OCN in the Media

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NSW opens door to thousands of defect claims

2020-10-07T14:42:37+11:00

15 JUNE 2020 Thousands of apartment owners in NSW now have a way to launch claims over cladding, water proofing and fire safety defects after a new law created a duty of care for builders, consultants and developers to end users in the construction chain, even without a contractual relationship linking them. The Design & Building Practitioners Bill 2020, which came into effect last week, gives the state's apartment owners the [...]

NSW opens door to thousands of defect claims2020-10-07T14:42:37+11:00

Building watchdog warns he will clamp down on ‘shameful’ developers

2020-10-07T14:43:22+11:00

3 JUNE 2020 The NSW Building Commissioner has warned unscrupulous builders and developers responsible for major defects in apartments that he will not hesitate to use his new powers to bring them to account, after key legislation to clean up the construction industry became law. Heralding it a "red-letter day", David Chandler said his immediate focus would be on developers, builders and certifiers "who have form" in turning out shoddy work. [...]

Building watchdog warns he will clamp down on ‘shameful’ developers2020-10-07T14:43:22+11:00

Building watchdog’s powers to be bolstered in bid to clean up industry

2020-10-07T14:44:04+11:00

1 JUNE 2020 The NSW building commissioner is set to gain strong powers to stop builders from forcing off-the-plan sales of apartments with defects after Labor signalled it would support a proposed shake-up of the construction industry. After abandoning attempts late last year to pass key legislation, the Berejiklian government will reintroduce an amended bill to the upper house on Tuesday, and introduce another to the lower house which will, if [...]

Building watchdog’s powers to be bolstered in bid to clean up industry2020-10-07T14:44:04+11:00

Sydney apartment buildings win the fight against pets on appeal

2020-10-07T04:46:01+11:00

27 May 2020 Two of Sydney’s biggest apartment towers have won their battle to ban owners’ pets from their buildings in a verdict that will have far-reaching repercussions for NSW strata residents. The 260-apartment Horizon in Darlinghurst and the 280-unit Elan in Kings Cross had lost the right in previous cases before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) to enforce their bylaws to keep their premises animal free. But, now [...]

Sydney apartment buildings win the fight against pets on appeal2020-10-07T04:46:01+11:00

Owners unite … by Zoom

2020-10-07T14:51:16+11:00

26 MAY 2020 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, [...]

Owners unite … by Zoom2020-10-07T14:51:16+11:00

Debt crisis looms for renters and landlords

2020-09-07T14:46:28+10:00

24 May 2020 An increasing number of renters are at risk of accruing high levels of debt to landlords if the ACT Government fails to implement a repayment framework for rental arrears, according to a parliamentary committee inquiring into the ACT Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pause on evictions is in place until 27 July and there is no framework or government-provided structure for how accrued rental debts should [...]

Debt crisis looms for renters and landlords2020-09-07T14:46:28+10:00

Get ready for the great Airbnb rebound

2020-10-28T19:34:29+11:00

13 MAY 2020 There’s no doubt that Airbnb will make a comeback after the pandemic. So where are we at, as a nation, with holiday lets? The online holiday letting agency has apparently suffered an 85 per cent downturn in global business, knocking an estimated $30 billion off its value as it heads for a long-delayed float on the sharemarket. For those who bought or sub-let multiple properties to run them [...]

Get ready for the great Airbnb rebound2020-10-28T19:34:29+11:00

Charting a new course under lockdown in Sydney

2020-10-07T14:56:15+11:00

8 MAY 2020 New data has offered a snapshot of life in lockdown revealing what isolating Sydneysiders are doing behind closed doors. In a little over six weeks, as public health orders and restrictions have taken hold, the habits of Sydneysiders have become largely unrecognisable. Everyday activities like going to the gym, movies, after-work drinks and the footy have all disappeared. And exclusive data can reveal those pastimes have given way [...]

Charting a new course under lockdown in Sydney2020-10-07T14:56:15+11:00

‘We’ve never had it this busy’: Home isolation drives renovation boom

2020-10-07T15:06:42+11:00

21 APRIL 2020 Builder Paul Rice is accustomed to constructing new houses and restoring old ones. But while some of his bigger projects have dried up due to the coronavirus crisis, demand for small jobs and maintenance - such as repairing dodgy door hinges - from homeowners in isolation has gone through the roof. "I've had a lot of people coming to me wanting to fix all the stuff that's been broken [...]

‘We’ve never had it this busy’: Home isolation drives renovation boom2020-10-07T15:06:42+11:00
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