As we were preparing AGM documentation for one of our Bodies Corporate, it became apparent the Body Corporate would not have the minimum of three committee members required under the Standard Module Regulation. As the scheme had only five lots, we were able to recommend that they change regulation to the Small Schemes Module, under which […]
Recently, a client in a building format plan found her townhouse egged. Missiles had also been directed towards a neighbouring townhouse in the Body Corporate. Her townhouse is surrounded by an exclusive use allocation, apart from an adjoining wall to another townhouse in the Body Corporate. This messy event led the impacted lot owners and the Committee to […]
Good news! Remember our post from a while back that looked at the indemnify clauses that some Body Corporate Managers insert in their contracts. These clauses are akin to a get out of jail free card for the professional advice that a Body Corporate Manager exercises when administering your scheme. Well, the Federal government has been listening. Since […]
Sadly, this month we had to deal with a devastating event when a lot in one of the Bodies Corporate that we manage burnt down. Fortunately, functioning smoke alarms alerted the occupiers to danger and the family exited quickly and safely, immediately calling the fire brigade. The family was shocked at how quickly the fire […]
When a relationship between a Body Corporate Manager and a Committee breaks down, there is often considerable time and effort expended by both the Committee and the Body Corporate Manager to address the problems. The final outcome is often that any existing contract is discontinued. Committees can get shocked when the records are finally handed over and […]
A Body Coporate that we manage in Taringa has recently raised the issue of smoking. This is a common issue which frequently arises in our managed schemes; what measure of control does the Body Corporate have over smoking? While by-laws regulating smoking in Queensland community titles schemes may be passed, they are unable to prohibit the activity […]
We just got a letter from Urban Utilities suggesting that a Body Corporate that we manage has a water leak. We take such a letter very seriously because we know that water leaks can be very expensive. However, in this case, the Body Corporate was a relatively new development. The automatic letter generated by the Urban Utilities computer […]
One of our clients is having problems with a lot owner parking on the common property. Most by-laws permit such parking subject to permission (with a stated end date) being given by the Body Corporate upon the applicant writing to the Committee with a valid reason. The Committee are required to consider the application and make reasonable […]
We heard recently of a case where a Body Corporate on a Standard Format Plan was denied insurance. The buildings in the Body Corporate had common walls and so the insurance needed to cover the buildings as well as the common property. An insurance inspection report had uncovered deficiencies in many of the lots (related to the […]
Worked through a stressful changeover of a small Body Corporate this month. The exiting Body Corporate Manager (Brisbane central city based) was refusing to handover the books until the lot owners made prepayments. Seems that there was enough money for the insurance that was falling due or for the final Manager fees but not both! My recommendation was […]