I can understand concerns about responsibility and culpability. A couple of years ago Housing NSW started dumping “difficult” families from social housing into strata schemes. When there were complaints about behaviour, the Housing Commission ratbags (because that’s what they were) said ‘not our problem – it’s a strata issue’.
It took a couple of years and a lot of embarrassing headlines to get them to concede that, as head tenants, it was their problem. And yet, it didn’t need to be like that. If they had moved the tenants who’d never had any complaints against them into strata, no one would have been any the wiser.
But all they wanted to do was pass the buck. Get the worst of the worst off their hands and let some other poor buggers deal with them. Meanwhile, it set up a totally unnecessary dispute between strata and tenants’ advocates.
I like to imagine that the civil servants who thought this was a good idea are now delivering UberEats. On an e-bike with a flat battery. And a flat tyre. In the rain.
Julie McLean has a point and with all this admirable stuff about social and affordable housing, the authorities have to realise that current strata law isn’t designed to cope and adjustments will have to be made.
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.