OCN Executive Director

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So far OCN Executive Director has created 181 blog entries.

North Sydney Strata Controversial Move Banning e-bikes and e-scooters

2024-02-13T11:22:29+11:00

5 FEBRUARY 2024 In a big shock to strata residents, a North Sydney apartment block has banned electric bikes and scooters with fears their lithium-ion batteries could ignite deadly fires. The devices have been blamed for eight blazes across the state in just the last month. Watch Channel 7 News segment:> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o0d4OR3-dg Related content:>  https://ocn.org.au/strata-committees-re-think-risky-e-bikes/

North Sydney Strata Controversial Move Banning e-bikes and e-scooters2024-02-13T11:22:29+11:00

Philip has been waiting 10 years for strata to fix a leak in his apartment

2024-02-05T15:32:03+11:00

3 FEBRUARY 2024 For a decade Philip Baigent endured water pooling on his balcony and leaking into his flat, warping the floorboards and causing mould. Karen Stiles, the executive director of the Owners’ Corporation Network of Australia, says governments set up strata as a housing model, but “don’t support it in any way”. “For example, owners’ corporations are not eligible for disaster relief because that’s only available to individuals and small [...]

Philip has been waiting 10 years for strata to fix a leak in his apartment2024-02-05T15:32:03+11:00

‘Confidence is waning’: New strata commissioner’s urgent task to support high-rise city

2024-02-05T15:39:47+11:00

2 FEBRUARY 2024 A plan to build millions of apartments across Sydney will falter without major changes to the laws underpinning ownership and management of the properties, the state’s new strata commissioner warns. “The whole issue around housing supply, around affordability, and ultimately social and economic wellbeing, requires strata to be successful and requires people to have confidence in strata, and I guess the concern is there are areas where confidence [...]

‘Confidence is waning’: New strata commissioner’s urgent task to support high-rise city2024-02-05T15:39:47+11:00

NSW Fire Safety Reforms

2024-01-30T16:44:51+11:00

23 JANUARY 2024 OCN made a submission on the proposed reforms to fire safety regulations in NSW. Read submission:> OCN Submission - Fire Safety Reforms January 2024 Related content:> https://ocn.org.au/product/fire-safety-by-law-proforma/

NSW Fire Safety Reforms2024-01-30T16:44:51+11:00

IPART Review of Embedded Networks in NSW

2024-01-30T15:54:35+11:00

OCN made a submission on the protections needed for strata owners and tenants where developers install an embedded network. Read submission:>OCN Submission - IPART Draft Report on Embedded Networks January 2024 Related content:> https://ocn.org.au/inquiry-into-embedded-networks-in-nsw/

IPART Review of Embedded Networks in NSW2024-01-30T15:54:35+11:00

Australian Consumer Law & Owners Corporations

2024-01-25T15:28:28+11:00

22 JANUARY 2024 OCN wrote to Federal, State and Territory Consumer Affairs Ministers, asking them to identify and address gaps in the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) insofar as they apply to owners corporations. Gaps in the ACL leave owners corporations, lot owners and tenants at a significant disadvantage in their dealings with businesses, including developers and strata/owners corporation managers. The ACL provides that unfair terms of a consumer or a small [...]

Australian Consumer Law & Owners Corporations2024-01-25T15:28:28+11:00

Chinese developer ordered to fix defects in 900 apartment complex

2024-01-23T14:42:53+11:00

17 JANUARY 2024 People who bought into the Lachlan’s Line apartment complex in Sydney’s North were promised a “prestigious new community”. Now they’ve discovered the basement floors in all four blocks are at risk of collapse. Karen Stiles, executive director of the advocacy group Owners Corporation Network welcomed the order which follows increased scrutiny of apartment developments.  The Macquarie Park apartment’s car parks on the basement level are at risk of [...]

Chinese developer ordered to fix defects in 900 apartment complex2024-01-23T14:42:53+11:00

OCN Talks Short Term Letting with 2GB’s Bill Woods

2023-12-11T12:33:12+11:00

11 DECEMBER 2023 Following a report of people renting multiple properties in order to sub-let on the short term market, Bill Woods dug a little deeper.  Do landlords know if their property is being short term let?  How can they find out if it's being short term let?  What can governments do to curb the commodification of housing?  All will be revealed! Listen to the interview:>  Related content:> https://ocn.org.au/ocn-opinion-piece-short-term-letting-nsw-government-backs-airbnb-in-final-policy/

OCN Talks Short Term Letting with 2GB’s Bill Woods2023-12-11T12:33:12+11:00

Treacy left Mascot Towers four years ago. Now she’s $1m in debt and has brain tumours

2023-12-07T14:44:55+11:00

7 DECEMBER 2023 Desperate apartment owners in Sydney’s notorious Mascot Towers are appealing for the state government to buy their defect-riddled building after the NSW Supreme Court slammed shut the gate on their last-ditch exit strategy. The apartment owners’ peak organisation, the Owners Corporation Network (OCN), is also calling for action. Executive director Karen Stiles said: “The OCN has sadly witnessed the four-and-a-half-year Mascot Towers debacle, caused by wholesale regulatory failure. [...]

Treacy left Mascot Towers four years ago. Now she’s $1m in debt and has brain tumours2023-12-07T14:44:55+11:00
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