New Model By-law Series #7 – Washing

Over the next 10 weeks we’ll be looking at the revisions to NSW’s model by-laws, which come into force on November 30 2016. They won’t automatically affect existing owners, but it’s a great time to consider updating your strata scheme’s by-laws to take advantage of the changes.

This week’s model by-law under the Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 comes with a meaningful change for modern strata properties where laundry facilities aren’t guaranteed.

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New Model By-law Series #6 – Parking

Over the next 10 weeks we’ll be looking at the revisions to NSW’s model by-laws, which come into force on November 30 2016. They won’t automatically affect existing owners, but it’s a great time to consider updating your strata scheme’s by-laws to take advantage of the changes.

The changes to parking model by-laws are notable, but they’re a big ticket item when viewed alongside the ability for owners corporations to get council in on strata parking enforcement.

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New Model By-law Series #5 – Changes in Use

Over the next 10 weeks we’ll be looking at the revisions to NSW’s model by-laws, which come into force on November 30 2016. They won’t automatically affect existing owners, but it’s a great time to consider updating your strata scheme’s by-laws to take advantage of the changes.

One of the greatest challenges in strata is in the proximity of its residents. If an owners decides to change the way they use their property, for instance turning their property into a store or restaurant, it can impact individuals and the scheme at large through increased traffic and insurance premiums.

What can the model by-laws do about this?

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New Model By-law Series #4 – Garbage

Over the next 10 weeks we’ll be looking at the revisions to NSW’s model by-laws, which come into force on November 30 2016. They won’t automatically affect existing owners, but it’s a great time to consider updating your strata scheme’s by-laws to take advantage of the changes.

As someone who’s realised they just missed the garbage truck can confirm, we don’t care about the rubbish until it has piled up. The by-laws on waste-disposal have become more prescriptive, here’s how.

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New Model By-law Series #3 – Kids

Over the next 10 weeks we’ll be looking at the revisions to NSW’s model by-laws, which come into force on November 30 2016. They won’t automatically affect existing owners, but it’s a great time to consider updating your strata scheme’s by-laws to take advantage of the changes.

This week we looked at the vexed issue of kids on common property; and how changes will make it easier for the children of owners to make use of common property.

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New Model By-law Series #2 – Smoking

Over the next 10 weeks we’ll be looking at the revisions to NSW’s model by-laws, which come into force on November 30 2016. They won’t automatically affect existing owners, but it’s a great time to consider updating your strata scheme’s by-laws to take advantage of the changes.

Smokers’ days may be numbered in strata. Caselaw indicates that adjudicators would rather prohibit smoking than support smokers whose smoke drifts onto common or lot property.

New model by-laws and an instruction on nuisances are likely to empower owners corporations already looking to butt out.

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New Model By-law Series #1 – Pets

Over the next 10 weeks we’ll be looking at the revisions to NSW’s model by-laws, which come into force on November 30 2016. They won’t automatically affect existing owners, but it’s a great time to consider updating your strata scheme’s by-laws to take advantage of the changes.

This week we’re looking at pets, a contentious issue in strata and one that is being simplified.

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NSW’s new strata laws have a sting in store for celebrating Airbnb fans

While court judgments such as the Watergate Docklands case are swinging in favour of the right to use residential apartments for short-term letting through sites like Stayz and Airbnb, the NSW government has quietly slipped a useful provision in its new model by-laws that will help those trying to stop this practice.

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What you need to know about guide dogs in strata

You can’t keep guide or hearing dogs out of strata. Not even in schemes with a by-law that forbids pet ownership. And soon the previously uncertainty around dogs that assist with other developmental or mental illnesses, such as autism or post traumatic stress disorder, will be clarified.

With that in mind, here’s what what you need to know:

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4 ways that cut-and-paste by-laws could cost you your renovation

One dirty little secret of the strata industry is that owners or managers trying to save money will cut-and-paste bits of other by-laws to make their own.

For example; last year Maria in unit 5 got a by-law passed to renovate her bathroom. Now Bob in number 3 wants to update his lounge room. Bob flicks back to an old email containing Maria’s by-law, and chops and changes it for use at their next meeting.

There are (at least) 4 things that could go wrong:

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