defects Archives - Owners Corporation Network

New commish seeks collaboration, not conflict

OCN Executive Director2024-10-24T16:02:27+11:00

NSW has a new Building Commissioner, and he’s promising a different approach to his predecessor, David Chandler, the scourge of dodgy developers and bodgy builders. Mr Sherrard’s challenge is to maintain wavering public confidence in apartment construction, so that people still buy off the plan which is necessary to fulfil the state’s need for hundreds of thousands of new apartments. Owners’representatives have welcomed the appointment, albeit with a level of caution. [...]

New commish seeks collaboration, not conflictOCN Executive Director2024-10-24T16:02:27+11:00

Shocking pictures reveal ‘horror’ in home

OCN Executive Director2024-10-28T10:29:35+11:00

A Melbourne woman living in an apartment, who was terrified that the building would collapse, has been forced to stay as she watches the place crumble around her with repairs to the building estimated to cost a whopping $1.5 million. Chunks of plaster have come crashing down from the wall and wind blows through gaping holes in Serena’s* apartment but she said she is trapped – with no way to fix [...]

Shocking pictures reveal ‘horror’ in homeOCN Executive Director2024-10-28T10:29:35+11:00

Apartment repair laws create extra burden for owners

OCN Executive Director2024-10-24T18:09:17+11:00

Investor Arthur Panos learned in September that he, along with other owners of the four apartments in a building in Sydney’s inner west, would have to fix the waterproofing of the largely problem-free property. The bill? $500,000. The NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 imposes obligations on apartment owners to follow tougher repair requirements, such as appointing a licensed practitioner for repairs that cost more than $5000. But Owners Corporation Network executive [...]

Apartment repair laws create extra burden for ownersOCN Executive Director2024-10-24T18:09:17+11:00

Liberals to establish Strata and Building Commissioner

OCN Executive Director2024-11-04T18:19:14+11:00

Speaking at a Public Forum last night on Strata Matters organised by the Strata Community Association ACT and the Owners Corporation Network, Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee said that under a Liberal Government a Strata & Building Commissioner will be established. The Commissioner would be a single point of contact for people living in apartment and townhouse complexes and assist people facing challenges and issues in strata living, including defects and building [...]

Liberals to establish Strata and Building CommissionerOCN Executive Director2024-11-04T18:19:14+11:00

Home Building Act Review

OCN Executive Director2024-10-23T10:23:50+11:00

OCN made yet another submission on the ongoing building law reforms. Read submission:> OCN Submission - Building Reforms September 2024

Home Building Act ReviewOCN Executive Director2024-10-23T10:23:50+11:00

Money Magazine Strata Special

OCN Executive Director2024-09-05T17:03:46+10:00

OCN contributed to a 2 part Money Magazine September issue look at strata owning. In 9 Strata Myths Busted by Tom Watson, OCN talked about the pros and cons of being on a strata committee. We 'busted' the myths that by-laws are set in stone, and that you have to attend a general meeting in person to vote. And we debunked the myth that tenants have no say, explaining that in [...]

Money Magazine Strata SpecialOCN Executive Director2024-09-05T17:03:46+10:00

Why the OCN is fed up with the strata “industry”

Jane McIlroy2024-08-05T12:14:45+10:00

Karen Stiles, OCN Executive Director, shared her thoughts why she's "fed up" during a recent interview with Amanda Farmer's "Your Strata Property" podcast. Hear what she had to say on: how strata owners are being overlooked in today’s conversations about the strata industry, the astonishing lack of consumer protections for those buying apartments, the owners who ARE willing to pay more for good strata management, and why Fair Trading needs to [...]

Why the OCN is fed up with the strata “industry”Jane McIlroy2024-08-05T12:14:45+10:00

Sydney strata manager banned for a decade, company stripped of licence by NSW Fair Trading

OCN Executive Director2024-07-30T17:40:19+10:00

Sydney strata manager Whitney Wang has been banned from practising for 10 years and his company has been stripped of its licence. Mr Wang was the strata manager at the centre of an explosive meeting at the embattled Vicinity apartment complex in Canterbury in 2021 that became so hostile the police were called. He has also been ousted as strata manager twice in the past two years after owners at separate [...]

Sydney strata manager banned for a decade, company stripped of licence by NSW Fair TradingOCN Executive Director2024-07-30T17:40:19+10:00

Victorian HighLife Expo: listening to the voices of residential strata

Jane McIlroy2024-08-06T18:17:57+10:00

The recent HighLife Victoria Expo featured a range of activities, including webinars, stalls, and forums – along with a Listening Post. Operated by the Owners’ Corporation Network (OCN) and Strata Community Association (SCA) Victoria, this initiative gathered insights from expo attendees – owners, tenants and committee members – regarding their most pressing issues and desires for change within the residential strata sector. Read article:> https://www.docklandsnews.com.au/highlife-expo-listening-to-the-voices-of-residential-strata/

Victorian HighLife Expo: listening to the voices of residential strataJane McIlroy2024-08-06T18:17:57+10:00

Apartment owners being ‘penalised’ for other buildings’ defects

OCN Executive Director2024-08-06T18:12:49+10:00

Sky News host James Macpherson says the poor quality of strata apartment buildings is “killing owners”. His comments come as a new report from the New South Wales government, which looked at 600 new or near new strata buildings, and found 53 per cent of them had serious or major defects within six years of being built. “Even if they don’t have defects in their building,” he said. “The Owners Corporation [...]

Apartment owners being ‘penalised’ for other buildings’ defectsOCN Executive Director2024-08-06T18:12:49+10:00