Podcast: Strata’s next big challenge – ageing blocks

Interesting discussion.

I run the scheme for a 57 year old block and  know full well we’d fail a fire audit. We’re not subject to one unless council suddenly decide to do an audit or someone complains. I know it’d probably just  take a apartment block fire in the council area for them to act on all buildings  in the area.

Many older buildings have no fire doors, common property fire alarms , extinguisher equipment,  and electrical boards out of the dark ages which are a  total fire hazard.

You then have the difficulty of raising funds to upgrade the infrastructure. Residents look at their ‘old’ building and think why should I pay higher levies?  There’s no  pool, elevator, things look satisfactory  on the surface.

They don’t quite realise that it’s the behind the surface where the problems are. Where did that $50,000 you spent last financial year  go? I cant see it!

The quality of most  committees is usually pretty dubious to be kind. I took over from a committee that was represented by an owner who could barely speak or understand English and a chap with Schizophrenia who was more concerned about where he could hoard his next stash of junk to temper his OCD!