The requirement for a by-law for a lot owner who undertakes renovations that affect common property should be repealed. Lawyers and committees can overcomplicate and overreach their involvement in these matters. The cost of by-laws prepared by lawyers can be disproportionate to most of the work requiring the by-law. Calling extra meetings takes time. This burdens owners and adds work for strata managers.
Building construction, design, and environmental laws should protect building standards. Strata management regulations, not bespoke solutions, could provide other standard terms and conditions for building renovation work impacting owners. This could include lot owner liability for future repairs and maintenance.
Strata laws could require a register of approvals for such work. This would give future owners and committees the rights and duties of those approvals.
Do we scrap it, or does it stay?
Michael Teys advises strata management businesses on improving profitability through professionalisation and streamlined operating systems.
He has more than 30 years’ experience as a strata lawyer and academic and has owned 11 strata management agencies throughout Australia. He has a Master of Philosophy (Built Environment) and Bachelor of Laws. He lectures and writes widely about strata management issues in Australia and internationally.
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