Sectional Title Responsibility

Is it normal for a sectional title building to have back to back costs? in the last 5 years the building has replaced 2 lifts then they replaced the asbestos roofs which took 2 years to do and now they are repainting the building well they are asking for the money first to repaint the building so ever year they have these big costs. Is this normal?

The building looks fine so couldn't they take a year break from these expensive costs?
 
purple face said:
Is it normal for a sectional title building to have back to back costs? in the last 5 years the building has replaced 2 lifts then they replaced the asbestos roofs which took 2 years to do and now they are repainting the building well they are asking for the money first to repaint the building so ever year they have these big costs. Is this normal?

The building looks fine so couldn't they take a year break from these expensive costs?
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Special levies shouldn’t be used for maintenance but then be prepared for your levy to increase - your trustees should be able to provide you with a maintenance plan or at least what was done and when and then you can gauge if excessive or not. If you’re going to complain then you should be prepared to give your own time and get elected as a trustee…
 
quovadis said:
Special levies shouldn’t be used for maintenance but then be prepared for your levy to increase - your trustees should be able to provide you with a maintenance plan or at least what was done and when and then you can gauge if excessive or not. If you’re going to complain then you should be prepared to give your own time and get elected as a trustee…
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In the AGM is it voted on the painting of the building? As the building still looks good and as far as I am concerned it doesn't need to be painted it still looks good it looks like it was painted last year that's how good it looks. Can it be voted on?
 
purple face said:
In the AGM is it voted on the painting of the building? As the building still looks good and as far as I am concerned it doesn't need to be painted it still looks good it looks like it was painted last year that's how good it looks. Can it be voted on?
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Are you being asked to contribute to a special levy specifically for the entire painting project, contribute an extra portion towards the project (due to a budget shortfall) or is it simply maintenance covered by your levy?
 
purple face said:
In the AGM is it voted on the painting of the building? As the building still looks good and as far as I am concerned it doesn't need to be painted it still looks good it looks like it was painted last year that's how good it looks. Can it be voted on?
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Go to the AGM and vote against it
 
EmmanuelGoldstein said:
Me too... life is too short to have to deal with petty old people and their longing to rule over others.
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Those who think the directors/trustees/the body corporate are some form of corporate overlords and are oblivious/ignorant of what they bought into are usually worse. Can make for some funny confrontations at AGMs though.
 
quovadis said:
Those who think the directors/trustees/the body corporate are some form of corporate overlords and are oblivious/ignorant of what they bought into are usually worse. Can make for some funny confrontations at AGMs though.
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The first mistake people make.
Body Corporate is the collection of the owners in said trust, therefore if you're an owner you're part of the body corporate, second mistake trustees are voted in by the body corporate at the AGM, if you do not go or give proxy, you're happy with the status quo.
Third mistake the managing agent is hired by the trustees to handle things out of the scope of the trustees, billing, external maintenance, contract negotiations and such. The running of a sectional title is entirely up to the body corporate you are correct, but you need to remember, you're part of the body corporate.
 
Lupus said:
The first mistake people make.
Body Corporate is the collection of the owners in said trust, therefore if you're an owner you're part of the body corporate, second mistake trustees are voted in by the body corporate at the AGM, if you do not go or give proxy, you're happy with the status quo.
Third mistake the managing agent is hired by the trustees to handle things out of the scope of the trustees, billing, external maintenance, contract negotiations and such. The running of a sectional title is entirely up to the body corporate you are correct, but you need to remember, you're part of the body corporate.
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Reality is not so simple unfortunately.
Theory != Reality.

Here's my version of how mistakes are made in reality:

The first mistake people make is to buy the place without digging a bit, i.e. requesting a face to face meeting with the busybodies themselves.

The second mistake people make is to not do some financial digging and request copies of the financials of the BC scheme.

Third mistake is to assume the estate agent is telling the truth.

Becoming a trustee is not the magical bullet people think it is. I've been to such meetings long ago and it ends up in a long moanfest and lots of scaremongering. The geriatrics in charge cling to power like an ANC cadre clings to their political post.

If you want relative peace in your life, and want to own a property, do not do this. Rather rent until you can afford a place free of HOA and BC. Life is short, don't waste it with having to fight people who are arseholes.
 
EmmanuelGoldstein said:
Reality is not so simple unfortunately.
Theory != Reality.

Here's my version of how mistakes are made in reality:

The first mistake people make is to buy the place without digging a bit, i.e. requesting a face to face meeting with the busybodies themselves.

The second mistake people make is to not do some financial digging and request copies of the financials of the BC scheme.

Third mistake is to assume the estate agent is telling the truth.

Becoming a trustee is not the magical bullet people think it is. I've been to such meetings long ago and it ends up in a long moanfest and lots of scaremongering. The geriatrics in charge cling to power like an ANC cadre clings to their political post.

If you want relative peace in your life, and want to own a property, do not do this. Rather rent until you can afford a place free of HOA and BC. Life is short, don't waste it with having to fight people who are arseholes.
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Easier is just to go look at the bin room and how clean that is. Will tell you all you need to know.
 
EmmanuelGoldstein said:
Reality is not so simple unfortunately.
Theory != Reality.

Here's my version of how mistakes are made in reality:

The first mistake people make is to buy the place without digging a bit, i.e. requesting a face to face meeting with the busybodies themselves.

The second mistake people make is to not do some financial digging and request copies of the financials of the BC scheme.

Third mistake is to assume the estate agent is telling the truth.

Becoming a trustee is not the magical bullet people think it is. I've been to such meetings long ago and it ends up in a long moanfest and lots of scaremongering. The geriatrics in charge cling to power like an ANC cadre clings to their political post.

If you want relative peace in your life, and want to own a property, do not do this. Rather rent until you can afford a place free of HOA and BC. Life is short, don't waste it with having to fight people who are arseholes.
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Oddly enough, there wasn't a single geratric as a trustee when I lived in a complex, as we had these things called AGM where we voted trustees in, no one said you could become one, it's go to the AGM and actually participate, instead of what seems to be the general thing of blaming the "body corporate" made this decision without us.
If you want to moan go for it, but you're living in a sectional title, learn how it works.
 
Oddly enough, there wasn't a single geratric as a trustee when I lived in a complex, as we had these things called AGM where we voted trustees in, no one said you could become one, it's go to the AGM and actually participate, instead of what seems to be the general thing of blaming the "body corporate" made this decision without us.If you want to moan go for it, but you're living in a sectional title, learn how it works.
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There is a thread somewhere on this forum where the dude actually sued the body corporate.
A lot of info in there that reflects my experiences. I've been burnt once, and I can assure you I won't be burnt ever again.

the "body corporate" made this decision without us.
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That indeed happened to me... The first time, I took it on the chin. The second time I put the unit on the market the next day and got it sold in less than 3 months.
 
EmmanuelGoldstein said:
There is a thread somewhere on this forum where the dude actually sued the body corporate.
A lot of info in there that reflects my experiences. I've been burnt once, and I can assure you I won't be burnt ever again.


That indeed happened to me... The first time, I took it on the chin. The second time I put the unit on the market the next day and got it sold in less than 3 months.
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the "body corporate" made this decision without us. The BC cannot make a decision without you, you're the body corporate, did you go to the relevant meetings to decide things? This is the problem the body corporate is all of the owners, it cannot make a decision without you, unless you didn't go to the meeting or you gave a proxy.
 
Lupus said:
the "body corporate" made this decision without us. The BC cannot make a decision without you, you're the body corporate, did you go to the relevant meetings to decide things? This is the problem the body corporate is all of the owners, it cannot make a decision without you, unless you didn't go to the meeting or you gave a proxy.
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It was long ago I can assure you we went to every meeting. Anyway, they got away with it only once.
Recently I found out the old bitch dragon has pegged and with her demise, that complex actually got stuff done for the first time in over a decade. I live very far away from there now, so just a point of interest.
 
EmmanuelGoldstein said:
It was long ago I can assure you we went to every meeting. Anyway, they got away with it only once.
Recently I found out the old bitch dragon has pegged and with her demise, that complex actually got stuff done for the first time in over a decade. I live very far away from there now, so just a point of interest.
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And no voting the dragon out? Or did everyone keep voting her in?
 
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