensland where a magistrates court has overurned a strata commissioner block on an Airbnb ban in a gated community. The body corporate imposed the ban, the commissioner revoked it but the magistrate overturned the ruling because he believes the government wants communities to be able to set their own rules.And just as a side note, Jimmy takes issue with some anti-pet lobbyists who said he's been "played" by the pro-pet campaigners last week.Now that's hard!

PODCAST: Getting tough on breachers and builders

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 04:10:50 -0400

JimmyT was thinking of changing the name of this week's episode to Hard Chat as he's going in hard on two very different targets (but won't because he's scared of Tom Gleason).Firstly, he wants by-law breachers to either accept instant fines or face a 50 percent increase, or even more if they decide to challenge it at the Tribunal and lose. Harsh? Not harsh enough, he reckons, for people who play the system so that only the victims and people doing the right thing are the ones that suffer.Then he thinks it's time the state government went after the developers who set out to build crappy apartment blocks then shut down their off-the-shelf company before they have to fix the many defects left behind by their shoddy work. "Sell their homes to pay for the repairs and put them in jail - that'll encourage the others to do the right thing."Finally, there's the ruling from Queensland where a magistrates court has overurned a strata commissioner block on an Airbnb ban in a gated community. The body corporate imposed the ban, the commissioner revoked it but the magistrate overturned the ruling because he believes the government wants communities to be able to set their own rules.And just as a side note, Jimmy takes issue with some anti-pet lobbyists who said he's been "played" by the pro-pet campaigners last week.Now that's hard!https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-46-Hard-Chat.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us.

Flat Chat Wrap #45 – Airbnb bubble at bursting point?

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 17:05:22 -0400

It’s a short and (hopefully) sweet Flat Chat Wrap this week with JimmyT flying solo as he looks at the clouds gathering over Airbnb and other holiday letting websites – and one ray of sunshine.The bright spot is Airbnb’s country pubs promotion which is bringing a bit of rural Australia into our homes … and maybe getting some of us out of the city and into the country. You can see some of the videos HERE.But the rest of the news is pretty gloomy for Airbnb and the other short-term holiday letting industry.As related elsewhere on this page, a major Airbnb-related (but not connected) management firm, AndChill, has gone bust with $3.6 million in debts.Then there’s the squeeze on holiday lets from insurers and the tax office, all exacerbated by the growing push for holiday let registers.Your home and contents insurance probably doesn’t cover you for damage done by (and to) holiday let guests.And the ATO is getting names and numbers from the sgencies to tell them who is letting flats, where they’re letting them and how much they might be making from them.Oh, and you might want to check if you have overdone the tax deductions for costs related to the flat you’ve been letting to holiday guests.It’s enough to drive a host to drink … preferably in a country pub.If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us.OTHER LINKS:Jimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

PODCAST: Holiday lets under cloud but country pubs offer light relief

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 06:15:16 -0400

It’s a short and (hopefully) sweet Flat Chat Wrap this week with JimmyT flying solo as he looks at the clouds gathering over Airbnb and other holiday letting websites – and one ray of sunshine.The bright spot is Airbnb’s country pubs promotion which is bringing a bit of rural Australia into our homes … and maybe getting some of us out of the city and into the country. You can see some of the videos HERE.But the rest of the news is pretty gloomy for Airbnb and the other short-term holiday letting industry.As related elsewhere on this page, a major Airbnb-related (but not connected) management firm, AndChill, has gone bust with $3.6 million in debts.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-45-airbnb-squeeze.mp3Then there’s the squeeze on holiday lets from insurers and the tax office, all exacerbated by the growing push for holiday let registers.Your home and contents insurance probably doesn’t cover you for damage done by (and to) holiday let guests.And the ATO is getting names and numbers from the sgencies to tell them who is letting flats, where they’re letting them and how much they might be making from them.Oh, and you might want to check if you have overdone the tax deductions for costs related to the flat you’ve been letting to holiday guests.It’s enough to drive a host to drink … preferably in a country pub.If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us.OTHER LINKS:Jimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

Flat Chat Wrap #44 – Pet death threat and dodgy votes

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 15:17:48 -0400

In this week’s podcast JimmyT and Sue Williams look again at the issue of the overturning of the pet ban by-law in one of Sydneys biggest and poshest apartment blocks, in the wake of the warning by the committee that any pets brought in before the appeal is heard may have to be “put down”.Is it a valid threat as there is a window when there is no active by-law? Lawyers at ten paces, we think.And what if the Appeals Tribunal says, yes, you can have a no-pets by-law … but not that one? Are there now enough angry people in the building to block a new by-law? This one could run and run.On the subject of votes and “overwhelming majorities”, we discuss scenarios where a 90 percent vote for or against something, can be very deceptive – with one example tuning out to be just 36 percent of owners, rather than the 90 percent claimed.At what point do Tribunal decision set legal precedents? Not at the basic level, that’s for sure. And do humans have an inalienable right to keep pets? How about the right to choose to live in a building that doesn’t have them?In the future, will developers write into the strata management documents that a block is pet-friendly or pet-free? The former seems more likely with between 30 and 60 per cent of Australian families owning pets. Would you reall want to reduce your potential sales or rental market by about half?Sue reveals that Cunard cruise ships now allow pets on board and even have kennels for when Mummy and Daddy go ashore.Jimmy recalls the time he wrote a promotional video about taking pets on holiday for Tourism NSW – only for the launch to be abandoned when the then tourism minister was caught with his pants down, literally, at an office party.We discuss some of the strange things people put on their apartment block roofs – like vegetable gardens, chickens and bees – and whether you should speak up when you see someone behaving badly in your strata scheme.It’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

PODCAST – Pet warning and dodgy voting stats

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 04:39:42 -0400

SHOW NOTESIn this week’s podcast JimmyT and Sue Williams look again at the issue of the overturning of the pet ban by-law in one of Sydneys biggest and poshest apartment blocks, in the wake of the warning by the committee that any pets brought in before the appeal is heard may have to be “put down”.Is it a valid threat as there may be a window when there is no active by-law? Lawyers at ten paces, we think.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-44-pets-bees.mp3And what if the Appeals Tribunal says, yes, you can have a no-pets by-law … but not that one? Are there now enough angry people in the building to block a new by-law? This one could run and run.On the subject of votes and “overwhelming majorities”, we discuss scenarios where a 90 percent vote for or against something, can be very deceptive – with one example tuning out to be just 36 percent of owners, rather than the 90 percent claimed.At what point do Tribunal decision set legal precedents? Not at the basic level, that’s for sure. And do humans have an inalienable right to keep pets? How about the right to choose to live in a building that doesn’t have them?In the future, will developers write into the strata management documents that a block is pet-friendly or pet-free? The former seems more likely with between 30 and 60 per cent of Australian families owning pets. Would you reall want to reduce your potential sales or rental market by about half?Sue reveals that Cunard cruise ships now allow pets on board and even have kennels for when Mummy and Daddy go ashore.Jimmy recalls the time he wrote a promotional video about taking pets on holiday for Tourism NSW – only for the launch to be abandoned when the then tourism minister was caught with his pants down, literally, at an office party.We discuss some of the strange things people put on their apartment block roofs – like vegetable gardens, chickens and bees – and whether you should speak up when you see someone behaving badly in your strata scheme.It’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us.OTHER LINKS:Jimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

Dardanelle Towers, Episode 3 – Sniffing Glue

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 13:09:47 -0400

Blame the bank holiday, the Rugby World Cup or the need for a break, but we thought we'd revisit our old friends at the fictional (or is it?) apartment block Dardanelle Towers, where suspicion of vandalism in the car park has fallen on an unlikely culprit.Parking, terrorism and a health scare dominated the most recent meeting of the Dardanelle Towers executive committee.The parking issue came to the fore when Bernard, our long-suffering chairman was heading off to work only to discover that the locks on his car had been super-glued. Bernard’s car, a Subaru Forester, was his pride and joy.He’d had problems in the past with people “accidentally” using his space because it was close to visitor parking, and blocking him in because it was close to the lifts, but this was the first time his car had actually been vandalised.Suspicion immediately fell on the occupant of 511 who is suing us (or being sued by us) in three different courts on three different issues, one of which is his perceived right to park his spare car in visitors’ parking on the grounds that he owns a share of it and visitors don’t. This, like the rest of his cases, seems to be related to his inability to read, understand or accept strata law and by-laws – or all three.In any case, 511’s involvement in the Uhu Incident (as it is now known) was quickly refuted when Mrs Alexander (the All-Seeing Eye) informed us that he had left the building at 6.45 am the day before and had distinctly been heard saying “International Airport”.Mrs Alexander had also noted that 511 had tossed his suitcase and carry-on bag into the boot of the cab with remarkable ease, suggesting, she said, that they might have been empty, which she found suspicious.Bernard remarked that he had seen 511 in the gym many times, which may have accounted for the apparent lack of effort. Elena noted that she often travels overseas with the minimum in her bags so she can fill them up with clothes bought overseas. Ms Tran concurred. She could get a complete season’s wardrobe in Hoi An for less than the Uber fare to the airport.Everyone looked at Lady Luckby, who never lets an opportunity for casual if ingenuous racism pass, but she said nothing. Mrs A had also gone very quiet, something that did not go unnoticed by Elena. Eventually, responding to Elena’s narrowing eyes, Mrs A confessed that she had considered 511’s activity bizarre enough to warrant a call to the terrorism hotline.Elena sighed in exasperation. Mrs A had done exactly the same when she saw her relatives gathering outside our building on their way to a Lebanese wedding. One cousin had been deported – he had only overstayed his visa by a week so he could be at the wedding – and the groom barely made it to the church (they were, like the majority of Lebanese in Australia, devoutly Christian).“You can’t be too careful,” Mrs A said, as she had at the time of the wedding fiasco. “This building could be a prime target.”“I know we have two blocks,” Bernard grumbled, “but we’re hardly the Twin Towers.” He was unusually grumpy but then he had every right to be. The glueing of his car had prevented him meeting a couple of important clients, not to mention the hassle and expense of replacing the locks.It was then that Jonathan said he had a confession to make. He’d had an unexpected visitor who may have caused some confusion in the car park.In truth, his visitor was only unexpected in that he hadn’t expected her to say yes when he invited her to come round for a drink. And he was absolutely certain that she hadn’t only turned up because he offered her safe overnight parking while she went to a friend’s hen party ... although she did only stay with him for one white wine spritzer and he didn’t see her again until lunchtime the next day when she needed to be let out of the car park.There was considerable amusement when everyone realised that Jonathan, the great keeper of the by-laws,

PODCAST: Dardanelle Towers – Episode 3: Sniffing Glue

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 02:16:28 -0400

Blame the bank holiday, the Rugby World Cup or the need for a break, but we thought we'd revisit our old friends at the fictional (or is it?) apartment block Dardanelle Towers, where suspicion of vandalism in the car park has fallen on an unlikely culprit. https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Dardanelle-Towers-3.mp3 Parking, terrorism and a health scare dominated the most recent meeting of the Dardanelle Towers strata committee.The parking issue came to the fore when Bernard, our long-suffering chairman was heading off to work only to discover that the locks on his car had been super-glued. Bernard’s car, a Subaru Forester, was his pride and joy.He’d had problems in the past with people “accidentally” using his space because it was close to visitor parking, and blocking him in because it was close to the lifts, but this was the first time his car had actually been vandalised.Suspicion immediately fell on the occupant of 511 who is suing us (or being sued by us) in three different courts on three different issues, one of which is his perceived "right" to park his spare car in visitors’ parking on the grounds that he owns a share of it and visitors don’t. This, like the rest of his cases, seems to be related to his inability to read, understand or accept strata law and by-laws – or all three.In any case, 511’s involvement in the Uhu Incident (as it is now known) was quickly refuted when Mrs Alexander (the All-Seeing Eye) informed us that he had left the building at 6.45 am the day before and had distinctly been heard saying “International Airport”.Mrs Alexander had also noted that 511 had tossed his suitcase and carry-on bag into the boot of the cab with remarkable ease, suggesting, she said, that they might have been empty, which she found suspicious.Bernard remarked that he had seen 511 in the gym many times, which may have accounted for the apparent lack of effort. Elena noted that she often travels abroad with the minimum in her bags so she can fill them up with clothes bought overseas. Ms Tran concurred. She could get a complete season’s wardrobe in Hoi An for less than the Uber fare to the airport.Everyone looked at Lady Luckby, who never lets an opportunity for casual if ingenuous racism pass, but she said nothing. Mrs A had also gone very quiet, something that did not go unnoticed by Elena. Eventually, responding to Elena’s narrowing eyes, Mrs A confessed that she had considered 511’s activity bizarre enough to warrant a call to the terrorism hotline.Elena sighed in exasperation. Mrs A had done exactly the same when she saw her relatives gathering outside our building on their way to a Lebanese wedding. One cousin had been deported – he had only overstayed his visa by a week so he could be at the wedding – and the groom barely made it to the church (they were, like the majority of Lebanese in Australia, devoutly Christian).“You can’t be too careful,” Mrs A said, as she had at the time of the wedding fiasco. “This building could be a prime target.”“I know we have two blocks,” Bernard grumbled, “but we’re hardly the Twin Towers.” He was unusually grumpy but then he had every right to be. The glueing of his car had prevented him meeting a couple of important clients, not to mention the hassle and expense of replacing the locks.It was then that Jonathan said he had a confession to make. He’d had an unexpected visitor who may have caused some confusion in the car park.In truth, his visitor was only unexpected in that he hadn’t expected her to say yes when he invited her to come round for a drink. And he was absolutely certain that she hadn’t only turned up because he offered her safe overnight parking while she went to a friend’s hen party ... although she did only stay with him for one white wine spritzer and he didn’t see her again until lunchtime the next day when she needed to be let out of the car park.There was considerable amusement when everyone r...

Flat Chat Wrap #43 – Airbnb under pump, pet ban lifted and free money

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 19:06:11 -0400

We cover a lot of ground in this week’s chat with journalist and author Sue Williams, including two old favourites – Airbnb and pet bans - and a brand new concept (to us at least) negative interest.Yes, you know all about negative gearing and you may have even encountered negative equity, but Sue was hearing about negative interest at a Property Summit sponsored by The Australian Financial Review and Commercial Real Estate.But before we get to that, do you get the feeling that the walls are closing in on Airbnb in Australia? It’s not just the new regulations being considered by the NSW government, now WA has come up with its own plans for holiday letting in the not-so-wild West (which you can read all about HERE).Which leads us to wonder, what was Victoria thinking when it basically handed over the keys to the high-rise kingdom to holiday letting landlords? It’s not just about tourist dollars, we (okay, I) reckon the Victorian state government actively hates strata residents.Maybe they despise us because we are home owners, or because we have chosen to rent an apartment rather than a house like the one our parents used to live in.But wherever the complete lack of empathy comes from, apartment pioneers are making it easier for politicians to grow the city without having to build a new freeway every six months. A little respect and concern, please.Sue Williams, meanwhile, has tracked down a story that could mean the end of pet bans in all but a few apartment blocks in NSWAfter years of trying to overturn a blanket ban on pets in the huge Elan high-rise in Kings Cross, one owner there has finally had a win at NCAT. A senior Tribunal Member has decreed that the Elan’s by-law banning all pets under any circumstances (apart from assistance animals) is “discriminatory and oppressive”.Campaigners hope this will lead to all similar blanket bans across NSW being rescinded. But what about the people whose religion or health concerns don’t allow them to live in the same buildings as animals?And finally Sue was at a Property Summit last week, where she found out all about negative interest. That's where banks will basically pay you to take a loan with them, in the hope that you’ll stay with them when the ten-year fixed term runs out.Ten years of free money? Sign me up now! That’s all on this week’s Flat Chat Wrap Podcast.

PODCAST: Airbnb curbs, pet ban by-law bounced and free money

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 09:20:59 -0400

Flat Chat Wrap #42 – Strata chatting, straight out of the box

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 20:03:52 -0400

For years I have been struck by the irony of the connection between communication and community falling asunder at the doors of apartment blocks.If there was anywhere that not only needed an internal communications system – and probably contained higher than average numbers of people able to grasp the fundamentals – it would be modern apartment blocks.People have experimented with Facebook pages and dedicated websites – but as soon as the people who set them up get fed up with having to run it, or cop more than their fair share of abuse from the block’s whingers – it all falls apart.Then, a couple of years ago, along came Stratabox (one of our sponsors).This week, I went along to co-founder Paul Chevrot’s house so who could explain what Stratabox is, how it works and who’s it for.Basically, it’s an online platform where you can put all your records, by-laws and basic building information, plus you can have virtual committee meetings, vote on issues, and raise complaints about things that need fixed or even neighbours who are misbehaving.You can book a move in or out of the block or use of facilities, discuss issues long before there’s a vote, and chat about the outcomes of decisions that have been made.You can alert your strata committee or strata manager to problems or canvass other owners about possible solutions (rather than hoping someone on the strata committee actually understands, rather than having your choices limited by the extent of their knowledge and experience.One of the interesting things that emerged from our chat was that Paul doesn’t expect every subscriber to use every aspect of the platform. Just because it has everything you might need to help your committee run your block smoothy and efficiently, doesn’t mean you have to use all its facilities.You can sign up for a free trial of Stratabox right HERE or by clicking on the ad on the Flat Chat pages.By the way, apologies for the sound quality on the recording which occasionally makes me sound as if I’m at the bottom of a well. Poor acoustics, inadequate equipment and pilot error all contributed.It’ll be better next week, I promise.

PODCAST: Stratabox and building communities through communication

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 10:11:06 -0400

For years I have been struck by the irony of the connection (or lack thereof) between communication and community and how it seems to fall asunder at the doors of apartment blocks.If there was anywhere that not only needed an internal communications system – and probably contained higher than average numbers of people able to grasp the fundamentals – it would be modern apartment blocks.People have experimented with Facebook pages and dedicated websites – but as soon as the people who set them up get fed up with having to run it, or cop more than their fair share of abuse from the block’s whingers – it all falls apart.Then, a couple of years ago, along came Stratabox (one of our sponsors).This week, I went along to co-founder Paul Chevrot’s house so who could explain what Stratabox is, how it works and who it's for.Basically, it’s an online platform where you can put all your records, by-laws and basic building information, plus you can have virtual committee meetings, vote on issues, and raise complaints about things that need fixed or even neighbours who are misbehaving.You can book a move in or out of the block or use of facilities, discuss issues long before there’s a vote, and chat about the outcomes of decisions that have been made.You can alert your strata committee or strata manager to problems or canvass other owners about possible solutions (rather than hoping someone on the strata committee actually understands, rather than having your choices limited by the extent of their knowledge and experience.One of the interesting things that emerged from our chat was that Paul doesn’t expect every subscriber to use every aspect of the platform. Just because it has everything you might need to help your committee run your block smoothy and efficiently, doesn’t mean you have to use all its facilities.You can sign up for a free trial of Stratabox right HERE or by clicking on the ad on the Flat Chat pages.By the way, apologies for the sound quality on the recording which occasionally makes me sound as if I’m at the bottom of a well. Poor acoustics, inadequate equipment and pilot error all contributed.It’ll be better next week, I promise.You can listen to the podcast right here.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-43-Stratabox.mp3You can subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes on your phone, tablet or computer completely free as soon as they are posted - just click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, share them with friends and, if you can, leave us a review and rating . Thanks for listening.

Flat Chat Wrap #41 – The future of apartments … bees vs locusts

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 14:23:52 -0400

We write and talk a lot about property developers in Flat Chat – not often in positive terms – but we rarely get the chance to hear their side of the story, at least, untainted by promotional spin for some new project or another.So it was a pleasure to sit down recently with Chris Johnson, CEO of the Urban Taskforce, and get his views on what is happening in the world of apartment development for the Flat Chat Wrap podcast.Chris is the former State Architect for NSW and Urban Taskforce represents the top developers in the country, so he knows a fair bit about the subject. On top of that, he is as passionate about apartment living as we are – although from a slightly different perspective.The discussion in this week’s podcast is wide-ranging and occasionally surprising.We can’t ignore the issue of defects in new buildings, not least because of the damage that has done to public confidence. It could take years to recover but Chirs believes the only way is up – literally – as cities reach their physical and geographical limits.He believes the days of the McMansion are numbered, partly because you can’t fit any more houses into the space available but also because there's a sea change in public thinking.We are moving away from the “I, me, mine” mindset into more collaborative, sharing communities, he says. He cites a development in Roseberry where there is a childcare centre right on the ground floor, so it obviously attracts families.However, those families take it a stage further, with parents taking turns to host “play dates” where all the kids can go to different unit blocks each of which has its own playground - yes, they have children's playgrounds - and swimming pools that they don't have to worry about maintaining. It certainly gives the lie to the old thinking that apartments are no place for young families.You can find out more about that in an Urban Taskforce publication about why people love apartment living.Elsewhere in our wide-ranging discussion, Chris muses about why registration of architects and engineers wouldn’t have prevented the crisis at the Opal building – the internationally known architects and engineers on that project would “get registration with their eyes closed” – and why a return to council-based certification wouldn’t have prevented the issues in the Mascot Tower (it was certified by the local council).However, Chris does think there’s merit in a continuing “duty of care” from builders to apartment owners while making every contractor and sub-contractor take responsibility for their work in the construction of an apartment block.He also thinks the “missing middle” in home building is unlikely to be filled with town-houses, if only because of the flawed economics of replacing a single dwelling with two terraced houses.Instead he foresees a spread of European style, medium-rise, four or five story blocks – small enough not to lose human scale and deter communities but tall enough to merit installing the lifts that down-sizing baby boomers will demand.There’s all that and more in this week’s podcast.You can subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes on your phone, tablet or computer completely free as soon as they are posted - just click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, share them with friends and, if you can, leave us a review and rating . Thanks for listening.

PODCAST: The buzz on strata – it’s locusts V bees

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 08:04:43 -0400

Are you a locust or a bee? Those are the divisions appearing between residents in Australia as many of us move from the more acquisitive, self-centred lifestyle typified by the McMansion in the suburbs, to a more communal, sharing way of life that you increasingly find in apartments.In this week's podcast we talk to Chris Johnson, CEO of the Urban Taskforce, who predicts a more communal way of life as more of us move from houses into apartments.Chris is the former State Architect for NSW and Urban Taskforce represents the top developers in the country, so he knows a fair bit about the subject. On top of that, he is as passionate about apartment living as we are – although from a slightly different perspective.The discussion in this week’s podcast is wide-ranging and occasionally surprising.We can’t ignore the issue of defects in new buildings, not least because of the damage that has done to public confidence. It could take years to recover but Chirs believes the only way is up – literally – as cities reach their physical and geographical limits.He believes the days of the McMansion are numbered, partly because you can’t fit any more houses into the space available but also because there is a sea change in public thinking.We are moving away from the “I, me, mine” mindset into more collaborative, sharing communities, he says. He cites a development in Roseberry where there is a childcare centre right on the ground floor, so it obviously attracts families.However, those families take it a stage further, with parents taking turns to host “play dates” where all the kids can go to different unit blocks each of which has its own playground. It certainly gives the lie to the old thinking that apartments are no place for young families.You can find out more about that in an Urban Taskforce publication about why people love apartment living.Elsewhere in our wide-ranging discussion, Chris muses about why registration of architects and engineers wouldn’t have prevented the crisis at the Opal building – the internationally known architects and engineers on that project would “get registration with their eyes closed” – and why a return to council-based certification wouldn’t have prevented the issues in the Mascot Tower (it was certified by the local council).However, Chris does think there’s merit in a continuing “duty of care” from builders to apartment owners while making every contractor and sub-contractor take responsibility for their work in the construction of an apartment block.He also thinks the “missing middle” in home building is unlikely to be filled with town-houses, if only because of the flawed economics of replacing a single dwelling with two terraced houses.Instead he foresees a spread of European style, medium-rise, four or five story blocks – small enough not to lose human scale and deter communities but tall enough to merit installing the lifts that down-sizing baby boomers will demand.There’s all that and more in this week’s podcast.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-42-Chris-Johnson.mp3You can subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes on your phone, tablet or computer completely free as soon as they are posted - just click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, share them with friends and, if you can, leave us a review and rating . Thanks for listening.

Flat Chat Wrap #40 – the end of parking as we know it

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:19:57 -0400

This week the Flat Chat Wrap podders look at the ridiculous cost of parking spaces, the new forms of flat-sharing and we finish off our chat with Jane Hearn about the proposed short-term letting register – and why Airbnb hates it so much.First up, JimmyT and Sue Williams talk about why parking spaces are no longer at such a premium (despite one that previously sold at auction for $260,000 coming up for sale).People who live near transport hubs don’t need cars as much as they used to and the flawed economics of paying for a lump of steel to sit in a car space all week, waiting for you to maybe go for a drive, just don’t add up, especially when there are car-sharing services like Go-Get literally on strata owners doorsteps.We also touch on parking space sharing and an innovative idea being trialled in multi-story car parks in Brisbane, where empty floors are turned into overnight shelters for homeless people, complete with showers, toilets, security and even hairdressers.And talking of homelessness, we kick the tyres of a couple of other innovative ideas – next generation boarding houses and co-living spaces.In both cases, these are blocks where studio units are smaller than normal – with tiny kettle and microwave spaces and small bathrooms – but that’s compensated by large shared kitchens and social areas and other facilities like gyms and swimming pools.As Sue reports, even luxury apartment developer Crown are looking at getting into co-living in a big way, with plans to add value to the communities with gym, cooking, yoga and music classes. In fact, CEO Iwan Sunito thinks these classes are such a good idea he plans to look at extending them to his residential apartment blocks.One downside Sue discovered with the co-living and next-gen boarding houses already operating in Sydney is that many of the properties are already listed on holiday letting ewebsites like Airbnb.So much for easing the affordable housing crisis!And on the subject of Airbnb, in the second part of their conversation, Jimmy and Jane Hearn, vice-chair of the Owners Corporation Network, explore why the online letting agency is against the proposed register.We can guess why – a register would expose all the illicit lets, as has occurred elsewhere in the world, with Tokyo seeing a drop of 80 per cent in listings when a register was brought in there last year.But will it stick? Not without serious penalties and measures to allow owners corporations to check on how the apartments in their buildings are being used, say our podders. And that may be a bridge too far for our pro-Airbnb, anti-apartment resident politicians.

PODCAST: The death of parking and student flats for grown-ups

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 10:28:55 -0400

This week the Flat Chat Wrap podders look at the ridiculous cost of parking spaces, the new forms of flat-sharing and we finish off our chat with Jane Hearn about the proposed short-term letting register – and why Airbnb hates it so much.First up, JimmyT and Sue Williams talk about why parking spaces are no longer at such a premium (despite one that previously sold at auction for $260,000 coming up for sale).People who live near transport hubs don’t need cars as much as they used to and the flawed economics of paying for a lump of steel to sit in a car space all week, waiting for you to maybe go for a drive at the weekend, just don’t add up, especially when there are car-sharing services like Go-Get literally on strata residents' doorsteps.We also touch on parking space sharing and an innovative idea being trialled in multi-story car parks in Brisbane, where empty floors are turned into overnight shelters for homeless people, complete with showers, toilets, security and even hairdressers.And talking of homelessness, we kick the tyres of a couple of other innovative ideas – next generation boarding houses and co-living spaces.In both cases, these are blocks where studio units are smaller than normal – with tiny kettle and microwave spaces and small bathrooms – but that’s compensated by large shared kitchens and social areas and other facilities like gyms and swimming pools.As Sue reports, even luxury apartment developer Crown are looking at getting into co-living in a big way, with plans to add value to the communities with gym, cooking, yoga and music classes. In fact, CEO Iwan Sunito thinks these classes are such a good idea he plans to look at extending them to his residential apartment blocks.One downside Sue discovered with the co-living and next-gen boarding houses already operating in Sydney is that many of the properties are already listed on holiday letting websites like Airbnb.So much for easing the affordable housing crisis!And on the subject of Airbnb, in the second part of their conversation, Jimmy and Jane Hearn, vice-chair of the Owners Corporation Network, explore why the online letting agency is against the proposed register.We can guess why – a register would expose all the illicit lets, as has occurred elsewhere in the world, with Tokyo seeing a drop of 80 per cent in listings when a register was brought in there last year.But will it stick? Not without serious penalties backed by measures to allow owners corporations to check on how the apartments in their buildings are being used, say our podders. And that may be a bridge too far for our pro-Airbnb, anti-apartment resident politicians.You can listen to it right here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/flat-chat-40-Parking-co-living-and-Airbnb.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes on your phone, tablet or computer as soon as they are posted (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, please leave us a review and rating – it helps people to find us.

Flat Chat Wrap #39 – Loopholes and pitfalls in new Airbnb regs

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 18:02:00 -0400

Just when you thought it was safe to dip your toe into the Airbnb discussion, it turns out the proposed new laws are not what they seem. The 180-day cap on whole-home lets can be extended by your local council, there’s a mysterious 21-night option that doesn’t count against the cap and Airbnb is gearing up to fight really tough fire safety regulations (which are fine by Stayz, by the way). This week’s podcast welcomes Deputy Chair of the Owners Corporation Network Jane Hearn who gives us a fascinating insight into the loopholes and pitfalls lurking in the new short-term holiday letting regulations that are currently up for discussion. It’s an interesting perspective. The government has allowed itself to be corralled into focussing on the social impact of holiday lets – noise and disruption – at the expense of, arguably, more serious issues like the impact on rents, housing availability and the “hollowing” of our cities where prime properties are given over to holiday lets. It’s quite clear that the Government’s attempts to mould one-size-fits-all regulations into the various needs of rural, coastal, inner city communities, living in houses and apartments, is likely to make no one happy. The influence of outside forces on the liveability of our homes seems to be of zero concern compared to the revenue from tourist dollars. Once again, apartment residents are a cash cow for the government, or perhaps we are geese whose golden eggs are staring to crack like jerry-built apartment blocks. One thing to come out of the podcast is for everyone who doesn’t want short-term letting in their buildings and who doesn’t have a holiday letting by-law on their books to get one now. The OCN has devised an off-the-peg by-law that you can buy for a fifth of the normal fees – and this one will stick through any legal challenges the online letting agencies can throw at them (it says here). But seriously, once the regs are in place, the next battleground for apartment blocks will be by-laws and you can bet that any strata building that that doesn’t already have one, and where short-term lets are a growing issue, is suddenly going to find 25 percent of owners rocking up to general meetings, in person or by proxy, to make sure that mothership in San Francisco doesn’t lose any prime properties that can be kept open. Does that sound a little bit paranoid? Look at the 300-plus identical Astroturf (fake grassroots) letters already sent to Planning NSW to object to the regulations we are now discussing. And if Crazy JimmyT doesn’t fire you up, have a listen to Jane Hearn – a calm voice of experience and reason that will scare the proxies off you! Finally, you can make your submission to the discussion process by going to the Planning NSW portal. Don’t wait – you only have till September 11.

PODCAST: Loopholes and pitfalls in new holiday letting rules

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 08:17:15 -0400

Just when you thought it was safe to dip your toe into the Airbnb discussion, it turns out the new laws are not what they seem.The 180-day cap on whole-home lets can be extended by your local council, there’s a mysterious 21-night option that doesn’t count against the cap and Airbnb is gearing up to fight really tough fire safety regulations (which are fine by Stayz, by the way).In this week’s podcast JimmyT welcomes Vice-Chair of the Owners Corporation Network Jane Hearn who gives us a fascinating insight into the loopholes and pitfalls lurking in the new short-term holiday letting regulations that are currently up for discussion.It’s an interesting perspective. The government has allowed itself to be corralled into focussing on the social impact of holiday lets – noise and disruption – at the expense of, arguably, more serious issues like the impact on rents, housing availability and the “hollowing” of our cities where prime properties are given over to holiday lets.It’s quite clear that the Government’s attempts to mould one-size-fits-all regulations into the various needs of rural, coastal, inner city communities, living in houses and apartments, is likely to make no one happy.The influence of outside forces on the liveability of our homes seems to be of zero concern compared to the revenue from tourist dollars. Once again, apartment residents are a cash cow for the government, or perhaps we are geese whose golden eggs are staring to crack like jerry-built apartment blocks.One thing to come out of the podcast is for everyone who doesn’t want short-term letting in their buildings and who doesn’t have a holiday letting by-law on their books to get one now.The OCN has devised an off-the-peg by-law that you can buy for a fifth of the normal fees – and this one will stick through any legal challenges the online letting agencies can throw at them (it says here).But seriously, once the regs are in place, the next battleground for apartment blocks will be by-laws and you can bet that any strata building that that doesn’t already have one, and where short-term lets are a growing issue, is suddenly going to find 25 percent of owners rocking up to general meetings, in person or by proxy, to make sure that mothership in San Francisco doesn’t lose any prime properties that can be kept open.Does that sound a little bit paranoid? Look at the 300-plus identical Astroturf (fake grassroots) letters already sent to Planning NSW to object to the regulations we are now discussing.And if Crazy JimmyT doesn’t fire you up, have a listen to Jane Hearn – a calm voice of experience and reason that will scare the proxies off you!Finally, you can make your submission to the discussion process by going to the Planning NSW portal. Don’t wait – you only have till September 11.You can listen to the Podcast right here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/flat-chat-39-Jane-Hearn-part-1a.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes on your phone, tablet or computer as soon as they are posted (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, please leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

Flat Chat Wrap #38 – Mediation, revolution and crazy planning objections

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 18:10:41 -0400

This week the Flat Chat Wrap podcast is all about conflict and various forms of resolution … including revolution.First Sue Williams and I take a look at we take a look at mediation and what it actually means. In NSW and Queensland, mediation is an obligatory precursor to asking for an adjudication at your state tribunal.In Victoria it kind of is too, but isn’t really. It’s called conciliation there, and is more of a recommended option than an obligation. How much it harms your case if you don’t even try to resolve it, is hard to say – depends on who is hearing your case at the tribunal, probably.For many people involved in disputes, it’s just a box to be ticked off before you put on the boxing gloves and get in the ring for the real fight.Others turn up, fired up with righteous indignation, clutching a sheaf of by-laws and print-outs from the Flat Chat Forum, only to discover the mediator is more life coach and less umpire than they would like.In short, unless the respondent in your case is prepared to concede defeat because they can sense failure and humiliation at the Tribunal, you are either going to have to cede some ground yourself, or gird your loins for phase two of the fight.And it has to be said that I many cases the other side of the argument doesn’t even show up. Why? Because they don’t have to.Moving on, we discuss how to get rid of a “despotic, neurotic and psychotic” chair of an apartment block – and again it’s different in all the states.In NSW you have to pass a special resolution at general meeting to remove any or all of the owners from a committee. However, the committee can replace any office-bearer just by voting another of their number into the role.It’s similar in Victoria but in Queensland the general meeting chooses the office-bearers even before they elect the committee. That means only a general meeting can sack an officer of the body corporate.Oh, and there’s a couple of quirky rules that don’t exist anywhere else that can get you kicked off a committee in Queensland.And finally, introduced by a song from Groucho Marx, Sue meets architect Daniel Meszaros who has collected a whole bunch of crazy objections neighbours put up to prevent developments and turned them into cartoons that you can see HERE.

PODCAST: Mediation, revolution and crazy Nimby objections

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 08:35:37 -0400

This week the Flat Chat Wrap podcast is all about conflict and various forms of resolution … including revolution.First Sue Williams and I take a look at we take a look at mediation and what it actually means. In NSW and Queensland, mediation is an obligatory precursor to asking for an adjudication at your state tribunal.In Victoria it kind of is too, but isn’t really. It’s called conciliation there, and is more of a recommended option than an obligation. How much it harms your case if you don’t even try to resolve it, is hard to say – depends on who is hearing your case at the tribunal, probably.For many people involved in disputes, it’s just a box to be ticked off before you put on the boxing gloves and get in the ring for the real fight.Others turn up, fired up with righteous indignation, clutching a sheaf of by-laws and print-outs from the Flat Chat Forum, only to discover the mediator is more life coach and less umpire than they would like.In short, unless the respondent in your case is prepared to concede defeat, perhaps because they can sense failure and humiliation at the Tribunal, you are either going to have to cede some ground yourself, or gird your loins for phase two of the fight.And it has to be said that I many cases the other side of the argument doesn’t even show up. Why? Because they don’t have to.Moving on, we discuss how to get rid of a “despotic, neurotic and psychotic” chair of an apartment block – and again it’s different in all the states.In NSW you have to pass a special resolution at general meeting to remove any or all of the owners from a committee. However, the committee can replace any office-bearer just by voting another of their number into the role.It’s similar in Victoria but in Queensland the general meeting chooses the office-bearers even before they elect the committee. That means only a general meeting can sack an officer of the body corporate.Oh, and there’s a couple of quirky rules that don’t exist anywhere else that can get you kicked off a committee in Queensland.And finally, introduced by a song from Groucho Marx, Sue meets architect Daniel Meszaros who has collected a whole bunch of crazy objections neighbours put up to prevent developments and turned them into cartoons that you can see HERE.You can listen to the podcast right here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/flat-chat-38-conflicts.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes on your phone, tablet or computer as soon as they are posted (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, please leave us a rating – it helps people to find us.

Flat Chat Wrap #37 – Defects loans, Airbnb rules and sex in the spa

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 18:04:39 -0400

It’s a real mixed bag in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast – finance, Airbnb and sneaky sex.Sue Williams and I start our dissection of the week’s strata news by looking at the suggestion that people suffering under building defects might get low-interest or even no-interest loans from the government.We reckon it’s better than nothing but it’s not enough. Anyone who has ever suffered through the agonies of realising you have defects in your building, then having to fight your developer to get them fixed - if you can even find them before they phoenix into a puff of smoke – and then face raising the cash because the only people legally obliged to fix defects, regardless of who’s to blame for them, are the apartment owners.We reckon, apart from the developers and builders, the people who have contributed most to the problem and benefitted most from it, are our successive governments, Labour and Liberal, who have become addicted to the revenue from building booms to the point where they have sold apartment owners down the river.So come on. Forget all this loans nonsense and compensate us for all the grief you’ve either caused or enabled. There’s more on this HERE.Next cab off the rank is the government’s discussion paper on Airbnb-style holiday lets.As you will read in my Australian Financial Review column this weekend (posted here a couple of days later, Stayz has welcomed one of the proposals while Airbnb is decidedly lukewarm about the whole thing.There’s a mandatory code of conduct and an industry-managed registry of holiday lets (why does that fill me with a sense of cynical dread?) plus extraordinarily strict fire regulations which we think with do more to curb short-term holiday lets than the other two combined. Again, there’s also more on that HERE.And finally, Sue brings a tale of what happened when a friend spotted a couple having sex in the complex’s communal spa pool. Think that sound a bit weird, wait till you hear who they were!And to think Airbnb routinely fights holiday let registers on the grounds of privacy! It’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us.OTHER LINKS:You can read all the material around the holiday letting discussion paper, and make a submission, starting HERE.And you can read Jimmy AFR piece online HERE (if you have a subscription). It will be in print and then on this website at the weekend.Jimmy Thomson’s websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columnsSue Williams Website

PODCAST: Defect loans, Airbnb rules and sneaky sex in the spa

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 08:39:11 -0400

It’s a real mixed bag in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap podcast – finance, Airbnb and sneaky sex.Sue Williams and I start our dissection of the week’s strata news by looking at the suggestion that people suffering under building defects might get low-interest or even no-interest loans from the government.We reckon it’s better than nothing but it’s not enough. Anyone who has ever suffered through the agonies of realising you have defects in your building, then having to fight your developer to get them fixed - if you can even find them before they phoenix into a puff of smoke – and then face raising the cash because the only people legally obliged to fix defects, regardless of who’s to blame for them, are the apartment owners.We reckon, apart from the developers and builders, the people who have contributed most to the problem and benefitted most from it, are our successive governments, Labour and Liberal, who have become addicted to the revenue from building booms to the point where they have sold apartment owners down the river.So come on. Forget all this loans nonsense and compensate us for all the grief you’ve either caused or enabled. There’s more on this HERE.Next cab off the rank is the government’s discussion paper on Airbnb-style holiday lets.As you will read in my Australian Financial Review column this weekend (posted here a couple of days later, Stayz has welcomed one of the proposals while Airbnb is decidedly lukewarm about the whole thing.There’s a mandatory code of conduct and an industry-managed registry of holiday lets (why does that fill me with a sense of cynical dread?) plus extraordinarily strict fire regulations which we think with do more to curb short-term holiday lets than the other two combined. Again, there’s also more on that HERE.And finally, Sue brings a tale of what happened when a friend spotted a couple having sex in the complex’s communal spa pool. Think that sound a bit weird, wait till you hear who they were!And to think Airbnb routinely fights holiday let registers on the grounds of privacy! It’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.You can listen to the podcast right here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-37-STHL-regulations.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us.OTHER LINKS:You can read all the material around the holiday letting discussion paper, and make a submission, starting HERE.And you can read Jimmy AFR piece online HERE (if you have a subscription). It will be in print and then on this website at the weekend.Jimmy Thomson’s websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columnsSue Williams Website

Flat Chat Wrap #36 – From block parties to hijacked high-rises

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 10:01:50 -0400

It would be fair to say that Flat Chat’s approach to apartment living and strata law over the years has been robustly non-academic. We use often cite anonymous sources and unverified reports to build a picture of all that is wrong with strata living (and many things that are right).Academic researchers, by contrast, meticulously record numerous interviews, often with clearly identified and authoritative subjects, referencing other studies and reports, to reach carefully considered conclusions.One such diligent researcher is Dr Hazel Easthope of UNSW who joined us this week for the Flat Chat Wrap podcast to discuss her new book The Politics and Practices of Apartment Living which has just been published by Edgar Elgar in the UK.In the podcast we discuss why she wrote the book – basically to get a handle on all this rapidly evolving lifestyle and its challenges, and how people are coping with it in different countries – and why she wrote it the way she did.The book is structured, she says, to follow the entire life cycle of an apartment block, from the planning stage to the eventual extinction of the strata scheme for renewal or even demolition.What she discovered was that, even though different parts of the world have different strata systems, everyone has basically the same issues – defects, lack of communication within the blocks and with their committees and managers, selfish residents and lack of understanding of rights and responsibilities.One universal issue was the lack of concern for and communication with tenants, who are routinely locked out of information, decision-making and community activities.This, of course, is hugely ironic since renters make up more than half the residents of apartment blocks and are basically financing half the investment in strata homes (along with, in Australia, the subsidies provided by taxpayers via negative gearing).Hazel Easthope highlighted efforts in community building in Vancouver, with “street parties” and volunteer concierges, but she also talked about the problem of hijacked buildings in South Africa.There, in the “white flight” that followed the end of apartheid, luxury apartments in the posher parts of Johannesburg were abandoned by their owners, taken over by squatters, allowed to deteriorate with power cut off, affecting lifts, lights, sewerage and water supplies, and then criminal gangs moved in to “manage” them.The city council is trying to recover the buildings for paying renters but the problem is that with the majority of strata owners long gone, mostly overseas, there is no one to sign off on the legally required documents.And finally, she tells a funny but alarming story about what happened when two different companies were contracted to complete vital work on the same building.All in all, it’s a fascinating discussion about a very interesting book.

PODCAST: From block parties to hijacked high-rises

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 04:00:21 -0400

It would be fair to say that Flat Chat’s approach to apartment living and strata law over the years has been robustly non-academic. We use often cite anonymous sources, anecdotal 'evidence' and unverified reports to build a picture of all that is wrong with strata living (and many things that are right).Academic researchers, by contrast, meticulously record numerous interviews, often with clearly identified and authoritative subjects, referencing other studies and reports, to reach carefully considered conclusions.One such diligent researcher is Dr Hazel Easthope of UNSW City Futures department, who joined us this week for the Flat Chat Wrap podcast to discuss her new book The Politics and Practices of Apartment Living which has just been published by Edgar Elgar in the UK.In the podcast we discuss why she wrote the book – basically to get a handle on all this rapidly evolving lifestyle and its challenges, and how people are coping with it in different countries – and why she wrote it the way she did.The book is structured, she says, to follow the entire life cycle of an apartment block, from the planning stage to the eventual extinction of the strata scheme for renewal or even demolition.What she discovered was that, even though different parts of the world have different strata systems, everyone has basically the same issues – defects, lack of communication within the blocks and with their committees and managers, selfish residents and lack of understanding of rights and responsibilities.One universal issue was the lack of concern for and communication with tenants, who are routinely locked out of information, decision-making and community activities.This, of course, is hugely ironic since renters make up more than half the residents of apartment blocks and are basically financing half the investment in strata homes (along with, in Australia, the subsidies provided by taxpayers via negative gearing).Hazel Easthope highlighted efforts in community building in Vancouver, with “street parties” and volunteer concierges, but she also talked about the problem of hijacked buildings in South Africa.There, in the “white flight” that followed the end of apartheid, luxury apartments in one of the posher parts of Johannesburg were abandoned by their owners, taken over by squatters, allowed to deteriorate with power cut off, affecting lifts, lights, sewerage and water supplies, and then criminal gangs moved in to “manage” them.The city council is trying to recover the buildings for paying renters but the problem is that with the majority of strata owners long gone, mostly overseas, there is no one to sign off on the legally required documents.And finally, she tells a funny but alarming story about what happened when two different companies were contracted to complete vital work on the same building.All in all, it’s a fascinating discussion about a very interesting book and you can hear it right here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-36-Easthope.mp3If you want to read Hazel Easthope's book in hardback, you can have it for a bargain price of 45 UK pounds (that’s 35 per cent off) from Edward Elgar publishing by going to www.e-elgar.com. Once the book is in your basket, enter “EAST35” in the discount code box (after delivery details). You can also sample the contents of the book there. This offer ends on September 31.Alternatively, you can get an online copy considerably cheaper by clicking on one of the ebook options on that page (but beware that the GooglePay option is in US dollars).To subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us...

Flat Chat Wrap #35 – Apartments go to the movies … and see more than they should

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 16:58:16 -0400

If you live in apartments for long enough it’s almost impossible not to catch a glimpse into other people’s lives. Most of us look away, hoping that the same courtesy will be afforded to us by anyone inadvertently seeing more than they should.But sometimes curiosity gets the better of us and an innocent, accidental glance turns into a look that lingers longer that it ought.OK that's understandable , but then there’s out and out voyeurism, when someone spends way too much time spying on their neighbours.It’s the latter that forms the theme of Rear Window, a movie that television historian Andrew Mercado and I discuss in the second part of our podcast about fictional apartment blocks in TV and film.Starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Rear Window turned 65 this month, its world premiere having been staged on August 4, 1954. Having watched it (again) last weekend, I can say it still stands the test of time.Stewart plays a news photographer temporarily confined to a wheelchair who amuses himself by watching the goings on in apartments across the alleyway, then becomes convinced he has witnessed a murder.The view, supposedly the back alley of a Greenwich Village, New York block, was actually a specially built set on Paramount studio’s movie lot in Hollywood. But if nothing else, the discussion brought home to me how your memory can play tricks on you.Firstly, I thought I’d never seen it before, but it all came back to me when I watched it again (on Foxtel, for $3.95). Then, as I say on the podcast, I envisaged Stewart looking through a telescope. In fact, it’s a camera with a telephoto lens.And finally, largely thanks to the publicity picture above, I was sure it was in in black and white but in was actually in glorious Technicolour (and well worth a look whether you’ve seen it before, or not).Andrew and I also talk about The Apartment (Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine) which seems very odd in these days of “me too”, since it centres around an office worker who feels obliged to lend his apartment to his boss so he (the boss) can have an affair with his secretary. See, back in the day, that’s what people thought apartments were for.Green Card, the movie directed by Peter Weir gets a mention which leads to a discussion about how some of the characters in TV sitcoms could afford to live in these huge apartments in New York.It’s a pretty wide-ranging chat and at least it lets us see another side to apartment living that isn’t under the cloud of defects and cladding.If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us.OTHER LINKS:You can also hear Andrew talking about television on his Mediaweek podcast HERE.Jimmy Thomson’s websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

PODCAST: When a look through a window lingers longer than it should

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 00:14:11 -0400

If you live in apartments for long enough, at some point you're bound to catch a glimpse into other people’s lives. Most of us look away, hoping that the same courtesy will be afforded to us by anyone inadvertently seeing more than they should.But sometimes curiosity gets the better of us and an innocent, accidental glance turns into a look that lingers longer that it ought.But then there’s out and out voyeurism, when someone spends way too much time spying on their neighbours.It’s the latter that forms the theme of Rear Window, a movie that television historian Andrew Mercado and I discuss in the second part of our podcast about fictional apartment blocks in TV and film.Starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly, and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Rear Window turned 65 this month, its world premiere having been staged on August 4, 1954. Having watched it (again) last weekend, I can say it still stands the test of time.Stewart plays a news photographer temporarily confined to a wheelchair who amuses himself by watching the goings on in apartments across the alleyway, then becomes convinced he has witnessed a murder.The view, supposedly the back alley of a Greenwich Village, New York block, was actually a specially built set on Paramount studio’s movie lot in Hollywood. But if nothing else, the discussion brought home to me how your memory can play tricks on you.Firstly, I thought I’d never seen it before, but it all came back to me when I watched it again (on Foxtel, for $3.95). Then, as I say on the podcast, I envisaged Stewart looking through a telescope. In fact, it’s a camera with a telephoto lens.And finally, largely thanks to the publicity picture above, I was sure it was in in black and white but in was actually in glorious Technicolour (and well worth a look whether you’ve seen it before, or not).Andrew and I also talk about The Apartment (Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine) which seems very odd in these days of “me too”, since it centres around an office worker who feels obliged to lend his apartment to his boss so he (the boss) can have an affair with his secretary. See, back in the day, that’s what people thought apartments were for.Green Card, the movie directed by Peter Weir gets a mention which leads to a discussion about how some of the characters in TV sitcoms could afford to live in these huge apartments in New York.It’s a pretty wide-ranging chat and at least it lets us see another side to apartment living that isn’t under the cloud of defects and cladding.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-chat-35-Screen-2.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subscribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify or wherever you download your podcasts. And if you like our podcasts, please leave us a rating - it helps people to find us.OTHER LINKS:You can also hear Andrew talking about television on his Mediaweek podcast HERE.Jimmy Thomson’s websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

Flat Chat Wrap #34 – Tall storeys: TV dramas set in apartment blocks

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 08:11:36 -0400

There’s so much doom and gloom around strata at the moment you feel you’re missing out if your apartment block isn’t on fire, falling down or both.So we’ve decided to lighten the load in this week’s podcast with a look at TV shows that were set in apartment blocks, especially Australian shows.And for that, there is no better person to sit at the Flat Chat microphone than producer, critic, writer, broadcaster, media podcaster and now cinema owner Andrew Mercado.Andrew is a total Number 96 geek, not least because he produced the TV doco Number 96 … The Final Years. So, once we’ve heard about the joys of cinema ownership, that’s where we start our discussion.It turns out that Number 96 was intended to be a vertical version of the UK’s Coronation St, which was very popular when the series was first devised by David Sale for Network 10 in 1972.Television history will show that it went way beyond that in terms of its content, characters and shockingly liberal use of nudity (certainly for the time).We then move on to my own show, Breakers – didn’t you know JimmyT was writing TV dramas before he ever typed a word about strata? – and how that fell foul of different censorship laws in Australia and the UK.In Australia at the time, TV stations could show PG-rated stuff in the afternoons when kids were at school, but in the UK, it was general release stuff during the afternoons, which caused a problem with the BBC who had bought the series.This was an issue because we had the first gay teenager as a permanent character in a teen soap (as well as the first Aboriginal kid as a permanent role).For his efforts to push the envelope, Jimmy was exposed in his former newspaper in Scotland as “The man who wants to bring under-age gay sex to afternoon TV.” Talk about fake news!Moving on, we chat about how the Secret Life of Us could have been shot in Sydney … and why it wasn’t.We look at Wonderland which Jimmy says was Breakers for grown-ups – partly because it was created by Sarah Walker, the senior writer on that show.Andrew reckons Wonderland was “too nice”, an opinion backed up by Sarah – who, by a weird coincidence, Jimmy bumped into the next day – who confirmed the network only wanted positive stories.Oh, and she denies it was Breakers for grown-ups; she says they were trying to make Sex and the City for Australia.And finally, we talk about The Heights, the serial drama set in a Housing Commission apartment block which, in their wisdom, the network commissioned as half-hours then decided to run in one-hour blocks complete with two sets of titles and credits.It’s still a very good show, Jimmy and Andrew agree, and they love the fact that you can binge on the whole series on iView.Having rambled on about TV for way too long, Andrew and Jimmy’s chat about the movies and American TV shows set in apartments will have to wait till next week.You can also hear Andrew talking about television and movies on his Mediaweek podcast HERE.OTHER LINKS:Jimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

LISTEN: TV dramas set in apartment blocks

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 22:21:56 -0400

There’s so much doom and gloom around strata at the moment you feel you’re missing out if your apartment block isn’t on fire, falling down or both.So we’ve decided to lighten the load in this week’s podcast with a look at TV shows and movies that were set in apartment blocks, especially Australian shows.And for that, there is no better person to sit at the Flat Chat microphone than producer, critic, writer, broadcaster, media podcaster and now cinema owner Andrew Mercado.Andrew is a total Number 96 geek, not least because he produced the TV doco Number 96 … The Final Years. So, once we’ve heard about the joys of cinema ownership, that’s where we start our discussion.It turns out that Number 96 was intended to be a vertical version of the UK’s Coronation St, which was very popular when the series was first devised by David Sale for Network 10 in 1972.Television history will show that it went way beyond that in terms of its content, characters and shockingly liberal use of nudity (certainly for the time).We then move on to my own show, Breakers – didn’t you know JimmyT was writing TV dramas before he ever typed a word about strata? – and how that fell foul of different censorship laws in Australia and the UK.In Australia at the time, TV stations could show PG-rated stuff in the afternoons when kids were at school, but in the UK, it was general release stuff during the afternoons, which caused a problem with the BBC who had bought the series.This was an issue because we had the first gay teenager as a permanent character in a teen soap (as well as the first Aboriginal kid as a permanent role).For his efforts to push the envelope, Jimmy was exposed in his former newspaper in Scotland as “The man who wants to bring under-age gay sex to afternoon TV.” Talk about fake news!Moving on, we chat about how the Secret Life of Us could have been shot in Sydney … and why it wasn’t.We look at Wonderland which Jimmy says was Breakers for grown-ups – partly because it was created by Sarah Walker, the senior writer on that show.Andrew reckons Wonderland was “too nice”, an opinion backed up by Sarah – who, by a weird coincidence, Jimmy bumped into the next day – who confirmed the network only wanted positive stories.Oh, and she denies it was Breakers for grown-ups; she says they were trying to make Sex and the City for Australia.And finally, we talk about The Heights, the serial drama set in a Housing Commission apartment block which, in their wisdom, the network commissioned as half-hours then decided to run in one-hour blocks complete with two sets of titles and credits.It’s still a very good show, Jimmy and Andrew agree, and they love the fact that you can binge on the whole series on iView.Having rambled on about TV for way too long, Andrew and Jimmy’s chat about the movies and American TV shows set in apartments will have to wait till next week.You can listen to the Flat Chat Wrap HERE:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-chat-34-Screen-1.mp3Or you can go here and listen on YoutubeIf you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Youtube. You can also subcribe on Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) or here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please leave us a rating - every little helps people to find us.You can also hear Andrew talking about television on his Mediaweek podcast HERE.OTHER LINKS:Jimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

Flat Chat Wrap #33 – Commercial tenants, caretakers versus Airbnb, and wandering pot plants

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 15:08:23 -0400

How would you feel if you suddenly had 50 to 100 strangers walking through your lobby every day, clogging up the lifts just when you are trying to get to work or when you come home?These are the fears raised by residents of two neighbouring buildings on Sydney’s North Shore (and discussed in our podcast) where the very loosely defined approval for commercial development inside a residential building means that, in one instance, what was intended to be a gym looks like it’s going to be an open plan office, while a similar fate awaits what was supposed to be half a dozen separate small business attracting very little foot traffic.You can read the whole story by following the link to Sue Willams story at the end but it got us talking about whether owners corporations (bodies corporate) have the right to decide what kind of businesses occupy the commercial spaces in their buildings – and should they have that right if they don’t?Also in the podcast, JimmyT hops into two of his hobby horses in one discussion when he chats about a phenomenon detected in Queensland where Airbnb is apparently undermining the viability of some on-site caretaker managers.Just to recap, the pre-sale of onsite management rights is something that Jimmy frequently describes as legalised corruption. Illegal everywhere else in Australia, it’s a grubby cash grab in the Queensland law that allows developers to sell the management rights to as-yet unbuilt apartment blocks.That means the eventual owners not only have no say in the terms and conditions of the contracts, which can be for 25 years, they are obliged to pay inflated levies to cover the cost of the purchase.However, recent changes in strata law in Queensland mean that owners are no longer obliged to go through the on-site caretakers when they want to rent their properties to holidaymakers.Enter Airbnb which not only takes a much lower cut of the rent, it allows the owners to rent their properties to whomever they want. Now, Jimmy has been a long-standing critic of Airbnb commercial set-ups in residential buildings but this, he says, may be a rare case of two wrongs making a right. In any case, holiday rentals have long been part of the strata scene in Queensland so it's not like they are turning purely residential blocks into hotels.And finally we have the sad case of a stolen pot plant, as reported in our Forum. Sue, who tends to see the best in people has some interesting thoughts on how a residents’ cleaner could be seen taking a pot plant from common property and get away with it.Jimmy blames the cleaner’s employer. How could that work? For that you’ll need to listen to the podcast which is also available on YoutubeOTHER LINKSSue’s story on the commercial blocksJimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

PODCAST: Space invaders, Airbnb v caretakers and purloined pot plants

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 05:45:07 -0400

How would you feel if you suddenly had 50 to 100 strangers walking through your lobby every day, clogging up the lifts just when you are trying to get to work or when you come home?These are the fears raised by residents of two neighbouring buildings on Sydney’s North Shore (and discussed in our podcast) where the very loosely defined approval for commercial development inside a residential building means that, in one instance, what was intended to be a gym looks like it’s going to be an open plan office, while a similar fate awaits what was supposed to be half a dozen separate small business attracting very little foot traffic.You can read the whole story by following the link at the end but it got us talking about whether owners corporations (bodies corporate) have the right to decide what kind of businesses occupy the commercial spaces in their buildings – and should they have that right if they don’t?Also in the podcast, JimmyT gets on two of his hobby horses in one discussion when he chats about a phenomenon detected in Queensland where Airbnb is apparently undermining the viability of some on-site caretaker managers.Just to recap, the pre-sale of onsite management rights is something that Jimmy frequently describes as legalised corruption.Illegal everywhere else in Australia, it’s a grubby cash grab in the law that allows developers to sell the management rights to as-yet unbuilt apartment blocks.That means the eventual owners not only have no say in the terms and conditions of the contracts, which can be for 25 years, they are obliged to pay inflated levies to cover the cost of the purchase.However, recent changes in strata law in Queensland mean that owners are no longer obliged to go through the on-site caretakers when they want to rent their properties out to holidaymakers.Enter Airbnb which not only takes a much lower cut of the rent, it allows the owners to rent their properties to whomever they want. Now, Jimmy has been a long-standing critic of Airbnb commercial set-ups in residential buildings but this, he says, may be a rare case of two wrongs making a right.And finally we have the sad case of a stolen pot plant, as reported in our Forum. Sue, who tends to see the best in people has some interesting thoughts on how a residents’ cleaner could be seen taking a pot plant from common property and get away with it.Jimmy blames the cleaner’s employer. How could that work? For that you’ll need to listen to the podcast.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-33-Commercial-share.mp3And it’s also available on YouTube.OTHER LINKSSue’s story on the commercial blocksJimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

Time we had a Tripadvisor for unit block builders?

Sat, 20 Jul 2019 18:10:12 -0400

With defects on the minds of everyone in the apartment world, there’s a whole lot of finger pointing going on.Developers are saying engineers should be certified, strata owners say developers should be certified, and some people say anyone thinking of buying an apartment should be certified (but not in the same way).But it makes you wonder, when everything in our lives has some kind of rating, why don’t the people behind the biggest single purchases most of us will ever make have to compete for consumer credibility?You decide to go on holiday and before you’ve even checked the price of flights, you are scouring Tripadvisor to see how other travellers rate the hotels where you’re thinking of staying.You need a new kettle and you go to internet comparison sites looking for the fastest, quietest or funkiest appliances which, after all, are only required to boil water.Whitegoods have star ratings based on their energy usage (or lack thereof). Restaurants, airlines, consumer goods, cars, credit cards and insurance – they all get some sort of rating. So why not apartment blocks, developers and builders?Don't miss our podcast on this - Click HereOkay, for a start, would they accept the opinions of non-industry assessors? And if not, how valuable would their self-assessment be?To answer to that, we should look at what star ratings do for that other essential – food.A few years ago the food industry effectively hijacked the consumer advice system intended to indicate the relative health values of foods.That would explain why a certain breakfast cereal, which would rate just over one star on a sensible system, currently gets four stars out of five.That’s also why packaging confusingly reveals what percentage of your estimated daily calorie intake a portion of the food represents, rather than clearly telling you how many calories, fat and sugar it contains.What does this have to do with apartment blocks? If history is anything to go by, our state governments will develop amnesia about how we got into this mess –developers hiring their choice of certifiers who approved their substandard buildings – and let the industry set its own rules.Expect to hear shameless equivocation as the pollies explain how the people best placed to fix the problem are those who caused it.Okay, yes, there are plenty of good, honest developers who’d rather chew concrete than knowingly build substandard homes.But where have they been for the past 20 years while confidence in their industry has been eroded by cowboys and chancers? Talk about a conspiracy of silence!So here’s a plan for proper consumer protections: a star ratings system. We start by wiping the slate clean, with every developer and builder getting three silver stars.However, every time they fail to rectify defects, and they lose in court or at a tribunal, they also lose a star.And every year that they survive without a significant legal challenge over defects, they gain one, graduating from silver to gold as their reputation for excellence and integrity is enhanced.Eventually, you will have a seven-tier star rating that ranges from no stars to three gold stars, which will become as valuable to developers and builders – and consumers – as chefs hats are to restaurants.I hear whispers that the Owners Corporation Network – the peak body for apartment owners – is considering introducing some kind of Choice-like ratings system.They’d better move fast before the industry’s own star scheme is wheeled in, carrying all the integrity, credibility and social value of a reality TV dating show.A version of this column first appeared in the Australian Financial Review.

Flat Chat Wrap #32 – Time we had a star rating for the best and worst developers and builders

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 10:29:00 -0400

In this week's Podcast, Jimmy Thomson and Sue Williams discuss why it is that we can get ratings and comparisons for just about everything we buy ... except the largest purchase most of us will ever make. And they float the idea of people being given (and losing) a licence to live in strata.We have a friend called Royce who wouldn’t buy so much as a toothbrush without checking online to see if it was the best design (at the best price) for his specific dental needs. He is so notorious for his exhaustive product checking that our group of friends refers to the process as “Roycing”.For instance, you say you’re thinking of buying a particular brand of new TV and someone says “Oh, have you Royced it?”We were reminded about that this week, after my piece in last weekend’s Australian Financial Review about how to avoid buying an apartment with built-in problems, when we realised there is no independent ratings system for apartment blocks, builders or developers.So in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, journalist and author Sue Williams and I ask why it is that you can go online and get people’s opinions of hotels and resorts on websites like Tripadvisor (and others), but you can’t get any unbiased, independent reviews of developers, builders and even apartment blocks.That segued into our chat about how a star rating might work. We think you could start with everyone getting three stars, which they could lose by poor service and bad behaviour, and gain by just providing a decent service. We’re not talking about losing points for having a building with defects – it’s more about how they deal with the defects once they have been discovered.If a developer compels their apartment owners to take them to court, and then they lose the case, that’s a silver star gone immediately.On the other hand, if they have a good record of dealing with owners’ issues, in a timely and reasonable fashion, those silver stars turn gold. Could it work? Yes, but, to be honest, we are more likely to have some half-cocked voluntary code of conduct foisted on us.But all that chat about bad actors on the developer and builder side, got us talking about a similar system for strata residents. We came up with the idea of a licence to live in strata, which everyone got for free as soon as they signed up to rent or buy, but then lost points – and eventually the ability to live in strata completely – if they turned out to be antisocial pains in the ass.Moving on, Sue told us about the giant loophole in strata law that means you can get orders issued by NCAT but then they don’t have the power to enforce them if the subject of the order just ignores themWe also talked about who pays the power bills when residents put their own washing machines and dryers in common property laundries.And we discussed residents who own more cars than parking spots, who permanently use visitor parking as atheir own. Should you crack down on them, even when there’s plenty of visitor parking to spare?Or is it, to use that phrase beloved of lawyers around the world, “a matter of principle”?That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-32-Ratings.mp3And it’s also available on YouTube.OTHER LINKSJimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

PODCAST: A star rating system for developers, builders … and residents

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 00:36:05 -0400

We have a friend called Royce who wouldn’t buy so much as a toothbrush without checking online to see if it was the best design (at the best price) for his specific dental needs. He is so notorious for his exhaustive product checking that our group of friends refers to the process as “Roycing”.For instance, you say you’re thinking of buying a particular brand of new TV and someone says “Oh, have you Royced it?”We were reminded about that this week, after my piece in last weekend’s Australian Financial Review about how to avoid buying an apartment with built-in problems, when we realised there is no independent ratings system for apartment blocks, builders or developers.So in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap, journalist and author Sue Williams and I ask why it is that you can go online and get people’s opinions of hotels and resorts on websites like Tripadvisor (and others), but you can’t get any unbiased, independent reviews of developers, builders and even apartment blocks.That segued into our chat about how a star rating might work. We think you could start with everyone getting three stars, which they could lose by poor service and bad behaviour, and gain by just providing a decent service.We’re not talking about losing points for having a building with defects – it’s more about how they deal with the defects once they have been discovered.If a developer compels their apartment owners to take them to court, and then they lose the case, that’s a silver star gone immediately.On the other hand, if they have a good record of dealing with owners’ issues, in a timely and reasonable fashion, those silver stars turn gold.Could it work? Yes, but, to be honest, we are more likely to have some half-cocked voluntary code of conduct foisted on us. You can read more on this HERE.But all that chat about bad actors on the developer and builder side, got us talking about a similar system for strata residents.We came up with the idea of a licence to live in strata, which everyone got for free as soon as they signed up to rent or buy, but then lost points – and eventually the ability to live in strata completely – if they turned out to be antisocial pains in the ass.Moving on, Sue told us about the giant loophole in strata law that means you can get orders issued by NCAT but then they don’t have the power to enforce them if the subject of the order just ignores themWe also talked about who pays the power bills when residents put their own washing machines and dryers in common property laundries.And we discussed residents who own more cars than parking spots, who permanently use visitor parking as atheir own. Should you crack down on them, even when there’s plenty of visitor parking to spare?Or is it, to use that phrase beloved of lawyers around the world, “a matter of principle”?That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-32-Ratings.mp3And it’s also available on YouTube.OTHER LINKSJimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams websiteJimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

Flat Chat Wrap #31 – Tip of the defects iceberg and why it’s such a massive problem

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 14:43:35 -0400

In this week’s episode of the Flat Chat Wrap we look at the revelation that the Opal and Mascot towers “disasters” are just the tip of a very large apartment block defects iceberg.Jimmy Thomson and Sue Williams have been writing about apartment block defects – and other, happier apartment-related issues – for more than 15 years.In this episode of the Flat Chat Wrap, Sue recalls the time more than a decade ago that a feature on defects almost cost her job, when a property writer with a close personal relationship with a developer, saw her expose on apartment block defects and called her friend.The developer called the editor and threatened to pull all their advertising if the story went ahead. The editor caved in. Sue offered her resignation but it was turned down (although she is now a freelance working mostly for other publications).That’s just part of the reason that the whole grubby business of building defects, government lack of interest (to the point almost of collusion) and corporate cover-ups have led to the point we are at now where ordinary people don’t know for sure whether or not their apartment is going to have serious building problems at some point.This episode looks at two of the root causes of the problem – phoenixing and lack of “duty of care” and how they can, together, leave apartment owners with little or no consumer protection.Phoenixing is when a development company builds an apartment block and then goes into liquidation when the claims for defect rectification come in. However, a similar company with similar or identical directors can then rise from the ashes of the previous entity and do the same thing over and over again.“Duty of care” or the lack of it relates to a legal precedent established last year that said builders only have a responsibility to apartment block developers, not to the people who bought the apartments.One of the legal arguments was that they couldn’t have contract responsibility to the apartment owners through their owners’ corporation (body corporate) since that body didn’t exist when the contracts were signed.So you can see, remove the developer (who has gone into voluntary liquidation), and the apartment owner is left high and dry.NSW is planning to create the position of Building Commissioner to deal with these and other problems, including the certification of engineers and developers. We’ll be watching with interest to see how that pans out.On a happier note, Sue has also been looking at the winners of the NSW Architecture Awards and some of the innovative designs that caught the judges’ eyes.LINKS:SMH feature on defectsSue Williams on Architecture awardsFlat Chat WebsiteJimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams website Jimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

PODCAST: When defect disaster warnings were covered up

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 07:08:15 -0400

In this week’s episode of the Flat Chat Wrap we look at the claims that the Opal and Mascot towers “disasters” are just the tip of a very large apartment block defects iceberg.This comes as no surprise to JimmyT and Sue Williams, who have been writing about apartment block defects – and other, happier apartment-related issues – for almost two decades, meeting a response that ranged from complete lack of interest to virtual censorship.In this episode of the Flat Chat Wrap, Sue recalls the time 15 years ago that a hard news feature on defects almost cost her job, when a (then) property writer saw her newspaper expose on apartment block defects and called a developer mate to warn him.The developer called the editor and threatened to pull all the company's advertising if the story went ahead. The editor caved in. Sue offered her resignation but it was turned down (she is now a freelance writer and author, mostly working for another publication).That’s just part of the reason that the whole grubby business of building defects, government lack of interest (to the point almost of collusion) and corporate cover-ups have led to the situation we are in now where ordinary people live with the fear that their apartment is going to have serious building problems at some point.This podcast looks at two of the root causes of the problem – phoenixing and lack of “duty of care” and how they can, together, leave apartment owners with little or no consumer protection.Phoenixing is when a development company builds an apartment block and then goes into liquidation when the claims for defect rectification come in (if not before). However, a similar company with similar or identical directors can then rise from the ashes of the previous entity and do the same thing over and over again.“Duty of care” or the lack of it relates to a legal precedent established last year that said builders only have a responsibility to apartment block developers, not to the people who bought the apartments.One of the legal arguments was that they couldn’t have contract responsibility to the apartment owners through their owners’ corporation (body corporate) since that body didn’t exist when the contracts were signed.So you can see, remove the developer (who has gone into voluntary liquidation), and the apartment owner is left high and dry.NSW is planning to create the position of Building Commissioner to deal with these and other problems, including the certification of engineers and developers. We’ll be watching with interest to see how that pans out.On a happier note, Sue has also been looking at the winners of the NSW Architecture Awards and some of the innovative designs that caught the judges’ eyes. That's all in theis week's Flat Chat Wrap:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-31-Tip-of-the-iceberg.mp3And on Youtube HERE:OTHER LINKS:SMH feature on defectsSue Williams on Architecture awardsJimmy Thomson’s websiteSue Williams website Jimmy’s Australian Financial Review columns

Flat Chat Wrap #30 – Three kinds of insurance and a few facts that will shock you

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 11:52:51 -0400

Jimmy Thomson investigates four different kinds of insurance (including Airbnb) and why telling one little white lie about whether or not you were allowed to have short-term letting in your apartment could invalidate your cover.He's joined by Steve Tchepak, Acting Head of Underwriting at our sponsors CHU Insurance.

Podcast: Everything you never knew about strata insurance

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 03:00:29 -0400

One of the big questions around the recent Mascot Tower problems was why didn't the building insurance kick in, rather than the state government having to bail the owners corporation out with emergency funding.The simple answer is that it looked very much like a building defect and that's not covered by ordinary strata insurance. So what is strata insurance - the compulsory one that covers the building and the common property, and is paid for by the Owners Corporation - and what does it cover?There are a lot of questions and more than a few surprising answers around strata insurance. Did you know that strata insurance also covers the fixtures and fitings in your apartment? Do you know what those fixtures and fittings are? Did you know that you can apply for a payout from strata insurance yourself, even if your strata committee or strata manager refuses to pass on the claim? Do you know what landlord insurance is, and what it covers? Why is it that if you go directly to the strata insurer (rather than a strata manager or broker) you don't get a discount equivalent to their commission? Does changing a garage into a habitable room change the building insurance? Can you get Airbnb insurance for your flat? What would you need to do to have your insurance invalidated? (Clue: it would have to be something really bad or dishonest).All these questions and more are answered by our guest in this week's podcast, Steve Tchepak from our sponsors CHU Insurance. Enjoy.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-30-Insurance.mp3And the podcast is also available on Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYuceKMkp8Y

Flat Chat Wrap #29 – the great Mascot Tower giveaway … and what it means about cladding

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 14:18:56 -0400

Confronted by images of residents of Mascot Tower evacuating the building, the NSW government has moved relatively swiftlly to plug the accommodation gap with a loan to the Owners Corporation to cover the cost of emergency billets for the owners and renters.As JimmyT and Sue Williams discuss in this week's podcast, the state government's loan may never have to be paid back, because they think they know what (and who) caused the structural damage and it's eminently possible it wasn't building defects.And even if it does turn out to be defects - and the block is well out of warranties - the loan may never have to be paid back "at the government's discretion."Meanwhile we ask, if you can find money to rehouse evacuees (quite rightly), what about all the people facing massive bills to remediate flammable cladding which is only on buildings, risking life and limb, because of the slack attitudes of a procession of governments in this state.You're happy to take our stamp duty - how about offering us some protections? That's all in this week's podcast ... and more.

PODCAST: Mascot Tower sinking but residents kept afloat by loans

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 10:29:57 -0400

This week in the Podcast we look at the Mascot Tower story and the apparently generous offer by Fair Trading to bankroll emergency accommodation for residents.They are saying it’s a one-off, as they must. If NSW Fair Trading let it be known that they were in the market for payouts to help people with building defects, the queues of the duped and dudded would be longer than the lines for the new iPhone.The interesting aspect of all this is that Fair Trading are saying that the Mascot Tower may be crumbling but there is every chance that it isn’t defective - it just wasn't designed to have its foundations undermined.With engineers claiming it is literally sinking, they may have a point. Experts are already looking closely at a building site next door.Another theory gaining a lot of ground is that other developments in the area haven’t taken into account the relatively high water table – the level of water beneath the surface of the ground – and that has, literally, undermined the foundations of the Mascot.To put this another way, the Mascot Tower could have been perfectly adequate and built to code, but then other building work in the area changed the environment in a way with which it was not designed to cope.Another theory is that all new buildings in the area were designed to allow for this but some of them weren’t built to their approved design, and that has had a knock-on effect.Whatever the reason, it could well be that the residents of the Mascot will not have to pay the expected millions of dollars required to fix their block, because the authorities have other builders and developers in their sights.But there is another aspect to this. Stories are already doing the rounds that nobody trusts - or should trust - apartment buildings. That is bad news for Better Regulation Minister Kevin Anderson. He says there's a crisis of confidence in the apartment duilding industry, which is palpably true. He can only hope that there's not a crisis of construction.All of this and lot more – including what this means (if anything) to buildings with flammable cladding – are discussed in this week’s podcast.Now, don’t get too excited, but our Flat Chat podcast listens quietly sneaked past the 10,000 mark last weekend.How significant is that? I don’t know but any figure with four zeroes gets my attention. So Yaaaay for us!OK, enough of the wild celebration, you can listen to the latest podcast here …https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-29-Mascot-loans.mp3And now it’s on Youtube, too:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a73XqF4w4AoIf you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher). And please leave us a rating ... especially if you like the podcasts.

Flat Chat Wrap #28 – Residents out on the street as another Faulty Tower crumbles

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 15:10:00 -0400

Residents of the 130-plus apartments in the Mascot Tower apartment block in Sydney's South were evacuated over the weekend when cracks in walls and supporting beams suddenly widened. JimmyT and Sue Williams discuss what this means for the residents of this block and all the others built in Sydney to the same standards around the same time. And they come up with a proposal to at least stem the waves of panic and confusion the next time this happens as, they say, it surely will ...

PODCAST: Mascot Tower crisis brings defects closer to home

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 07:41:48 -0400

For obvious reasons, our podcast this week is about the Mascot Tower crisis. We recorded the podcast before we were aware of the story in today's Financial Review revealing that the developer and builder of the property next door, as well as the local council, were already facing legal action because of disturbance caused by the construction of another residential tower in the adjoining lot.Anyway, our podcast explores a number of other issues, including what we can do to prevent this from happening again, and what we should do when it inevitably does.You can listen to the podcast just by clicking the play button. And if you prefer to read, a lightly edited transcript of the podcast is further down the page. Enjoy!If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it’s completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher). And please leave us a rating … especially if you like the podcasts.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-28-Mascot.mp3PODCAST #28 - A TranscriptJIMMY: Cracks appear in another apartment block in Sydney and residents are evacuated at the last minute. What can we do to stop a crisis turning into a catastrophe? I'm Jimmy Thomson. I write the flat chat column in the Fin Review and edit the Flat Chat website ..SUE: And I'm Sue Williams, journalist and author.JIMMY: And this is the Flat Chat Wrap.MUSICJIMMY: Okay, Sue. We just had another example of of cracks appearing in a building. People turfed out onto the street, not able to take their belongings or their their pets or whatever. What do we do? What's happening? What's going on?SUE: It's horrendous that this could happen again, isn't it, so close to Opal Tower? It's just unthinkable, but then it makes you think that how many other blocks are there, with cracks, waiting to be discovered as well.JIMMY: Well, when you think about it, the government is saying, oh, we're going to tighten regulations, which they said they were going to do after Opal, but even if they had, even if they’d brought in their building commissioner that they're talking about, would it really have made any difference? I don't think so. This was always going to happen when it was going to happen.SUE: Right. It's very difficult to say because I guess the inquiry hasn't found out exactly what the problems are yet. They haven't discovered who is responsible? It's always hard when you've got developers using subcontractors, you know, are they actually supervising them well enough and they probably aren't. One has to think, and at a time we've got so much self certification, that seems to be a huge issue as well.JIMMY: Well, certainly at the time this was built, back in the bad old days when the developers were allowed to choose their certifier. If they knew what was good for them, the certifiers wouldn't not certify a building. We can't assume that's what happened in this case. We shouldn't assume anything really until more investigation has been done. My theory is that the combination of possibly poor building, possibly the building next door has been blamed and it's sitting over the airport railway line. So there's constant rumbling of trains underneath. I don't know if they even hear them, but you know all these tiny little things, it's the butterfly beats its wings on the Amazon and it causes a storm.SUE: So no, that's right. But in the meantime you, you've got to feel terribly sorry for the owners and the tenants who kind of been left in limbo really not knowing what's going to happen. Obviously the tenants having to pay rent to live in places elsewhere, owners who were living there or having to find alternative accommodation. This is a terrible situation in the 21st century in Sydney and if we get a reputation for our buildings crumbling,

Flat Chat Wrap #27 – Ghost towers, cladding costs and power games

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 18:47:36 -0400

This week, JimmyT and Sue Williams discuss the brand new empty flats that investors are "warehousing" - keeping them locked up and unlived in - until the property market improves.Then there's the new report about the massive costs facing owners in buildings with flammable cladding - and why our state governments need to do more to help owners..And finally a look at people who get elected to their strata committees for all the worst reasons.Please enjoy ... share ... like ... subscribe.

Podcast: Ghost flats a huge tax break … with added James Valentine

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 10:48:24 -0400

Since our last podcast took us to Russia, we thought we’d stay a lot closer to home with this week’s.A story in the Australian newspaper caught our eye, concerning growing signs that investors are prepared to mothball their brand-new, off-the-plan apartments.Rather than put their units on the market when both rents and property prices are in a downward spiral, some investors are locking them up until prospects improve.How can this make financial sense? Well, it may be a massive and totally legal tax dodge.If they have zero income, through no rent, and it isn't their home (because no one lives there) then they are going to make maximum bucks on their negative gearing. All their costs like rates and levies can be set against their other income.Not only that, they may also receive huge tax breaks on various aspects of depreciation, all the time the apartment is sitting gathering value when the market starts to turn.According to property depreciation experts Washington Brown, purchasers of an $850,000 unit could save $135,000 in depreciation allowances in ten years.Now, I’m no tax expert but, even assuming it takes five years for the market to get back to where it was, adding depreciation and negative gearing allowances, and taking into account average sized levies, the ghost apartment owner could save about $100,000 in tax breaks in that time.And then in five years, he or she has a brand new apartment to sell or rent at something approaching the value they paid for – and all for doing nothing except switch off the lights.It’s a gamble but not as much as it seems at first.Meanwhile, our state government supports the idea of scrapping negative gearing. Wonder how they’ll feel about tax breaks encouraging investors to shutter new homes that should be available for families.By the way, Sue Williams and I don’t even get to the tax issue in our podcast, but we do discuss the social and economic implications for all the people who actually live in these “ghost” blocks.You can hear it here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-27-Ghost-towers.mp3And if you missed my monthly session with James Valentine this week, you can hear that HERE.If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher) and here on Spotify. And if you like the podcasts, please leave us a rating - every little helps people to find us.

Reasons why you should – and shouldn’t – get elected to your committee

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 03:25:18 -0400

Do you ever get the urge to stand for election to your strata committee? Are you convinced you could do a better job than the existing members? Do you want to join but keep being frozen out at the AGM?Our colleague Sue Williams has written a piece for The Sydney Morning Herald’s Domain section on whether or not you should join your strata committee.The answer to that question, by the way, is yes … and no.You can read Sue’s piece HERE.Meanwhile, here are our five reasons you should join your committee … and five reasons you really shouldn’t.FIVE GOOD REASONS TO JOIN YOUR STRATA COMMITTEE You want to do your bit for the community.Yes, we live in an age when being called a “good citizen” is almost an insult, but if strata living is going to work, it has to be more “one for all and all for one”, than every man or woman for themselves. You have valuable skills to offerAre you an accountant, interior designer, trained mediator, lawyer, architect, builder, tradie or possess any of the other many skill sets that might be useful in a strata scheme?Yes, the owners corp could contract any of these jobs out to paid professionals, but even if they do, isn’t it great to have someone on the inside looking out. If you have knowledge, skills and experience, why not share them with your neighbours? You see problems (and know how to fix them)The second part of that headline is probably the most important. It’s all very well to be able to spot issues that need fixing, but it’s a whole other thing to know what the fix is.Although there’s a lot to be said for getting people to agree that there is a problem – a major hurdle in many strata schemes – but if you have a solution, that’s gold! You have the time and energyIt’s one of the truisms of strata that the very people you want on your committee are often too busy earning the money to pay their mortgages to come home and dive into an avalanche of emails and meetings.But if you have the time and energy as well as the inclination, go for it. If you don’t, someone who has neither will. You want to learnMaybe you are new to strata and, far from thinking you have all the answers, you don’t even know half of the questions. That’s OK. Strata is full of know-alls who haven’t even read their own by-laws, let alone looked at the strata Act or Regulations.So join in with an open mind, listen more than you speak and read everything there is to read so that you can contribute effectively now and into the future. AND FIVE BAD REASONS FOR GETTING ELECTED … Pursuing your own agendaIt could be as simple as wanting to make sure your planned renovations go through or a desire to make sure levies are kept to an absolute minimum, regardless of the long-term needs of the building.In the first instance, at the very least while you are making sure you get approval for the spa bath on your balcony (but doing nothing else) you could be keeping someone who has a genuine contribution to make from sitting on the committee.At worst, your own financial concerns could be eroding the value of everyone else’s unit. OK, you’re on a fixed income; OK, you’re not intending to sell any time soon so property values are of no interest to you.But blocking sensible and essential expenditure just to save yourself a few dollars, is just a wee bit selfish, isn’t it? Keeping an eye on thingsSo you are a self-appointed StrataKop monitoring every decision, are you? You’re going through agendas and minutes with a forensic eye for detail, holding up every discussion with a demand for further explanation and investigation?If that’s you, unless your committee has been getting away with all sorts of corrupt and damaging behaviour, you are probably not helping. Even worse, you are occupying a seat that might have been taken by someone with more positive intent.Maybe it’s time to start building bridges rather than barriers.

PODCAST: Apartment living in the new Russia … and a $120K email

Thu, 30 May 2019 08:11:19 -0400

A big chunk of this week's podcast is taken up with discussing how worried we should be about the defamation case taken by the chairman of a small strata building in Manly (you can read all about it here), and what that means to those of us who like nothing more than firing off angry emails to vent our spleen at the powers that be in our apartment blocks.But before that, our regular correspondent Sue Williams has just returned from a trip to Russia where apartment living is much more common than here - but is a very different experience.And off air we were told a story that might explain why President Vladimir Putin is so popular in Russia today.Back in the days before the fall of the USSR, everybody in Russian cities lived rent free in admittedly tiny apartments provided by the government. People were not allowed to own property as that went against Russian Communist principles.After the fall in 1991, people were basically given the flat they lived in, to own. But then the criminal gangs started moving in and residents were told they'd be given a house in the outskirts of the cities, or somewhere else entirely, but they had to give their city flat to the mobsters. Those who refused often met a grisly fate.Enter Former KGB chief Putin, who rode to power in 1999 on the back of a tough law and order program. Ruthless and resourceful, he was able to turn the gangsters' fear tactics back on them and suddenly Russian people were no longer afraid of being thrown out of their own homes.Now, what has happened since that is that Putin, according to some observers, has reached an understanding with the higher echelons of the "Vory" as the Russian Mafia is often known, that as long as they don't represent a threat to the state, they can go about their nefarious business - although the low-level criminals will still be investigated and prosecuted when a case can be made.But in the meantime, President Putin has the undying gratitude of his people who can turn a blind eye to the excesses of the super-rich oligarchs because they feel safe, resulting in a 75 per cent vote in favour at the last Russian election.Whether or not that story is entirely true is worthy of some conjecture, but the fact that many Russians love Putin because they see him as the tough guy who made them feel safer explains a lot - including why Donald Trump is so keen to get himself some of that Putin magic.You can hear Sue Williams impressions of what it's like to live in an apartment in Russia in this week's podcast. By the way, subscribers to our podcasts will have received this a couple of days ago (partly because I am writing this from a little town three hours out of Tokyo).If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher). And please leave us a rating ... especially if you like the podcasts.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-26-Russia.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #26 – From Russia with love and the $120k insulting email

Tue, 28 May 2019 04:51:44 -0400

Jimmy Thomson and Sue Williams discuss apartment living in the new Russia and the email exchange that cost a Manly tenant $120,000 in a defamation case.

Flat Chat Wrap #25 – Working out what to do and what you need in your gym

Tue, 21 May 2019 06:45:12 -0400

JimmyT and fitness trainer Shannon Cleary discuss what works and what doesn't in apartment block gyms ... and what to do if you don't have one.

PODCAST: Working out how to make the most of your unit block gym

Tue, 21 May 2019 02:41:53 -0400

Our article this week about the fabulous Parker rental apartment complex in Alexandria, Washington DC, got me thinking about the facilities that are intended to entice us to buy and rent in apartment blocks.One popular item is a gym – but that word covers a multitude of sins. It could be a fabulous, state-of-the-art facility that would grace any five-star hotel.Or it could be an airless converted store room with neglected and clapped out equipment that’s occasionally augmented by the “donation” of some cheap and useless gear that someone has bought on late-night TV and immediately regretted doing so.So I spoke to residential personal trainer and group fitness instructor Shannon Cleary about what equipment every apartment block gym should have.But it soon became evident that having the latest equipment is not the highest priority.Space to stretch and work dynamically on free-weights might be more valuable than a bank of treadmills, for instance.But the main point she made was that it doesn’t matter what you have in your gym if no one uses it … and uses it properly.A case in point, according to Shannon, is the good old rowing machine. This is a great piece of kit for an all-round work-out: legs, core, arms and heart – if you know what you’re doing.“So many people just have no idea how to use it properly,” she says. So we have put in a link to a Youtube video (below) so you can see how its done.But first, listen to our podcast. And if that doesn’t inspire you to get down to your gym … or even just go for a walk … nothing will.Hey, you can do both – listen to the podcast while you’re working out. Have fun.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-25-Shannon-2.mp3If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher). And please leave us a rating ... especially if you like the podcasts.Now, here's the video on how to use a rowing machine properly:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0r_ZPXJLtg

Flat Chat Wrap #24: Silly by-laws to orgies – a strata manager speaks

Tue, 14 May 2019 15:38:05 -0400

JimmyT talks to Tim Sara, a senior manager at one of Australia's biggest strata management companies - and reveals both the light and dark side of a challenging career.

PODCAST: Silly by-laws to sex orgies – a strata manager reveals all

Tue, 14 May 2019 07:19:07 -0400

When Flat Chat started about 15 years ago, strata managers were (we thought) public enemy number one. And it’s more than likely the feeling was mutual.We won’t go into a rehearsal of why that was, suffice it to say that things have changed … a lot.The industry has become more professional, standards have been raised and the quality of service – and mutual respect between strata managers and you, their clients – has gone up by leaps and bounds.OK, there are still some rogues out there and Fair Trading is pathetically weak when it comes to the tiny minority that gives the rest of the industry the lingering taint of a bad name.To date, I don’t think there has ever been a single strata manager who has been “struck off” for being really crap at their job.But this week, let’s not dwell on the negative when there are so many positives. In the podcast, I have long chat with Tim Sara – one of the senior strata managers with Strata Choice.Tim talks about the major challenges facing owners corporations, the successes he’s enjoyed and the disappointments he’s endured.He discusses why he thinks all committee members should be given a checklist of things they really should know and why office-bearers should be required to take some compulsory training if they want to stay in place after a couple of years.He talks about the difference between managing a large block where most people have never lived in strata before, compared to a small but dysfunctional one, where everybody has entrenched views (which would you choose?).He explains why he thinks strata committee members should be paid for their work (but only if they’ve had some sort of training) and what owners should do as soon as they move into their new block.He has some scathing opinions about NCAT and the “luck of the draw” when you take a complaint there.And, he gives a completely different impression of what the new breed of strata managers are like, especially compared to the “bad old days”.Have a listen. It's very enlightening and a lot of fun.If you want to subscribe to the Flat Chat Wrap and get new episodes as soon as they are posted (it's completely free!), click on this link for iPHONE and IPAD and this one for Castbox (our favourite Podcatcher). And please leave us a rating ... especially if you like the podcasts.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-24-Strata-Manager-tells-all.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #23 – Airbnb code of conduct, developers go “crowd” and a horse in a townhouse (???)

Tue, 07 May 2019 18:21:06 -0400

Jimmy T and Sue Williams explore the latest developments in the strataverse ... and come up with some very odd stories indeed.

Podcast: Angst as Airbnb code of conduct flagged

Tue, 07 May 2019 08:26:59 -0400

A strange thing happened on the Flat Chat Statcounter a few weeks ago. Statcounter is the software that tells us how many people are reading the website … (more than 4000 a week, if you must know, and still growing)Anyway, there was a whole bunch of searches from the NSW Department of Energy and the Environment, which sounds as Orwellianly conflicted as a Department of Peace and Arms Sales, to me. But what do I know?I definitely don’t know why the Department of E and E would even be remotely interested in Flat Chat … certainly to the extent of reading page after page on the website.I mean, we are as into the environment as anyone, and apartment blocks do use energy (quite a lot, if truth be told). But we wouldn’t be anyone’s first call for advice about either of the Es.A couple of days later, all was revealed. Former strata minister Matt Kean had been promoted to Minister for Es and, presumably, someone in his new department had been Googling his name to find out what he was like (as any sane person would).I’m afraid to say Minister Kean featured in these columns a little more often than he’d have liked, given the content of the pieces, so his new staff may have ended up with a non-impartial view of their incoming boss.Anyway, he's strata history and we have put a call into his successor, Kevin Anderson, for an introductory chat, albeit to no avail. We assume he is too busy juggling the various poisoned chalices that he has inherited as Innovation and Better Regulation Minister.One of those contentious issues is the Code of Conduct for short-term holiday lets – or Airbnb Rules, as they will soon be known - which is the bit of the new legislation that has been holding up the implementation of the rest of the law.Last week we predicted it would be the end of the year before we saw the new laws. Then we heard they were already on the photocopy machines of Macquarie St, ready for a spellcheck and final release.The rules themselves are likely to be anodyne, worthy and dull. It’s the dogfight that will follow, as the online holiday letting businesses try to stave off the spread of anti-holiday let by-laws, that will be really interesting.You can hear more about this on the latest Flat Chat Wrap podcast.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-23-Code-of-conduct.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #22 – New Vic laws, fire sprinklers, electric cars, greyhounds in flats and BBQs

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 16:28:52 -0400

There's a revolution in strata law on the way in Victoria. Fire sprinkler systems are mandatory for mid-rise apartment blocks in NSW. And what's the best way to charge electric cars in strata schemes? JimmyT and Sue Williams discuss the issues of the week ...

Podcast: Why strata law changes are such a painfully long time coming

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 07:11:49 -0400

When it comes to strata law reform, it can be a long time between drinks.Victoria is just at the end of the public consultation stage of their very substantial reforms to their strata laws and they still have a long way to go. It will be interesting to see how many of the proposed changed in their draft reform Bill actually make it on to the statute book.We have predicted two years until they see any changes, but it could be less, given that they are notionally updating the existing Act rather than starting from scratch with a new one. More realistically, it could be more.Take as an example the forgotten law that will have a profound effect on strata living in NSW: the Short Term Holiday Letting law proposals - or the Airbnb laws to name them after the business model that prompted them.We have just heard on the grapevine that the new short-term letting laws could be proclaimed as early as next monthThe development of that new legislation began back in June 2015, prompted by concerns from Balmain Greens MP Jamie Parker that his constituents were being threatened with $1 million fines for running illegal bed and breakfasts, taking bookings through this new-fangled online internet booking system called Airbnb which purported to be encouraging "sharing".A committee looking into the "Adequacy of the the Regulation of Short-Term Holiday Letting in NSW" started hearing public, business and local government submissions in 2016, and issued a report in 2017.That was pretty much tossed out in early 2018 and replaced by a more Airbnb-friendly proposal in late 2018 which was then, at the last minute, canned in favour of the only laws in Australia that allow apartment blocks to decide not to allow short-term holiday lets via by-laws.So that went to Parliament and was approved, subject to a mandatory code of conduct. The law awaits proclamation (meaning it's a law rather than just a good idea) because the code still to be agreed upon. Meanwhile a round table of vested interests arm wrestles over what constitutes good or bad conduct.We have just heard on the grapevine that they could happen as early as next month but that would still mean the laws were more than four years in the making. It's very hard not to reach the conclusion that certain self-interested bodies have no desire to see these laws enacted any sooner, as they could seriously hamper their business model.I mention this because that is one aspect of one law related, in part, to strata living. The Victorians have until May 10 to give the government their two cents worth on their proposals, which cover a huge variety of issues across the whole spectrum of their strata laws.Then that has to be considered, chewed, digested and, eventually, presented again as a concrete proposal after the various major and minor players have flexed their political powers in efforts to protect their vested interests.Two years? Victorians should be so lucky.You can here the Flat Chat podcast about some of the proposed strata law changes here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-22-New-Vic-laws.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #21: Property prices panic and the latest developer rort

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 03:32:03 -0400

With property prices plummeting across our major cities, JimmyT and Sue Williams identify where apartment values are plummeting, where they're holding and where off-the-plan purchasers are being told they can't walk away from new units that are worth less than they agreed to pay for them when the signed the contracts.

Podcast: Is it time to panic over plummeting property prices?

Tue, 23 Apr 2019 18:13:50 -0400

It’s fair to say that this is probably not the best time to be a property owner. And if you are an investor in multiple units, your woes could be multiplied.On the other hand, if you are a renter, now could be the time to sign up for a long-term lease at a lower rent … if you can find oneThere are so many factors assailing property prices, it’s hard to see a clear way forward. This week in the Flat Chat Wrap, property writer Sue Williams takes us through some of the areas where the market is dropping – and a few where it’s holding its own.Property values are cyclical – what goes down will, eventually, go back up again - something we tend to forget in extended periods of price rises such as we have just witnessed, especially in Sydney.And competing arguments just don’t compute. How can there be too many people in our cities when there seems to be an over-supply of properties? How can prices be going down when demand must be going up?And how can our politicians bang on about housing affordability and then attack each other for measures that might reduce property values?But then there are th poor blighters who put down a deposit to buy off the plan when prices were at their highest, who are now having to pay the balance on the purchase when their unit is worth a lot less than the contract price.Can they just "burn" the deposit and walk away from the purchase? No, say some developers, a deal is a deal and they can't afford to carry the loss on hundreds of new units.From negative equity, to negative gearing. How will property values and rents be affected if Labor win the next election?All of this is discussed at length in our latest podcast – including the view from one of Australia’s most successful property developers that negative gearing could be here to stay, even if Labor win.Also, Sue exposes the latest rort in apartment development – how builders get essential services installed for free … provided apartment owners blindly sign contracts carrying inflated fees for years and years.You can hear all about it here or, even better, subscribe (for FREE) on iTunes, Castbox, Stitcher, Spotify or your favourite Podcatcher.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-21-Property-panic.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #20 – New minister, good and bad laws, and the pet loophole

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 19:36:00 -0400

JimmyT and Sue Williams ask the big questions about the new strata minister ... like, who is he? Plus the best and worst of Australia's strata laws and what makes an ordinary pet a "support animal".

Podcast – Buy a $1.2m penthouse on the Minister’s home turf

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 11:09:55 -0400

Fancy a 400 sqm penthouse with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, two parking spaces plus uninterrupted city and parkland views … for only $1.19 million?Interested? Why wouldn’t you be? This place also as a huge gourmet kitchen, timber floorboards, a massive tiled terrace and a fully fitted home office.What’s the catch, you ask. Well, this particular penthouse is atop a boutique hotel … in Tamworth.Now, your next question might well be, why are we looking at bargain basement penthouses in the country music capital of Australia?And the answer is, Tamworth is where our new strata minister, Kevin Anderson, scoots his boots.In this week’s podcast, Sue Williams and I ask what the member for this fine country town – and we mean ‘country’ in every sense – is doing looking after the serious needs of the two million people who live in strata in NSW.Tamworth would only have apartment blocks three storeys high, if at all, we speculated. Turns out we were wrong: they are mostly two storeys high.Apart, that is, from this absolute snip at 3/52-58 Brisbane St, in the heart of the home of the golden guitar (thank you, realestate.com.au).We found the Tamworth penthouse when we were looking for the tallest residential building in the city that sings with a cry in its voice.And it occurs to us that, apart from this one (and most unit blocks in Sydney), being lower than three floors means every apartment block in Tamworth could conceivably qualify for Home Warranty Building Insurance.Flammable cladding? Tell the builder to rip and replace, pronto! Opal-style crumbling walls? Well you better git yo’ sorry ass in gear and uncrumble them, toot sweet.*Does this disqualify Minister Kevin Anderson from running the Ministry of Innovation and Better Regulation, which runs Fair Trading, which runs strata?Now, the new Minister for Bells and Whistles will have a lot on his plate, from dodgy mechanics and dangerous kettles and toys, to tattoo parlours, real estate agents, liquor licenses and yoga salons, so he can’t be expected to get up to speed on a mere bagatelle like, say, how half the population of Sydney will be living in 10 years.Which means the Mandarins of Fair Trading will be running the strata show for the next four years. And that’s another good reason for buying that pad in Tamworth.NB: Just because we couldn’t find a high-rise in Tamworth via the internet doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist. All we are saying is, Pyrmont, Potts Point, Wolli Creek, Botany and North Sydney, this ain’t.You can listen to the Flat Chat podcast here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-20-new-minister-2-.mp3*I know! Ca ne fait rien.

Flat Chat Wrap #19: Shoes in lobbies and snooping neighbours

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 12:34:45 -0400

Jimmy Thomson and Sue Williams take a wry - and slightly bruised - look at what's attracting mail to the Flat Chat Forum.

Flat Chat Wrap #18 – the joys of apartment living (no, really!)

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 14:12:25 -0400

Jimmy Thomson talks to Sue Williams about why she loves apartment living and would never live in a house.

Podcast: The joys of apartment living (no … really!)

Tue, 26 Mar 2019 04:37:17 -0400

A while ago I received a complaint from a reader that I had used the phrase “the very best in apartment living”.‘Very best”, she argued, implied that there was something good about living in a flat, and since this was clearly a stupid and perverse idea, I was being dishonest.Now, I have to admit that, running a website that sets out to solve people’s problem does have a fairly negative beginning: no problems, no website.Most of the people who come here, or read the Flat Chat column in the Financial Review, do so because they have questions, doubts or concerns.That said, I suspect there are people who live in houses who read Flat Chat so they can feel better about their choice of dwelling: “Martha, the roof’s caved in after last night’s storm, but at least we don’t have to pay levies!’But even coming up with positive solutions has to start with someone, somewhere being disappointed, confused or angry (or all three) about something.With all that negativity around, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that I actually like living in an apartment. In fact, I love it and wouldn’t live in a house in the city for quids.So when I heard that my regular strata sparring partner Sue Williams was writing a feature for Domain about why she loves apartment living, it was too good an opportunity to refuse.“Come and tell us what’s so good about it,” I said. So she did and that’s this week’s podcast. Enjoy.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-18-Joys-.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #17 – Promises, promises … what the pollies are offering the strata voters of NSW

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 11:04:00 -0400

Jimmy Thomson and Sue Williams discuss what the various parties are offering strata residents and owners in the run-up to the NSW state election.

Podcast: What the pollies are promising the strata voters of NSW

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 00:26:25 -0400

It's hard to believe that we'll be voting on Saturday (March 23) for, possibly, the first new government in NSW in eight years. It's also hard to believe that we have a fixed term of four years here in NSW while the Federal Parliament has a maximum of only three years ... if they get that far.Three years is too short. New Federal governments tend to spend the first year undoing the work of their predecessors, the second pursuing their own agenda and the third getting ready for the next election.On the other hand, four years seems a bit too long when the wrong people are in power. Right now we face the prospect of a hung parliament with the odious Mark Latham potentially holding or at least contributing to the balance of power in the upper house through his candidature for Pauline Hanson's ("we're not very racist") One Nation.Four years of Latham? Somebody, somewhere is taking bets on how long it will be before he and Pauline fall out and he, like so many of her elected members, wanders off on his own.All of which has very little to do with apartment living. I may be biased but I have to say that, apart from the Shooters, the Coalition seem to have the least interest in the lives of apartment residents ... and that may be being unfair to the Shooters.The enthusiasm with which they were ready to hand our homes over to unrestricted holiday lets was utterly shameful. Immense gratitude and congratulations are owed to the Owners Corporation Network for making some MPs aware of what was about to happen to their strata-dwelling constituents, saving the day (to some extent) at literally the 11th hour.There's a lot of politics on Flat Chat at the moment - and there will be more, no doubt when the dust has settled on the Election.But if you are still undecided who to vote for, listen to our latest podcast for an instant guide. https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-17-Election-.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #16 – Election fever mounts as the shadow minister speaks

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 18:55:50 -0400

Labor spokesperson for Better Regulations and Innovation (and Fair Trading) Yasmin Catley calls in on the Flat Chat podcast ... and part two of the chat with OCN chair Phil Gall.

Podcast: Talking to the woman who could be our next strata minister

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 08:45:39 -0400

We were very lucky last weekend to catch up with Labor spokesperson for Better Regulation and Innovation Yasmin Catley who, current polls suggest, is a very real prospect of being NSW’s next Minister for Consumer Affairs (she will ditch the Ministry of Long Names title).Yasmin has been getting a lot of coverage in Flat Chat recently for one simple reason – she has been talking about strata and things she wants to do to make our lives better.Better Regulations Minister Matt Kean has, admittedly, been pre-occupied with the Opal building and the cladding issue (not that he’s doing much on that front except scaring people, according to this story).Mr Kean was also invited to chat with us on the podcast but we didn’t even get a response. He’s a very busy man, not least because if the Liberals lose, his mentor, the premier, will probably be rolled and he’s her numbers man.For the record, I won’t be voting either Labor or Liberal in the NSW election and at various times I have promoted the efforts of Liberal Fair Trading Ministers Roberts, Dominello and Kean (although the latter turned out to be a huge disappointment when it came to Airbnb).But it’s refreshing to have someone who has a real chance of making a difference talking about issues that are important to us, the people who are living in apartments right now.Yes, building defects are important, but the changes proposed by the government will only affect blocks that haven’t even been started yet.Meanwhile they have let us down on Airbnb-style holiday lets, flammable cladding and making builders and developers responsible for defects that exist right now.In this week’s podcast, Ms Catley makes a very convincing argument as to why she would be a better champion for apartment residents – owners and tenants – than anyone in the current mob.She’s proposing a register for holiday lets, an opt-in option (with the default being no holiday lets) for Airbnb in apartment blocks, more protection for tenants, a strata commissioner and shifting strata to housing and and building and away from broken toys and dodgy mechanics. In short, it’s more about people living is strata rather than profits for developers and investors.Also, we pick up the second half of our chat with Owners Corporation Network chair Phil Gall, when we get into Airbnb (again), why most politicians don’t get strata, Fair Trading (we disagree) and the future of OCN.I won’t say too much more. Just listen to the podcast … it might make you think again about which way you are going to vote next week.You can listen to the podcast by clicking here. Enjoy.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-16-Yasmin-.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #15 – Talking the politics of Airbnb and cladding fears with the OCN

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 06:39:53 -0500

JimmyT talks to OCN chair Phil Gall about how the Owners Corporation Network gets stuff done despite bring underfunded ... and what their cladding seminar offers apartment owners

Podcast: The link between holiday lets and high rise cladding fires

Tue, 05 Mar 2019 21:45:46 -0500

It used to be that when anyone talked about problems in strata, the perennial topics were the four Ps – pets, parking, parties (the noisy kind) and puffing (the smoke wafting from your neighbour’s balcony into your home).These days you are more likely to find yourself talking about Airbnb, inflammable cladding and building defects. Why? For the simple reason that there’s a lot of them about.It still beggars belief that state governments are happy to hand their housing and planning policies over to a bunch of trendoids working in a hi-tech office in San Francisco.All those years of carefully evolved rules and regulations – the kind that stop your neighbour from turning their home into a business – get tossed out of the window.Why? Because some slick advertising and highly dubious business practises purport to free you to do as you wish with your property and make a lot of money.Of course, you haven’t been able to do whatever you wish with your property since the first village idiot stood for the first local council. This is even more the case in strata, where a big chunk of your home environment is shared with other people who pay for their fair share of the upkeep.Then along comes Airbnb, presenting like a social service but behaving like the rapacious global mega-corporation that they are.If that weren’t bad enough, we have our buildings covered in flammable cladding – two microscopically thin sheets of aluminium over material that is basically a gel made of petrol.How are the two connected – have a look at the story on this page about the backpacker whose un-extinguished cigarette on the balcony of an illicit holiday let started the Lacrosse fire in Melbourne four years ago.These are the main discussion points in my podcast with Owners Corporation Network chair Phil Gall who, apart form anything else, explains why flammable cladding is even more dangerous that it seems.Next week, we tackle building defects and why apartment owners really need to stick together. But for now, here’s the first part of our chat.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-15.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #14 – Three rants and why we’ll never get a Royal Commission

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 10:52:58 -0500

JimmyT rants about Airbnb, defects (and the Opal Tower report) and cladding ... and explains why we'll never get a Royal Commission into the apartment building industry.

Podcast: Why we’ll never get a Royal Commission into building defects

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 03:06:42 -0500

I was intrigued this week by the announcement by the Federal Labor leadership that they plan to pour some of the money from their proposed “honesty tax” on banks into lawyers to help ordinary people get back what they’ve had chiselled out of them by unscrupulous money people.What a great idea. Make the baddies pay for people to help their victims. Now, how about a defects tax on developers to do just the same?OK, developers aren’t making the shed-loads of moolah that the banks are coining – the latter’s profits went UP the day after the Banking Royal Commission issued its damning report – but they are doing OK.And we are never going to get a Royal Commission into property development for the simple reason that neither side of politics is squeaky clean in that regard, and irrespective of how upright and honest they are now, no Labor or Liberal Coalition leader wants to lift that particular rock to see what’s still wriggling underneath.Also, in the week in which the Opal Tower report illustrated how a systemic failure of quality control – from inadequate design to poor construction – can lead to a building crumbling literally before your eyes, you realise that NSW’s defects bond is a droplet in a bucket when serious problems are discovered in a building.Now, as I argue in my Flat Chat column out later this week, the Opal apartment owners’ experience may be very different from the usual one.Given government support, developer concern for their public image and the whole of the state waiting to see how this pans out, you’d put your money on the defects being dealt with expediently and with minimal fuss.But for too many apartment buyers in NSW, the experience is more akin to the Elara Apartments scandal in Canberra, where where unit owners have been left with a $19 million defects bill, after they had tried to sue over defects but the builder went into voluntary administration.And just the other week, the Federal Court ruled that subsequent claims to the Master Builders Fidelity Fund, set up for situations just like that, were invalid as they had been lodged after the five-year deadline.A more typical experience here is that the unit owners belatedly discover there are defects (allegedly in 85 percent of buildings, according to a UNSW report), they rush to get a survey done, the defects cost way more than the two per cent defects bond, the developer and the builder argue over who’s to blame, then whoever loses goes into liquidation and the other one hires lawyers to prove that they aren’t responsible. Or they go into liquidation too.So our new owners are left with a bill for the survey, for the lawyers and what’s left after the defects bond has been used up.Now, I admit that's a very cynical view and there are good developers who value their reputations and want to do the right thing by their customers. They may even be in the majority - but there's enough of the other kind to cause a lot of heartache.By the way, there’s a theory that the less honest developers in NSW are factoring the defects bond into their budgets and cutting more corners than ever. The quality of the final product could be worse, rather than better, because they’re never going to get that money back anyway.Now, if that sounds like a rant, that’s because I’m in a ranting mood. This week’s Flat Chat Wrap Podcast takes no prisoners as the defects disaster, flammable cladding and, of course, Airbnb come on to my radar.Enjoy.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-14-rants-.mp3

On TV pouring cold water on the flammable cladding controversy

Thu, 21 Feb 2019 22:37:23 -0500

The fire earlier this month (February 2019) on the outside of the Neo200 building in Melbourne conveniently coincided with a meeting of state and federal government ministers at which it was announced that the highly dangerous product would be banned from our shores.Of course, this is way too late for the people who have bought apartments in buildings that are covered in the potentially deadly material. You might as well set fire to the stable door - the horse has bolted.Although they are approaching this in very different ways in different states, the end result for apartment owners like you or me, is that we have to identify the stuff then - unless we are very lucky - pay to have it removed.Now, there may be cases where the buildings are still under warranty and the developers haven't disappeared up their own flammable phoenixes, and then you just have to pay lawyers to persuade the developers to get it removed. Good luck with that.Now, I can hear a chorus of voices saying: "Tough luck! Nobody told you to go and live in apartments. In fact, we told you it was a bad idea. So don't expect us, the taxpayers, to pay for your stupidity."Hmmm. Imagine if we applied that to bushfires. "Hey, we didn't tell you to go and live in the middle of forests full of trees that nature has designed to burn ferociously. So don't expect us to pay for the back-burning that might just prevent you from losing your home (or even worse) next bush-fire season."Of course, we don't say that because we believe in collective responsibility. We'll contribute to your back-burning if you contribute to our freeways.So why doesn't that apply to flammable cladding? The people who are responsible, if they get half a chance, are walking off whistling their "nothing to do with me" tunes.Politicians have overseen lax and laissez-faire controls on builders and developers for decades. And as for the aforementioned high-rise high rollers ... well, we are all reaping the dubious reward of allowing unscrupulous people to do unspeakable things in pursuit of profits. In fact, it doesn't need to be all that blatantly corrupt. Cut a few corners here and there and it's money in the bank.Meanwhile 85 percent of new blocks report defects and the average rectification bill is, according to experts, over 20 per cent of the cost of the building (so much for NSW's 2 per cent defects bond).So now we find ourselves in a phase of punish-the-victims policies. Whether or not we live in blocks covered with cladding, or crumbling like the Opal Tower, we deserve better.All of which I didn't say when I was invited on to Weekend Sunrise a couple of weeks ago to talk about cladding. Click in the pic below to watch the item. (Note to self - next time iron shirt.) https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Weekend-Sunrise-JIMMYT-on-CLADDING.mp4

Flat Chat Wrap #13 – On air with James Valentine and more from Alex Greenwich

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 18:51:31 -0500

Talking off-the-plan purchases and defects - plus your calls - with James Valentine. And why Sydney MP Alex Greenwich thinks Airbnb is bad for Sydney renters, and Mark Latham will be bad for the NSW parliament.

Podcast: On radio with James Valentine and more from Alex Greenwich

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 08:20:50 -0500

Chatting with James Valentine on air the other day, I was suddenly aware of how immune (or is it inured?) one can become to the idiocies of strata living.James posed the perfectly reasonable question; if you can take a kettle or a car back to the seller if it proves to be faulty, how come you can't just hand back the keys to an off-the-plan apartment when it turns out not to be up to scratch?"The walls are cracking. Here's the keys and I'll have my deposit back too, thank-you very much."It's crazy when you think about it; you spend 20 or 30 times as much as you would on a car, buying an apartment, but the consumer protections are less than if you'd bought a dodgy toaster.Even with the protections that exist, the chances are that you are going to have to hire lawyers at great expense to get things fixed - and that's if the developer is still around. And there's no guarantee of success.The government should be taking a look at the whole scandalous system right now, when property sales are in a downturn and apartment starts are back to almost zero. Nothing like a bit of consumer confidence to boost business.You can listen to the whole session, including listeners' questions, on the podcast below. And you can log in to James' own podcasts HERE.The second part of our podcast this week sees Alex Greenwich MP talking about homelessness - partly informed by his stint on SBS's Filthy Rich and Homeless documentary series.Insightful as ever, Alex points out that homelessness is growing in Sydney at twice the rate of the rest of the country and suggests the goverment should be building more affordable housing than spending money to "keep people in the cracks" by funding only crisis accommodation.And finally, he takes a huge swing at Mark Latham and other extremists who are angling for a seat in the NSW Senate. When one of politics' genuine nice guys sticks the boot in, you sit up and pay attention.That's all in this week's Flat Chat Wrap podcast:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-13-Alex-James-.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #12 – The ups and downs of apartment living with Sydney MP Alex Greenwich

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 17:09:01 -0500

Talking apartments, Airbnb, pets, the Opal, defects, cladding and all things apartment related with Sydney MP Alex Greenwich

Podcast: Parliamentary panic behind short-term letting U-turn

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 08:07:58 -0500

This week our podcast is given over to an extended chat with NSW Independent MP for Sydney, Alex Greenwich.I've come across many politicians in this game. Most have been honest and decent (to a point) and a few have been self-interested and not so much corrupt as corrupted - mainly by party allegiance and personal ambition.But it's very rare to come across someone who is as clear-sighted, committed and empathic as Alex.Locally, he's known as the man who took over from Clover Moore when she was forced to chose between being Mayor of Sydney and the city's MP in the NSW parliament.That he won the by-election comfortably was no surprise but he then increased his majority at the next state election, despite having a chunk of traditionally Liberal voters grafted on to his constituency.Nationally, he was the face of the same-sex marriage campaign while appearing on the SBS TV series Filthy Rich and Homeless. And as soon as the next state election campaign is done and dusted, he will take up cudgels for the voluntary euthanasia movement.Will all that on his plate, as well as being an active constituency MP, we were very lucky to get an hour of his time to talk about the things that matter to us here at Flat Chat.Why him? Becasue his constituency has more high-rise apartments than any other in Australia. So this podcast is the first of two parts in which we discuss the strata issues of the day - Airbnb, cladding, defects ... and pets.The highlight of the chat, for me, was his description of how a last-minute push by the Owners Corporation Network (and a few like-minded souls) alerted MPs in constituencies with large numbers of apartment blocks that they were about to be effectively handed over to Airbnb and other online letting agencies to be used for holiday lets, regardless of the devastating effects of strata communities.His description of the corridors of Parliament full of MPs asking each other what was going on and the last minute U-Turn by our Planning and Better Regulation Ministers makes our latest Flat Chat Wrap podcast worth a listen in itself.Enjoy.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-11-Alex-1-.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #11 – Taking your calls on (very) early morning ABC radio

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 20:25:25 -0500

JimmyT gets up at 4am to talk to ABC Radio presenter Rod Quinn (and other insomniacs) about strata living in Australia.

Podcast: Chatting flats with “mighty” Rod Quinn

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 09:48:03 -0500

In this week's podcast we have kind of hijacked the Rod Quinn "Talking Points" segment for his ABC Overnight show on radio last week - featuring Flat Chat's very own JimmyT talking strata with people from all over Australia,In may ways, this is a podcast within a podcast, in that we have grabbed the segment with Jimmy in it and slotted it into our format, but you will still hear all the ABC titles and credits so there's no mistaking that this is Rod's show.Oh, and did we mention that Jimmy got up at 4 am to do this?What did they talk about at that ungodly hour? Opal cracks, flammable cladding, over-development and certification - all the usual stuff.But then ABC listeners called in and asked questions like, what can you do when Uber drivers insist on leaving your communal garage door open. It seems these part-time cabbies share a flat with a dozen others. There are so many potential breaches - even in Darwin - you barely know where to start.And that's just for starters. It's a long podcast so put your feet up and enjoy.Oh, and if you want to hear more from Rod, you'll find his podcasts here: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/overnights/episodes/Meanwhile, here's the Flat Chat Wrap, Ep11https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-Episode-11.mp3

Podcast: On air with Josh Zepps and Part 2 of the strata disaster

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 17:38:46 -0500

Every so often, I get invited on to a radio or TV show to talk about apartments. This week I've been on Breakfast on ABC 702 with Josh Zepps, (usually hosted by Robbie Buck and Wendy Harmer) and then on Friday I got up at 4am to go on ABC's early morning show with Rod Quinn (which will be featured in next week's podcast).That was a challenge (apart from being two cups of coffee under par) because we had lots of callers from all over Australia. Next week, I will be on Triple-M in Adelaide to talk about Airbnb.Back to this podcast, I was on the ABC with Josh to discuss why residents of the Opal Tower had been told to move back into their apartments, whether or not they felt safe. It's an emotive issue and we tend to forget that the driving principle behind why developers are in business is to make money, not necessarily house families. They were paying hotel accommodation for people who could have moved back home - so they pulled the plug.We also discussed the damage done to owners' investments that aren't covered by defects claims - the plummeting values of apartments that are no longer worth what some people have borrowed in mortgages.It would be nice at this point to say we moved on to lighter fare, but it doesn't get much darker than the legal battle to get defects fixed in Part Two of our Strata Disaster podcast.Sue Williams and I recall what happened when our owners corporation had freed itself from the dodgy developer's management and committee cronies, only to be led by so-called "experts" into a $6 million battle with attack-dog lawyers.And all the time, the strata committee was being undermined by disgruntled neighbours, overly secretive lawyers, liars and spies and then, finally, subjected to the most horrendous personal abuse. Fifteen years on, we can laugh at the ridiculousness of it, but there are people in the building who still haven't uttered a word to each other since those days.Pour yourself a stiff drink and plug in to the podcast.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-wrap-10.mp3

Podcast: Inside a strata disaster … a pet ban backfires

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 01:37:08 -0500

I am occasionally asked how come I ever got into writing about apartment living. After all, I'm a published author, have been a reasonabIy successful TV scriptwriter and occasionally still turn my hand to travel writing. Against any and all of those pursuits, writing about flats and by-laws, committees and Airbnb breaches might seem a little ... um ... prosaic.It's not, by the way - far from it. The French philosopher Albert Camus once wrote that everything he knew about life he learned from the football field (he played in goal for Algeria). Well, much of what I know about people has come from observing the way we behave when we are obliged to live together, under the same roof, sharing many of the same facilities, adapting (or not) to each other's quirks and foibles.It all began 20 years ago when my partner Sue Williams and I bought an apartment off the plan, encountering dodgy developers, corrupt building managers and incompetent strata managers, all ring-mastered by a shady chairman. Luckily for us, this convocation of bullies and boneheads made a fatal mistake early on ... they decided arbitrarily to ban pets when many purchasers had bought in on the basis that it was a pet-friendly building.That simple misstep brought together people who might not otherwise have even spoken to each other and who, in their campaign to block the pet ban, began unpicking the the connections between the developers, their in-house managers and their cronies on the committee .Apart from liberating the building from the clutches of a bunch of less than honest players, it led to the book Apartment Living (written by Sue and me), which led to a long-running weekly column in the Sydney Morning Herald and now Financial Review. That column was called Flat Chat ... and here we still are.It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Enjoy the podcast.JimmyT https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-9.2.mp3

Podcast: The truth about the whole defects disaster

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 18:55:34 -0500

If you think you've heard everything there is to know about the cracks crisis at the Opal Tower in Sydney, and the whole defects disaster in NSW and Australia as a whole, think again. So far, media coverage has barely scratched the surface.Meanwhile, politicians - in full election mode - are playing the blame game: it's the certifiers, it's the Labor party, all those years ago, it's the Liberals who've done nothing since. But as for looking at the real problems, which are systemic and endemic, don't hold your breath.JimmyT and Sue Williams explore the cracks and crevices of the whole issue and come up with solutions that are so sensible, they have zero chance of ever being adopted by politicians.You can hear it all on this week's podcast here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-8.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #8 – The crumbling Opal Tower and the whole defects disaster

Sat, 05 Jan 2019 18:43:12 -0500

JimmyT and Sue Williams ask the questions everyone else is avoiding, and provide the answers people need to hear, about the Opal Tower in Sydney and the whole defects disaster in high-rise apartment blocks in Australia.

Podcast: On TV talking cracks in the Opal

Sun, 30 Dec 2018 01:55:26 -0500

Despite having a great head for radio, I was enticed on to TV last Saturday (Dec 29) to talk building cracks with Professor Mark Hoffman (one of the engineers called in to examine the Opal) and host Basil Zempilas.It's only five minutes long but we managed to be reassuring and alarming at the same time.You can watch it here:https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Opal-crisis.wmv

On TV talking cracks in the Opal

Sun, 30 Dec 2018 01:53:16 -0500

Podcast: The Wrap … all the way from Cambodia

Sun, 23 Dec 2018 21:36:13 -0500

Wrestling with laptops and hotel wi-fi, we finally bring you the second-last Flat Chat wrap podcast of the year.Was it worth the effort? Only you can be the judge as we discuss levies, a lawyer's grab for disabled parking and Airbnb's backlash against politicians who support a register of holiday lets.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-7.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #7 – Are your levies too high

Sun, 23 Dec 2018 19:37:44 -0500

How to work out if your levies are too high, the sensible controls that have led Airbnb to threaten politicians' votes and nominations for our Heroes and Villains of Strata.

Flat Chat Wrap #6 – Renovations and recalcitrant owners … with James Valentine

Sun, 09 Dec 2018 02:11:22 -0500

Permissions for minor renovations, one owner in four blocking changes and ... of course ... Airbnb come to the fore as Jimmy joins James Valentine on his afternoon show on ABC Radio

Podcast 5 – parking, pet names & Airbnb hosting

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 23:47:23 -0500

A decades-long parking battle ends up in the Appeals Court, trendy pet names, how to be a better Airbnb host, garage doors and more ... all in our Flat Chat Wrap podcast.Listen hereIf you haven’t already done so you can subscribe to this podcast, completely free, on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or your favourite podcatcher.If the link doesn’t take you straight there, just search for Flat Chat Wrap, click on subscribe, and you’ll get this podcast every week without even trying. And please give us a rating or review … it all helps to keep us going.

Flat Chat Wrap #4 – Homeless on common property & build-to-rent in the USA

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 01:48:02 -0500

Homeless people sleeping in common property and - a world away - what it's like to live in a 'build-to-rent' apartment in the USA. The Flat Chat Wrap takes an international twist.

Podcast: Ep 3 of the Wrap looks at buying and selling

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 08:15:53 -0500

Is this the best time to buy an new apartment or just the worst time to sell? And what you should look out for in offers that seem to be too good to be true. Can bad by-laws be used to bully owners? And what happened to the common property lawn being churned up by illegal parkers?Sue Williams joins JimmyT for a chinwag about the latest posts on the Flat Chat website.https://episodes.castos.com/flatchatpod/Flat-Chat-Wrap-3.mp3

Flat Chat Wrap #3 – best and worst times to buy, bullied by by-laws & lawn parking

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 08:11:41 -0500

Roundup and the Wrap podcast – all you need in one place

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 07:48:51 -0400

The roundup this week includes a link to the latest Flat Chat Wrap podcast, which is turning out to be a lot more fun than we thought it would be.Basically someone looks at the latest stuff on the website and chats to JimmyT about it – for the past two weeks it’s been author, journalist, travel and property writer and Owners Corporation Network founder Sue Williams.Is it as much fun for you as it is for us? You can hear the podcast on THIS LINK and judge for yourselves.Meanwhile, we have been getting record numbers of readers on the website – which means even more question to the Flat Chat Forum than ever.For instance, what do you do when you have a developer who still holds 39 per cent of the vote is taking revenge on owners for exercising their legal rights (by following strata law) and then blocks all the motions put up by the owners to improve their scheme?It’s nasty, it’s spiteful and he’s making his enemies suffer. But there’s still a lot they can do to put him back in his box. That’s HERE. Ooops! The secretary has admitted that they have dumped a car in visitor parking … but then does nothing about getting it moved.No point in even talking to the other committee member as they regularly park in visitor parking anyway.And this all comes out when other owners are taken to Fair Trading for parking on the lawns. Welcome to another day in strata paradise, HERE.Who’s responsible when a previous owner secretly installs a skylight in the roof without permission?The new owners wants to keep it but what happens if it leaks or need repair? That’s HERE.Our fire doors are always passed in the fire safety inspection but the deadbolt locks are marked for replacement – because they could slow residents’ exit if they were locked.We tell owners to keep them on the latch when they are home but make their flats more secure when they are out.Do we really need to replace them? That’s HERE.Usually at this point we encourage you to keep tabs on the Flat Chat Forum, but just for a change, plug the earbuds in, sit back and relax with the Flat Chat Wrap podcast.

Flat Chat Wrap #2 – Noise, electric cars, budget tourism and canning committee members

Tue, 30 Oct 2018 06:56:53 -0400

We're back with another Flat Chat Wrap. Sue Williams joins Jimmy Thomson for a chat about noise, electric cars, shoestring tourism (and its affect on communities) and how to get rid of a nuisance committee member.

Jimmy and James discuss the new bans on no-pets by-laws

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 20:43:21 -0400

We're back in the ABC studios to discuss 'no-pet' by-laws, among other things, and to take your calls.You can listen to the episode HERE.

The end of no-pet by-laws on ABC radio

Sun, 28 Oct 2018 20:38:52 -0400

Jimmy joins James Valentine for a chat about Tribunal decisions to rescind by-laws that ban pets ... and take your calls

The Wrap – Now you can listen to Flat Chat too

Tue, 23 Oct 2018 17:20:52 -0400

The best of this week's Flat Chat is now available as a Podcast. Join JimmyT and journalist Sue Williams as they dissect the week's posts, questions, advice and answers. is a serious - if light-hearted look at the latest posts, questions, answers , advice and comments on Flat Chat.Forget the crazy tales from Dardanelle Towers, the funny voices (please!) and the jolly music. This is the start of something big.Please have a listen and let us know what you think - Flat Chat and The Wrap are for you, so tell us how we can make it better. Just log in and add a comment below. And if you like it - or know someone you think would - please share.You don't even have to log in to listen - just click here.

Flat Chat Wrap #1 – pet bans, bad by-laws, crazy neighbours and Airbnb laws

Tue, 23 Oct 2018 17:04:37 -0400

A chat about all the most interesting, strangest and most controversial items on on Flat Chat this week. In Episode 1, Jimmy discusses pet bans, undoing bad by-laws, crazy neighbours and Airbnb laws with author and journalist Sue Williams.

Dardanelle Towers – Episode 2 – Gimme Shelter

Sat, 13 Oct 2018 00:00:11 -0400

The global trade war hits Dardanelle Towers, and the committee members are looking for somewhere to hide.

Dardanelle Towers: Episode 1 – The Naked Truth

Tue, 25 Sep 2018 04:38:12 -0400

We recently discovered what seem to be reports from an apartment block with more than its fair share of idiosyncratic characters. Is this place real, or a figment of someone's imagination? Perhaps you know these people. Maybe it's your building. Maybe it’s you …Part 1: The Naked TruthPublic nudity was on the agenda at the Dardanelle Towers Executive Committee meeting last week.It started with a note from Mrs Alexander – somewhat unkindly known around the building as “the all-seeing eye” – who claimed to the new female tenants in 304 had been sunbathing naked by the swimming pool.Dr Macdonald whose apartment overlooks the pool confirmed as much, to tuts and mutters from the other members of the committee, but he wasn’t complaining.“What’s the fuss?” he asked, winding up for one of his verbose observations. “We’re in greater danger of being hit by Mrs Alexander falling off her balcony as she leans over trying to get another offending glimpse than we are of any moral turpitude from catching sight of liberated female flesh.”“No need to minute that,” Bernard, the chairman, whispered to Ms Tran, the secretary, as he looked at his watch.“Turpentine?” said Lady Luckby, rousing from a slumber, slapping the table with the flat of her hand and shouting “Order!” for good measure. Lady Luckby, a tiny sun-dried former socialite, had lived in the building since it went up in the 1940s. She took her late father’s place on the committee, was chair for many years and thought she was still in charge. Everyone else had given up trying to prevent her from running meetings as, in any case, she invariably fell asleep shortly after “minutes of the previous meeting”.“Moral turpitude is the least of it,” said Jonathan from 708, ignoring Mrs O. “This is a serious breach of our rules, to wit, By-law 3, section 2 – and I quote – ‘residents and their guests must be dressed appropriately at all times when on common property’.”The worrying thing about Jonathan was that while he was quoting this rule accurately, he was doing it from memory. Jonathan was a junior paralegal with a large city law firm and, as his 35th birthday approached and his dreams of a partnership, a trophy wife and 2.5 trophy children all evaporated simultaneously, he increasingly took refuge and comfort in a detailed knowledge of our by-laws in particular and strata law in general.“Let’s take this step by step. What exactly did you see?” he asked Dr Macdonald pompously, in an unintentional parody of cross-examination.“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” Dr Mac winked, obviously enjoying the memory a little more than was entirely appropriate. “I can tell you one of them had had a Brazilian,” he chortled.“What do you mean ‘had had’?” Jonathan asked, revealing instantly why his career had stalled before he was out of the mail room. “Is that ‘had had’ as in ‘had sex’? And how do you know they were Brazilian?”“We’ve got Brazilians in the building?” Lady Luckby erupted. “We just got rid of the Colombians.”We winced in unison at the memory. Lady Luckby had “Tasered” our Filipino cleaner, James, when he came in to empty her bin – as he did three times a week as a favour to her and (especially) her neighbours. Apparently she’d fallen asleep on her sofa watching a DVD of Scarface, woke suddenly and, as she later told police, thought he was a Colombian drug dealer who’d broken into her flat to steal her clothes.Lady Luckby’s son had found a job for James in his office block, at higher wages for less work. He also settled a substantial sum of money on him and managed to persuade the Police not to take any further action beyond impounding his mother’s Taser (which she had bought on the Internet). Lady Luckby thought James had been deported and no one saw much point in telling her otherwise.“The by-laws have clearly been breached,” said Bernard with a sigh as he turned to Ms Tran. “Better send them a note,

Talking strata (at last) on Studio 10

Sun, 09 Sep 2018 21:12:30 -0400

JimmyT goes on Channel 10's morning show to talk strata noise, parking, by-laws and Airbnb.

Jimmy and James on kids playing, window rebels … and barbecues

Wed, 08 Aug 2018 22:51:24 -0400

In JimmyT's (almost) regular spot on James Valentine's Afternoons on ABC 702, they field questions from listeners ... and have a quick chat about Jimmy's new book.

Talking Tunnels on Ten

Wed, 01 Aug 2018 06:22:51 -0400

My brief stint on Studio Ten was all about the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam, with occasional flashes of my new novel's cover.But the good news is that I hope to be back with them in a few weeks talking about apartments. Fingers crossed.If you want to more about the novel, Tunnel Vision, go to the Accidental Guru website. It's a comedy thriller so if you like crime fiction laced with humour, this could be for you.If you want to know more about my adventures in Vietnam (and elsewhere) go to my travel writing website Mildrover.com.And if you want to learn more about how Australians were the first to explore the Cu Chi tunnels during the Vietnam war, go to the Tunnel Rats and Sappers war website.

First impressions: Fines for unpaid levies and reno delays

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 19:16:29 -0400

Jimmy treats James to his (unimpressive) Sean Connery impressions before the switchboard lights up with your calls

It’s Byron Airbn-Bay as holiday town “gutted” by online lets

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 03:56:22 -0400

A newspaper interview by our good mate Mark Dapin reveals that online holiday letting is "gutting" Byron Bay.Meanwhile the State government snuggles up to Airbnb with a plan to give every pensioner $100 the first time they let a room to a visitor on the global internet platform.This prompted a call from ABC radio and Josh Szeps (filling in for James Valentine). Let me know when they start giving $100 to every neighbour whose sleep is disturbed by Airbnb party animals next door. Until then, here's the radio interview.

Floating floors and renos

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 03:56:26 -0400

Who's responsible when a neighbour floods your timber floor - insurers can't agree. And then there's the vexed question of compensation for tenants during major renovations ... and more on the latest Flat Chat spot on James Valentine's Afternoons on ABC radio.

Madecomfy spruiks Airbnb profits on ABC radio

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 04:05:27 -0500

Property investors - especially in strata buildings – should switch to holiday rentals instead of long-term tenancies if they want to maximise their profits, says the founder of a company that manages Airbnb-style properties on behalf of landlords.According to MadeComfy co-founder Sabrina Bethunin, a report her company commissioned shows says that short term holiday letting rates are now on a par with hotel room rates.In case you haven’t heard of them before, Madecomfy provides a complete management service, from handing over keys to changing bed linen and cleaning the house or apartment. This is for Airbnb and other internet letting hosts who don’t want to have to deal with their guests directly – an arms-length, never-meet-the-tourists arrangement that Airbnb calls ‘sharing’.You can here an interview with Ms Bethunin on ABC News Radio here.

Talking Kings Cross on ABC radio Breakfast

Fri, 16 Feb 2018 22:03:40 -0500

With the first section of my crime novel Perfect Criminals set in Kings Cross, Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck asked me if the Cross was changing and if it was for the better or worse ... with at least one Potts Pointer pitching in on the phone.

New novel … and the old garden land-grab trick

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 02:23:07 -0500

Jon Faine skewers Airbnb as ‘parasites and predators’

Wed, 29 Nov 2017 20:01:51 -0500

Finally, the mainstream media is not buying the Airbnb BS. Have a listen to the the $30 billion global letting agency's talking head Brent Thomas squirm as ABC Melbourne's Jon Faine nails them on their failure to pay tax in Australia."If I was the Premier, I would refuse to meet you," has to be the quote of the year.LISTEN TO IT HEREMeanwhile, in the Flat Chat column currently running online in the AFR I refer to having "previous convictions". If you want to read the whole charge sheet, laying out my research, findings and opinions on Airbnb, start HERE.It's interesting that other branches of the media are becoming a bit sceptical of Airbnb's dubious and relentlessly repeated message that they are all about ordinary people letting rooms in their homes (while they are fighting tooth and nail to force apartment blocks to accept short-term lets of whole apartments, their main source of income).Now News Ltd journalists are faithfully trotting out any statistics from Airbnb-paid "surveys" as if they are fact. But it's just a matter of time. Wait till News realises that Clover Moore (bless her organic fair-trade cotton socks) is pro-Airbnb ... then the worm will turn.Personally, my views on Airbnb have evolved over the past few years. I have gone from being largely pro the idea of legitimate sharing to very anti the TRUE intent of Airbnb which is to force us to accept holiday lets in our homes and force us to share our facilities with complete strangers over whom we and the hosts have no control.We have planning laws that were evolved over many years precisely to spare communities from this kind of exploitation. I bought an apartment in a residential-only building. If the government wants to change its status to "de facto hotel", just to appear trendy and pour money into private investors' pockets, they can expect a much bigger backlash that the vague pathetic threats issued recently by the Airbnb attack poodles.Dammit, I might run for parliament myself. Now THAT is a threat to democracy!

Off to Vietnam … with a confession

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 06:44:24 -0400

Does Jimmy really hate Airbnb. No, he says - in fact, he has a confession to make about his trip to Vietnam.And you can read about plans for his next trip next year, right HERE

Should my strata committee speak for me?

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 03:34:54 -0400

We chat about the heated exchanges on the Flat Chat Forum regarding whether or not your committee should discuss anything except what's going on in the building - and we find another listener whose neighbour has dug a cellar under her unit. Honest!

James Valentine – Airbnb discussion document

Mon, 31 Jul 2017 05:59:20 -0400

The government releases its discussion document on short-term holiday letting. JimmyT and James V discuss

Inflammable cladding

Wed, 21 Jun 2017 21:44:53 -0400

Jimmy, James and callers discuss inflammable cladding - who pays and why it's scarier than you thought.

Holiday letting

Sun, 21 May 2017 22:47:00 -0400

The government seems to have backtracked on short-term letting - Jimmy tells James Valentine why he's the only person who spotted the shift in attitudes.

Roundup: Radio chat finds flaw in holiday let logic

Tue, 09 May 2017 08:28:12 -0400

If you are as tired of reading about Airbnb as I am of writing about them you won’t get past the end of this sentence.However, this week I was on the James Valentine show on ABC radio doing my usual Q&A on apartment living and we needed to talk about the recent Government decision NOT to give the Coure report on holiday letting its unqualified support.Predictably, we had no sooner finished taking a call – from a listener whose tenants had illegally sub-let their apartment on Airbnb with disastrous results - than we got a text from a listener.You can hear the Flat Chat spot on Afternoons with James Valentine HERE.Whoever they were, they certainly had the official Airbnb party line off pat. Badly behaved guests would be given bad ratings on the website, said the text. Also, it continued, the majority of apartment owners want the right to do what they want with their homes.Ignoring the highly dubious effect of voluntary “ratings”, I have two problems with that last point.Firstly, we trade off the right to do exactly what we want with our homes when we agree to live in a place where we share the cost of cleaners, security, gardening, repairs and maintenance.We also share walls, ceilings, floors, lifts, front doors, hallways and car parks. Why anyone with a brain would think that is the same as owning a house in a quarter-acre block is beyond me.Also, the NSW government punched some very large holes in the “my home is my castle” myth in the new strata laws, not least in that 75 percent of owners can force the other 25 percent to sell their apartments to developers.But here’s another thing: if the majority of people want the “right” to do as they please with their units, why oppose a law that would require the support of 75 percent of owners to lock out holiday lets?To put it another way, even if only 25 percent of owners – rather than the purported majority – are in favour of holiday lets, then by-laws banning them will never pass.I rest my case.One thing that never rests is the constant flow of odd and interesting question that come through the Flat Chat Forum. here's just a sample of this week's brain teasers: I thought I was getting a car park but it turns out to be a storage space and the strata manager says I can’t park my car in it. That’s HERE. The strata manager says there needs to be a strata committee-only EGM before I can do my renovations. Is that right? That’s HERE. Chairman is using “executive” powers to decide of common property maintenance. Is he allowed to do that? That’s HERE. Fair Trading mediation may be compulsory and free but is it worth the effort? That’s HERE. Drying laundry on the balcony – what exactly does “visible from outside the building” mean? That’s HERE. Is it OK for the committee to use an online survey to decide on changes they want to propose? That’s HERE.By the time you read this there will be a heap of other questions and answers on the Flat Chat forum. Come on by and join in.

Last word on new short-term letting laws

Mon, 17 Apr 2017 22:08:20 -0400

Actually, that heading is a bit misleading, if not wildly hopeful. The NSW government is due any day to table its response to the Coure inquiry into holiday letting, the most prominent manifestation of which is Airbnb.This morning Radio National ran a track about the proposed laws in which yours truly was quoted extensively. Click on that link to listen.But of course this will not be the last word on the issue. Far from it. Parliament will have to discuss it and MPS will vote on it and, if recent history is anything to go by, Airbnb will pump millions into the advertising market to shore up their image of a friendly hug-fest that helps nice people to do nice things.I saw a poster in the station the other day claiming that Airbnb helped some woman to pay her strata fees. Nice for her - but who pays for the extra wear and tear from all the woman's visitors who neither know nor care about by-laws and building rules?Grrrr!Anyway, in the absence of a recent turn on James Valentine, you can hear me and some people who actually know what they're talking about on Radio National.Oh, and I'm betting here and now that my prediction that the law proposed tomorrow (Wednesday April 19) will allow room lets but restrict whole apartment lets will be proved wrong.

Roundup: Monstered by tradies with trucks

Mon, 27 Mar 2017 08:09:01 -0400

I was in at the ABC doing my strata spot with James Valentine the other day and the question of monster trucks and the increasing squeeze in apartment block car parks came up.We wrote about that here a few weeks ago but it makes you think that Australia’s love affair with large 4WDs and the fact that half of us will be living in apartments in the next 10 years will reach some sort of crisis point soon.A friend of mine lives in a town house complex where two tradies use their garages as workshops and for storage and use visitor parking permanently for their utes.Recently her mother visited, parked in visitor parking and came back to her vehicle to find an obscene note plastered on her windscreen telling her that if she parked on “my” space again, her car would be trashed.Do these people not get it or do they know exactly what they’re doing but have decided the by-laws are stupid and they obviously shouldn’t apply to them.It’s times like this you wish there really was such a thing as StrataKops.You can listen to the James valentine session HERE. And when you’ve done that, dive into the problems and solutions parked in the Flat Chat Forum. What do you do when your upstairs neighbours have complied with the by-law for timber floors … but you can hear every footstep? That’s HERE. Should the owners be expected to pay when the strata committee meetings have food and drink supplied? That’s HERE. The woman next door get her dog to poo and pee every day on the lawn outside my window. What can I do? That’s HERE. A power-crazed, rusted-on chairman is calling illegal meetings, not informing concerned owners and charging private renovations to the strata funds. What can you do? That’s HERE. An Airbnb host explains why he thinks Airbnb is being less than honest with the people from whom it makes its money. That’s HERE (scroll to the end). PICA Group strata managers explain why they charge for updating their systems in line with new laws (but other managers don’t). That’s HERE. Can the strata committee use strata insurance to pay for legal advice regarding a case against us at the Tribunal? That’s HERE.All these and a lot more in the Forum and every Saturday in the Sydney Morning Herald.

StrataKops and Airbnb

Sat, 11 Mar 2017 21:38:29 -0500

You’re always hesitant in this game to claim that you have a regular slot, anywhere, doing anything. Or you should be - it's usually a guaranteed precursor to getting the hook.But I guess after almost 10 years of guesting on James Valentine’s Afternoons on ABC radio, I can say that, yes, I do get an occasional 25 minutes of radio fame.So, for those of you who miss it, I am now posting podcasts or, as those of us who can remember when radios had valves call them, "recordings" of these and other radio spots.I’m on with James again at 2.00pm on Monday, March 13. But if you can’t wait till then, click in the link above to hear last month’s episode when we discussed new strata laws, proxy farming, StrataKops and Airbnb (yawn).And, of course, took a few calls from listeners and tried not to panic when they asked tricky questions.Enjoy. And if you have any technical issues hearing this, email us and we'll try to help (but we're not promising anything).