Andrew Boss of Austrata Finance joins me to explain the "Holy Grail" of strata lending - hybrid loans - and share how his company's product gives strata owners the financial flexibility they've always wanted.

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Michael Teys joins me for a "grown-up conversation" about extraordinary new laws destined to commence in NSW, which will finally hold owners corporations to account for their failure to comply with repair and maintenance duties. We cover:

low strata levies as a sign of poor governance,

why strata property owners need to take a good hard look at themselves as corporate citizens with unavoidable legal duties,

why Michael is tired of hearing that committee members are volunteers,

the need to cut the 'weasel speak' from the strata industry and start some plain talking,

and so much more.

In this episode Donna Carroll, a strata manager of more than 20 years' experience, responds to my controversial episode no. 327 ("Peter Blows the Whistle on Overcharging Strata Managers"). We discuss:

why strata managers charge the way they do

the need for owner education

the "inadequate" training some strata managers receive

the call for a dedicated strata commissioner,

and more.

Reena and I discuss the trouble with Google reviews, while Reena gives her own review of my recent episode featuring strata manager Peter Wilson. I share some tips for owners wanting to get their bathroom reno across the line at a general meeting.

Barbara Gill, the general manager of Garage Sale Trail, joins me to explain how our apartment residents can get involved in the nation's largest garage sale. In doing so, Barbara shares a frightening statistic that puts Australia second only to the United States...

Strata manager Peter Wilson regularly inherits the management of small buildings from large management companies. In this chat, he reveals how these buildings are often being charged for services they don’t need, including the lodgement of tax returns and BAS when they have no taxable income and aren’t registered for GST. He calls for more honesty, transparency and competition in the sector, so that owners can receive the personalised service they deserve.

This week:

- Reena Van Aalst describes the frustration of a new owner who has been waiting too long for her strata committee to make a decision about her renovation works,

- I answer the question: what happens when no one nominates for the committee?

- With Reena’s intervention, an owner gets their carpet replaced by the OC, and

- We share an opportunity for your building to saves thousands per year on running costs.

Angelique Mentis of thatsmyspot.com.au joins me to discuss:

- the innovation that's relieving committee members from their roles as parking cops

- why building managers are wasting up to 15% of their time addressing parking problems 

- the value of the parking data that will soon be collected around the world

- why smart buildings have a "digital twin"

and more.

James Burgin shares how his self-managed block of 6 in Bondi became a “joy to come home to” after a surprisingly affordable cosmetic upgrade, which has dramatically increased the value of each apartment. What’s more, his community is now more collaborative than ever before.

I'm sharing 4 must-know facts about 2-lot strata plans, relevant to:

- voting

- insurance

- repairs and maintenance

- strata committees