The New Strata Living Guide for 2017 and Beyond

There have been over 90 changes to the New South Wales strata laws with the introduction of the new Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, including guidelines regarding pets, smoking, parking and owner and tenant participation amongst others.

Most of these changes came into effect on 30 November 2016, and on this date Fair Trading NSW also published their new helpful guide to living in strata. This is an invaluable resource for owners, tenants and landlords within a strata scheme.

What does the guide cover?

Understand your roles, rights and responsibilities. Help you deal with common matters.

• An introduction and quick reference guide to quickly and easily find the information you need
• A guide to understanding how strata works in NSW, from levies to building and strata managers
• Information on living in a scheme, including model by-laws and managing by-law breaches
• How to get involved in the management and general meetings of your strata scheme
• How to go about getting things fixed or changed through the right channels, and
• What to do (and who to contact) if things go wrong.

What are the main changes that are covered within the guide?

The new legislation aims to improve the fairness, transparency and communication within New South Wales strata schemes, so the amended rules and model by-laws are diverse. These are just some of the issues that have changed and improved:

• Adjusting the collective strata sale and renewal process
• Enabling the use of new technology to run meetings, vote and communicate
• Requiring the review of existing strata by-laws by 30 November 2017
• Providing clearer rules and an easier approval process for renovations
• Offering an option to get a local council involved in the management of parking issues
• Improving tenant and owner participation in strata meetings, and
• Laying out clear solutions for common disputes within strata living.

Where to get help and advice on strata living

There are plenty of options if you need further clarification on any of the rules. You can flick through the new Strata Living Guide, or visit the Strata Laws NSW website for up-to-date information. There is now a free call strata hotline at 1800 214 023 available during business hours where you can speak with Fair Trading NSW about any questions you may have, and of course, you can always get in touch with your local Jamesons Strata Management team.

View the new useful guide to strata living in NSW here.