And the short answer in Queensland is…quite likely, but not always. You will certainly need to seek permission from the body corporate committee and there are some considerations. So let’s take a look at pet ownership in a body corporate environment.

The law

Where once body corporates would flat out ban pets at a property, that’s no longer permitted.

In recent years there have been a series of rulings in favour of pet owners with authorities noting that comprehensive pet bans are unreasonable.

Instead, pet owners need to seek the permission of the body corporate who will implement conditions for the number, size and type of pets allowed, along with requirements for how that pet will be kept and managed.

Size restriction

One of the most likely provisions you’ll see a body corporate implement is a size restriction on any pets at the property. In the majority of cases this is a 10kg limit on fully grown, adult dogs. They may also limit the number of pets any property owner can house and have restrictions on the types of animals permitted.

By-law adherence

Meanwhile there are a host of further conditions and even by-laws that can also apply to accommodating a pet at the property.

These include noise restrictions to ensure there is no nuisance barking, while an animal must also be kept within the boundaries of the owner’s property unless on a lead and accompanied by the owner while entering or exiting the building.

The upshot

Like all areas of residing in a strata-title environment, pet ownership requires consideration and a community-minded approach. That means before you bring a pet into your property you should seek the permission of the body corporate and understand any conditions they place on this arrangement.

It’s important to note that if conditions are not met, a body corporate may revoke its permission and the pet would then have to be removed from the property.

The post Can I have a pet at this property? appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.

Well often the two job descriptions offer different expertise with very different results, so here are some finer details to consider as you ponder the service for you.

Mowing service

Great for properties with large tracts of grass, a mowing service is usually restricted to tending to your lawn and clearing the occasional palm frond.

In some cases that may be enough, but if your property has established gardens or a plan to introduce them then a little more expertise may be required.

A gardener

Armed with skills and experience in areas such as landscaping or horticulture, a qualified gardener may cost more, but is often worth the extra expense.

Gardeners provide more plant focussed skills including knowledge of when to prune and by how much. They also have experience of the best plants to use to achieve the desired effect, along with the best time to plant them, and when to mulch. Some gardeners also offer a warranty on  their work.

Why it matters

It may be tempting to assume one service is as a good as another, but like any maintenance work around a strata property, selecting the right person with the right qualifications and expertise makes a big difference to the end result.

If you’re looking for gardens that add value, appeal and liveability to you property then selecting an individual to undertake this work with adequate skills is essential. And, like any works, it can be more costly to have to go back and fix something later than it would have been to pay a little extra in the first place.

How to pick the right person

Selecting the person to maintain your property is an important part of body corporate management. The end result can be a very real problem or asset for your property. So ensure you do your homework first by asking for relevant qualifications, ref

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If you’re planning on making alterations to the look or layout of your unit or town house, here’s what you need to know…

Two sets of rules

Body corporate living is governed by two sets of guidelines and these include overarching rules set out under the Act, along with individual rules that are unique to each property as set out by your by-laws.

That means changes that may not require approval in some shared buildings will in others. It will also mean some buildings have more stringent conditions than others when it comes to making alterations.

How do the rules apply?

As a general rule of thumb, anything that will change the look or structural integrity of a strata title building needs approval. That might sound simple but consider these scenarios:

• You live in a highrise apartment and you’d like to install louvre shutters rather than standard curtains as your window fittings for your balcony sliding doors. Do you require approval? Well quite possibly. Although this minor alteration takes place within your property, the result may affect the uniform look of the building, and this will be covered by your by-laws.
• You live in a small unit block and you’d like to alter your kitchen by knocking out a wall for open plan living. Do you require approval? Absolutely, as this may affect the structural integrity of the building.
• You live in a townhouse and you’d like to create a vegetable patch on your patio that overlooks a common area. Do you require approval? Maybe, again this will depend on your by-laws.
• You live at the top of a three-storey residence and you’d like to replace your carpet with hard flooring. Do you require approval? Yes, because even though it can’t be seen, your hard flooring may result in noise for the residents below. You can see our more detailed blog on this issue here.
• You live in a townhouse and you’d like to repaint the interior of your unit. Do you require approval? No, but you should be aware of where your tradespeople may or may not be able to park their vehicles while working at your place.

What to do

If you are considering making an alteration to your unit, even small, the best course of action is to consult your body corporate manager first. They will tell you if you require approval, how you should go about getting it, and any additional actions you may need to take to complete your works to the satisfaction of the greater community.

The final word

Seeking approval may seem tedious, but it’s a lot less hassle than having to return a property to its original form because your works breached a by-law or were outside the law. So if in doubt, double check. Contrary to popular belief, it’s easier to seek approval in a shared environment than it is to seek forgiveness.

The post Do I need body corporate approval? appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.

One of the most daunting factors for many is the time involved and the processes that need to be followed, so here’s a lowdown on what committees do, how they work and ways to make the running of a strata community smoother.

The body corporate

The role of the body corporate is to look after common property assets and to undertake actions required by legislation. The Queensland Government notes that extends to:

• maintaining, managing and controlling the common property on behalf of owners
• deciding the amounts to be paid by the owners to make sure the body corporate can operate.
• making and enforcing its own rules, called by-laws, which clarify to owners and residents what they can and cannot do.
• taking out insurance on behalf of owners, such as public risk insurance over the common property and building insurance.
• managing and controlling body corporate assets.
• keeping records for the body corporate, including minutes of meetings, roll of owner’s details, financial accounts, and registers of assets, improvements to common property by owners, engagements and authorisations.

The committee

To meet their responsibilities the body corporate each year elects a committee, who will act on their behalf. This group of people is elected at an annual general meeting and responsible for the administration of the building. The committee usually comprises between three and seven members, depending on how many lots the property has.

The committee must comprise a chairperson, secretary and treasurer, and one person can fill each of those positions if necessary.

The committee is in charge of:

• the administrative day-to-day running of the body corporate.
• making certain decisions on behalf of the body corporate such as approvals, minor improvements and expenditure within the boundaries of their authority.
• putting the lawful decisions of the body corporate into place.

The AGM

A body corporate must call an annual general meeting each year. This involves approving two budgets for the running of the property:

• An administrative fund budget – for the day to running of the property including electricity charges, grounds keeping, and insurance.
• A sinking fund budget – for future maintenance expenses such as lift or pool refurbishment, building repainting, roof repairs or replacement, and the replacement of major equipment.

Other items on the agenda include:

• Electing a new committee
• Voting on proposed budgets and levy periods
• Insurance renewal
• Any other motions submitted by the owners.

Extraordinary general meetings can also be held throughout the year to deal with any urgent matters that can’t wait until the next AGM.

Day to day

When it comes to the day to day running of a building, some body corporate committees are very hands-on, taking care of maintenance and calling in individual tradespeople when required. Meanwhile, others are more distant, utilising a manager or management company to help handle maintenance and upkeep tasks.

How much time is involved in being on the committee largely depends on the processes established and the experience and knowledge of the members.

Over the years as body corporate managers, we’ve worked with a lot of body corporate committees and seen a number of different approaches – some which work well, seem which don’t. This varies depending on the size and complexity of the property, and also the number of committee members, their level of expertise and availability, as well as the approach of individual members.

The post The Body Corporate – What do they do and what is involved appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.

Here’s a quick guide on laying flooring to ensure the residents beneath can’t hear every pin you drop and step you take, because if they can there may be costly repercussions…

Hard flooring, timber and tiles

Yes they’re maintenance free, look great and can be a real feature piece when it comes to renovating, but hard flooring has a tendency to carry noise from the floor into the unit below.

That doesn’t mean they’re out of bounds, but you should check with the body corporate first, discuss your proposed renovations with the committee, and take any appropriate measure to minimise sound.

Underlay

The type of underlay you select can have a major effect on minimising noise transfer. The best underlay is designed to muffle, if not eliminate, sounds such as moving chairs in and out from a table, walking in hard sole shoes such as high heels, or even everyday noise like talking, music and the television.

By laws

A body corporate may have by-laws which specifically address the required use of appropriately-rated underlay, with some buildings more prone to noise transfer than others. This makes it imperative to check with your body corporate manager or committee before you go laying tiles and other hard flooring.

Even if the by-laws don’t specifically relate to underlay, failure to mitigate sound through appropriate underlay could see you fall foul of other regulations like noise and nuisance by-laws, both of which can be applied to noise transfer between floors.

Australian standard

Ordinary old Masonite underlay will not suffice in a multi-storey environment so chat at length with your flooring supplier to find a solution to suit your conditions. There are Australian standards for this type of product, and your flooring supplier should be able to provide suitable underlay to meet your needs (and those of the people peacefully residing below).

Repercussions

Failing to consult with the body corporate and take the necessary sound proofing measures can have costly consequences. In Queensland there have been cases where unit owners have installed flooring like tiles and then subsequently been taken to court over resulting noise. The upshot was a court order to pull up all the tiles and then install appropriate underlay. This is a huge financial impost, more than doubling the initial cost of installing tiles in the first place.

And that’s not to mention the lost goodwill between residents sharing the same address.

Check before buying

It’s also worthwhile to bear issues like this in mind when purchasing a unit. If you’re buying a unit with hard flooring installed, investigate whether there have been any problems with noise transfer in the past. And if you’re looking at a property with units above, spend some time there to work out exactly what you can hear from on high.

The final word

The bottom line is living in a shared community like strata title residences involves neighbourly consideration, and a little forethought in any renovation goes a long way.

When it comes to hard flooring, discuss your ideas with the committee, invest in suitable underlay, and then enjoy your space in the knowledge no one else can hear your every move.

The post Hard Flooring – what you need to know appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.

It’s also an unfortunate reality that water leaks can be time consuming, costly issues to deal with, especially as the responsibility for fixing them in a strata community depends on finding the source.

Here’s a quick word to the wise on water leaks…

Find the source

If you have mysterious water in your unit, the first task is to find the source, and that may involve working with other parties like your body corporate manager and other unit owners.

If the leak is within your unit, the responsibility is clearly yours or your landlord’s to rectify, but if it’s coming from an external source then the lines begin to blur. Here’s why…

Whose responsibility?

Generally in strata living the airspace and items within the four boundary walls of your unit are your responsibility.

This means items like the cavities that adjoin the properties above, beneath and each side are common property falling under the responsibility of the body corporate. Common pipes within these spaces may also be in their care, along with membranes between properties. However if the pipe is within your property, it’s your problem.

In some cases your property extends beyond standard boundaries to decks, patios, verandas and courtyards, so it’s critical to know what’s yours and what’s not.  

Who to call

If the water is coming from outside your unit, contact your body corporate manager. It may be as simple as the resident above leaving a bath to overflow, but the cause could be more complex, like an identified leak within the building, which needs further investigation.

If the leak is caused by the unit holder above, they may be liable for any damage caused to you, but the body corporate is the best placed authority to start sorting through the issue

A quick tip

On this note as a unit owner it’s critical to be mindful of the plumbing products you use and how well they’re maintained as their effect could extend well beyond your property.

For example, in recent years stainless steel, braided pipes have gained popularity in bathroom and kitchen sinks and basins, as well as for toilet cisterns and dishwashers.

These flexible little numbers make connecting the water supply to taps easier for plumbers, and also make changing taps in the future a more viable proposition than if fixed copper lines are used. However, they can eventually split and leak, often in a sudden and dramatic way with disastrous results.

This is especially problematic if you’re away at the time and no one has access to your unit. The water runs out through the broken pipe continuously, filling the unit and damaging cabinets, flooring, skirting boards and often occupiers belongings as well.

Importantly this has the potential to damage units below.

The thing to remember is that all pipes and especially flexible ones have a service life, and don’t last forever. The quality of the pipe will ultimately determine the service lifespan. Some plumbers recommend changing them as often as every five years to be safe as there are some low-quality flex pipes on the market.

The final word

Unit living is a shared responsibility where your actions, renovations or maintenance has the potential to impact others. That means considering this when installing fixtures, features and items like plumbing, and tending to them on a regular basis. This is not just the responsibility of the body corporate who oversees a building, but each unit owner within it.

The post A word to the wise on water leaks appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.

Taking the time and effort to obtain quotes could actually be costing you more than you think, and here’s why…

The little things

Whether it’s fixing a tap washer or re-nailing skirting boards, small jobs make up part of every tradesperson’s day.

As a business person they know the hourly rates charged by their competitors and will work to complete jobs in proximity to each other before moving on to the next location. This means you’ll probably get that job done quickly in a cost effective manner even if you don’t obtain a quote.

If, however, you call a tradesperson in to quote, you’re taking productive, billable time from their work schedule, which means that cost has to be reclaimed somewhere. The most likely way of reclaiming? By adding the time spent initially attending your premises to provide a quote into the price for the job.

The urgent things

Every now and then a property will require urgent maintenance, and if your property is tenanted there may be timeframes in which it legally has to be completed. In this instance obtaining quotes may be costing you not only money but time.

Professional tradespeople will attend the site swiftly, remedy the problem with as little disruption as possible and then provide a quote for any future, more expensive works that may need to be done. Quoting before fixing will not only effect how soon the problem is resolved but there is also the likelihood your tenant may resent the additional impost in an emergency situation that has also inconvenienced them.

The final word

If your job is extensive and optional, by all means obtain quotes. But calling for quotes on every little item or in an emergency is not only unnecessary but is probably costing you functionally and financially.

The post Why a quote may be costing you appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.

Keeping buildings that are often multi-storey tidy, free from grime and fresh in appearance is an ongoing task for any body corporate. Even recently painted buildings can fall victim to road grime, mould and occasional acts of unwelcome vandalism.

So how do you make the call on whether the body corporate should fork out for a fresh coat of paint, a touch-up or a quick pressure clean?

Full paint

Sadly, no amount of cleaning will alter the fact that every now and then a body corporate will have to bite the bullet for a full repaint of the building.

While exterior paint technology has improved greatly in recent years, the harsh Australian sun, wind, sea mist and simple age mean every now and then your building will be due for a full repaint. And that’s not to mention paint colours, like most things, go through fads.

The average building exterior requires repainting every seven to 10 years, depending on the environment. But if you’re in the market for a full repaint here are some tips.

• All contractors are not equal – ensure your contractor can provide examples or pictures of buildings they’ve painted, that they give you a set time frame to have the job complete, and that a quote covers all contingencies, like pealing or cracked render.
• All paints are not equal – your contractor should use long-lasting paint, even if that incurs additional expense. In the long run it will save you repainting earlier than you anticipated. Also ask them to either leave you the brand and colour code, or a paint tin for touch-ups.
• All colours are not equal – certain shades go in and out of style (consider the salmon phase of the late ‘90s or the blues of the ‘50s). Try to select a neutral paint colour that will last at least a decade in style.

Touch-up

Sometimes all your building needs is a touch-up in high traffic areas, complemented by a good pressure clean. This can push a full repaint of the building out for a couple of years, saving your body corporate huge expense.

If you don’t happen to have paint codes or leftover tins lying around, a good painting contractor should be able to accurately match the colour.

Pressure clean

Keeping your building clean with regular pressure cleaning not only improves the appearance in the short term, but can actually extend the life of your paint.

This is a great option to wash off sea spray and lessen the potential of concrete cancer (Alkali-silica reaction) and damage caused by grime or mould.

Conducted on an annual basis, a pressure clean also allows you to see and touch-up any areas that aren’t standing up to the task under the sweltering Australian sun, or flag any major maintenance issues developing. It can also even tackle graffiti if unwelcome visitors with artistic aspirations have come calling during the night.

The post To paint or pressure clean? That is the question… appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.

Whose vehicle?

Illegally parked vehicles fall under a number of categories:

• Owners/residents using visitor or other resident’s space to house their own vehicle.
• Visitors to the site overstaying their welcome or blocking access.
• Non associated people using a complex’s car park such as in busy areas where parking is limited near shops.

Who owns the vehicle and which of these categories it falls under may impact the actions your body corporate can take, but make no mistake, regardless of the situation and any signage erected, towing a vehicle could leave a body corporate liable for removal costs and any damage caused.

The law

In 2014 The Queensland Government released the Queensland Government Property Law Review Options Paper, which discussed this very issue.

In it they noted the current legislation means: “regardless of what is stated in the by‐laws with respect to towing or the type of notice that is displayed in the visitor’s parking area, there is no clear legislative authority for a body corporate to tow, or arrange for the towing of a vehicle”.

What’s more: “The body corporate is subject to legislation which makes it illegal to wilfully interfere with any mechanism, or other part of a vehicle.”

Risks

As there are no clear provisions under law for a body corporate to tow an illegally parked vehicle, if they do, the body corporate incurs a number of risks.

These include:

• Financial outlay for the towing costs which they will not be able to recover
• Liability for damage to the vehicle should something happen during the removal (body corporate insurance will not generally cover this).

 What to do

The Queensland Government is assessing new options to handle the issue and provide bodies corporate with powers under special circumstances to remove vehicles and tackle repeat offenders.

In the interim, if illegal parking presents a problem for your body corporate the best option is to seek legal advice.

Your lawyer may be able to assist with strategies for dealing with residents that include issuing notices under the BCCM Act and then applying to an adjudicator to have a resident’s vehicle removed.

They may also be able to utilise common law situations which allow for removal of vehicles blocking access.

But as the current situation depends on who owns the vehicle, whether they are subject to your by-laws and how you go about enforcing them, legal advice is strongly recommended.

The final word
The law may be set to change in the coming years, but for now your body corporate should be mindful of the risks associated with towing, seek the best advice possible depending on the individual circumstances, and act in a manner that mitigates liability.

The post What a body corporate should know about dealing with “illegally” parked vehicles appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.

Permission

Any fixed air conditioner is going to require a compressor and pipes to be fitted to the exterior of your building, which means you will need permission from the body corporate before you go ahead.

The best time to talk to your body corporate is before you even examine air-conditioning options as they may have guidelines for whether they allow air-conditioners to be fitted and, if so, what type, where and by whom.

These guidelines will generally fall under your body corporate by-laws, and if you don’t adhere to their requirements you may be forced to remove your air-conditioner and pay for any damage caused by installation, so it pays to touch base about your plans first.

Depending on the total cost of the installation you may have to wait for approval at a general meeting, which would most often be the next AGM. If your AGM has just passed that means you could be waiting another 12 months before you have the necessary permission to go ahead and install your air conditioner. Talk to your body corporate manager as soon as you decide that you want to install an air conditioner.

The look

Regardless of whether you’re in a high-rise building, townhouses that sit side-by-side or a low rise apartment block, your air-conditioner will require an exterior unit to be fitted somewhere.

This means you need to consider the look, and the body corporate will require input into where that unit will be located. Some will allow air-con compressors on the balcony, some may not. You may have to go to the expense of fitting the exterior unit on the roof of the building, or have it attached at height to the rear wall.

You may also have to ensure the unit is a certain size or look to guarantee uniformity on the building’s exterior, and carefully consider exactly where any pipes will be located. All these factors may incur extra expense that you should investigate early.

The noise

Compressors make noise, some more than others, and this will need to be factored in for the comfort of other unit holders. This will also affect the type of air-conditioner you should be considering and where it needs to be positioned.

Installation access

Once you’ve obtained body corporate permission, ascertained the best position and selected your air-conditioning unit, you will need to think about access. Chances are your installer will need to use common property or other people’s property to access the installation site for your air-conditioner, and you will need to notify those unit holders and seek permission first.

That notice may need to be a prescribed period in advance, such as 14 days prior. You will also need to let them know how long works will take, and the type of impact they will have.

The final word

It’s worth remembering that while it’s your unit, any improvements that alter the exterior impact other investors. So talk to your body corporate about plans such as installing air-conditioning to ensure the best outcome for all involved.

The post Installing an air-conditioner in your unit? What you need to consider appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.