What cheeses me off

[mrsterryn]

How does one end up with an excellent relationship with the Tribunal? Wouldn't that imply many disputes ?

 

[Lynda2475]

How does one end up with an excellent relationship with the Tribunal? Wouldn't that imply many many disputes ?

It means 100% success rate, over all cases over the 26 years the strata has been in place. We keep excellent records and have the process down pat.

The world is unfortunately full of inconsiderate people and so at least one hearing a year is not uncommon for a sizeable property.

Sure if you only have a handful of lots this seems a lot but when its closer to 200 lots with only 35% owner occupier then odds are you more likely to have a cough tenant move in at some point. Tenants change much more frequently than owners, and account for majority of by-law breaches.

 

[antycbr]

WCMO is overreach by Bodies Corporate.

Don’t get me wrong, antisocial behaviour is not condoned. But neither is the selective weaponisation of by-laws nor the self-assertion of penalties that don’t stack up against the laws governing how a Body Corporate should operate.

I call strata the fourth tier of government. They have compulsory taxation powers, spend money on things you don’t want, have petty politics, people in it for their own agenda, and inconsistent law enforcement. As a former EC member very happy to only have to deal with Council now I own a terrace.

 

[antycbr]

FYI at Aus domestic terminals (for QF at least) having status does nothing to get you the ability to check-in with a person. At SYDd there is 1 (2 at busy times) counters, but no priority for status, vs about 40 self service machines. Status only kicks in at the security line

I’d kill for a couple of self service bag drops at the s***show that is VA SYD. I know that the issue is with SACL not VA but seriously the amount of time I spend in the priority line is ridiculous.

Priority pax always also seem to have issues (eg a band checking in musical instruments, complex international connections which only one staff member is “internationally trained” for, or people trying to reseat themselves to get their nine family members into Econ X.)

I want to just dump my bag on a belt like QF.

There are now two self bag drops between VA and ZL desks now - but at the rate of implementation of them you’d think they were brand new tech.

 

[Julesmac]

An

And then leave the rentals lying around, all over the place.

They'd have some kind of tracking device surely? Why aren't the company owners compelled to have vans with trailers like the siupermarkets do, to go and collect them? (well they would need a lot of trailers but...)Or why can't local councils do the same and then fine the company? Like when your car gets towed from a Clearway, you get a fine for the iparking nfringement and on top have to pay the impound fee to get your car? I say this because in the distance of about 3k in my area, yesterday I counted 8. Eight?Since I go past every day I can confirm they lie around for at least a week

 

[Julesmac]

It means 100% success rate, over all cases over the 26 years the strata has been in place. We keep excellent records and have the process down pat.

The world is unfortunately full of inconsiderate people and so at least one hearing a year is not uncommon for a sizeable property.

Sure if you only have a handful of lots this seems a lot but when its closer to 200 lots with only 35% owner occupier then odds are you more likely to have a cough tenant move in at some point. Tenants change much more frequently than owners, and account for majority of by-law breaches.

After running a large inner city strata management company with my husband for 30+ years one thing I would say (even more relevant these days with bigger and bigger buildings) is that many people who are buying apartments don't understand it's communal living. So you have to consider other residents, you can't go and do exactly what you want; you have to live in close proximity with neighbours, probably closer than you'd like; some folk turn into total d%@#heads; some folk are bullies - they're often the ones who can't wait to get onto the committee! Some people absolutely adore a good grievance or better still a feud. You would not get me into a strata building for $10M

 

[antycbr]

They'd have some kind of tracking device surely? Why aren't the company owners compelled to have vans with trailers like the siupermarkets do, to go and collect them? (well they would need a lot of trailers but...)Or why can't local councils do the same and then fine the company? Like when your car gets towed from a Clearway, you get a fine for the iparking nfringement and on top have to pay the impound fee to get your car? I say this because in the distance of about 3k in my area, yesterday I counted 8. Eight?Since I go past every day I can confirm they lie around for at least a week

Fortunately these are still banned in NSW, we just have share bikes to deal with.

Surely with venture capital drying up these companies - which are all losing money - will run out of other people’s money to spend?

 

[Lynda2475]

Yes it is nice to be able to walk around the Sydney CBD / Circular Quay and Barangaroo and places like the Bay Walk without fear of being run down by scooters and segways. If only those food delivery guys on e-bikes would obey the law and ride on the road instead of trying to knock over pedestrians on the footpath (and no Im not talking about shared pathways, just regular suburban footpaths). Its only legal to ride a bike on the footpath in NSW if its labelled shared path or if you are with a child riding a bike.

 

[MARTINE]

Fortunately these are still banned in NSW, we just have share bikes to deal with.

Surely with venture capital drying up these companies - which are all losing money - will run out of other people’s money to spend?

I hope so
They (the e scooters) have metastasized in Victoria.
An unfortunate pedestrian that sustained severe injuries could not be helped financially because the numpty who crashed into her was not wearing a helmet therefore his ‘insurance’ was invalid

Woman left with $25k bill after eScooter crashed into her

My response:
1- Class action against Melb City Council that have extended the ‘trial’
2- Unless they are return to point of collection the credit card that paid for them keeps getting charged $100 /d until you do

 

[Gremlin]

After running a large inner city strata management company with my husband for 30+ years one thing I would say (even more relevant these days with bigger and bigger buildings) is that many people who are buying apartments don't understand it's communal living. So you have to consider other residents, you can't go and do exactly what you want; you have to live in close proximity with neighbours, probably closer than you'd like; some folk turn into total d%@#heads; some folk are bullies - they're often the ones who can't wait to get onto the committee! Some people absolutely adore a good grievance or better still a feud. You would not get me into a strata building for $10M

Oh, don't get me wrong. A well run strata is a godsend. Our current one is very, very good. Responsive where necessary. Very clear communication, which is especially well articulated on any issue that might be controversial. I don't always agree with every decision made, but I 100% understand why they've been made and completely respect them for the decisions.

OTOH, my MILs complex... not so much. Ego. Frivolous, expensive and often unnecessary legal action. Inconsistent decisions based on personality, rather than objective criteria (eg, two apartments applied to have cavoodles. Both puppies, both applications assessed at the same meeting. One accepted, that of the Body Corp President, and the other, from someone not on the committee and who the President disliked, was rejected).

 

[Ade]

WCMO .... curled up the whole NY day (01 JAN) in bed due to food poisoning

Catching illness at the end of the trip - (almost) 2 weeks in India, all going well, no issues none-what-so-ever, eat local food, nothing happens all well. Then, on the last day (30 DEC), wake up with a massive (read in uppercase) headache, try some balm, which usually works (and it did, for a bit, but got the headache again), board a flight home (lucky to have got an op-up to J), slept the whole way thru. Wake up feeling much better, well-slept, rested etc.

Come home (31 DEC), feel a bit wonky, thought I will sleep it off - slept the whole night, woken up by projectiles due to food poisoning. Spent the whole NY day in the bed with a temperature ...

I would not have done anything different on NY day (or NYE) anyways ... still CMO that I wasn't feeling well.

 

[dajop]

On the subject of living in apartments and living, at my apartment complex in Singapore (home to about 900 apartments), bicycle parking is at a premium, so the management committee have just introduced IMHO a ludicrous rule of restricting it to 2 bicycles per apartment (some apartments are 4 BR with families). Doesn't affect me personally as we only have 2 bicycles but the parking situation is ridiculous, it's so cramped, and a better solution would perhaps to allocate more space to bicycle parking?

There are 3 basements for car parking B1, B2 and B3. B3 is completely empty, usually you see a dozen or so cars in B2 (so about <5% of spaces occupied) yet a special resolution of the AGM is needed to change this. We used to park on B2, and got told off and threatened that our bikes would be removed, because they were parked beside car spaces ... even though in 10 years never saw anyone park within 50m of those car spaces.

Oh, but it is just one of many things #WCMO about condo living. One that got me fuming (for it's ridiculousness) a couple of years ago was being told off by security guard for taking a "foreign object" into the swimming pool which is not allowed. Someone else also got told off earlier that day for the same issue. Our crime? Sitting in the spa jets at the edge of the pool reading a book (the book being the foreign object). ! Also one evening told off for being in the pool after 10pm. I was fully clothed and just had two feet in the pool on the top step to cool off. But this is technically using the pool, which isn't allowed after 10pm.

No doubt there are people with nothing better to do than look out their condo window looking for people who might be breaking the rules, that's what makes the country tick.

But not yet been told off for jay-walking despite the legend that you get immediately fined the moment you step off the kerb

 

[antycbr]

On the subject of living in apartments and living, at my apartment complex in Singapore (home to about 900 apartments), bicycle parking is at a premium, so the management committee have just introduced IMHO a ludicrous rule of restricting it to 2 bicycles per apartment (some apartments are 4 BR with families). Doesn't affect me personally as we only have 2 bicycles but the parking situation is ridiculous, it's so cramped, and a better solution would perhaps to allocate more space to bicycle parking?

There are 3 basements for car parking B1, B2 and B3. B3 is completely empty, usually you see a dozen or so cars in B2 (so about <5% of spaces occupied) yet a special resolution of the AGM is needed to change this. We used to park on B2, and got told off and threatened that our bikes would be removed, because they were parked beside car spaces ... even though in 10 years never saw anyone park within 50m of those car spaces.

Oh, but it is just one of many things #WCMO about condo living. One that got me fuming (for it's ridiculousness) a couple of years ago was being told off by security guard for taking a "foreign object" into the swimming pool which is not allowed. Someone else also got told off earlier that day for the same issue. Our crime? Sitting in the spa jets at the edge of the pool reading a book (the book being the foreign object). ! Also one evening told off for being in the pool after 10pm. I was fully clothed and just had two feet in the pool on the top step to cool off. But this is technically using the pool, which isn't allowed after 10pm.

No doubt there are people with nothing better to do than look out their condo window looking for people who might be breaking the rules, that's what makes the country tick.

But not yet been told off for jay-walking despite the legend that you get immediately fined the moment you step off the kerb

Bicycles in Singapore’s humidity? No thanks.

How many people are riding to Hub and Spoke before setting into Suites on SQ?

 

[Flashback]

WCMO is waking up early and not being able to get back to sleep.

WCMO is misplacing a hiking jacket and not being able to find it - last time I can see myself wearing it was in a photo taken as I walked down to the shops in late November. Haven't been able to find it since, even though every trip/travel I've done since then I am not wearing it, so don't think I left it somewhere on my travels! Such mysteries....... and yes, the house has been turned upside down trying to find the darn thing.

 

[dajop]

Bicycles in Singapore’s humidity? No thanks.

I know right? Although it can be quite pleasant to go for a ride in the evening or a cloudy day, Or indeed at this time of year where it is relatively cooler.

 

[kookaburra75]

WCMO is waking up early and not being able to get back to sleep.

WCMO is misplacing a hiking jacket and not being able to find it - last time I can see myself wearing it was in a photo taken as I walked down to the shops in late November. Haven't been able to find it since, even though every trip/travel I've done since then I am not wearing it, so don't think I left it somewhere on my travels! Such mysteries....... and yes, the house has been turned upside down trying to find the darn thing.

So you've done a 'boy look'. Has MrsFlashback helped out by doing a 'girl look' and magically finding it

 

[Flashback]

So you've done a 'boy look'. Has MrsFlashback helped out by doing a 'girl look' and magically finding it

She tried before me!

 

[VPS]

WCMO is waking up early and not being able to get back to sleep.

Ditto

 

[Cruiser Elite]

WCMO is waking up early and not being able to get back to sleep.

Define early pls?

 

[Flashback]

Define early pls?

4am when you had your alarm set for 8am I.e., had no reason to be up early!