Your Strata Property With Amanda Farmer

Reena Van Aalst and I are back on the couch - this time live from the Gold Coast. From a committee asking owners to ignore the Design & Building Practitioners Act, to the insurance claim settled for over $300K, we’re diving into the week’s biggest challenges.

Registered design practitioner Scott Pearse joins me to explain how “$2,000 pieces of paper” are creating a barrier for those wanting to add value to their apartment with a renovation. Plus, why it’s less about the build and more about the politics.

If you’re planning a reno in strata, this episode is your reality check.

Reena Van Aalst and I are trading our real-life strata challenges:

• Can non-owners attend committee meetings?

• Why hybrid loans might surprise your building

• Confusion over the $31 inspection fee (GST included?)

• An important NCAT win for one of our members – all about rats!

Think you’ve got a month to pay your levies before it matters? Think again. I’m unpacking exactly what “unfinancial” means under the NSW strata law and busting some common myths along the way. Owners - tune in for practical tips to help you stay in good standing, and Managers - these are the technicalities you MUST be across.

I’m covering the legal and practical realities of turning your unused car space into a side hustle. With some owners apparently pocketing up to $850 a month, it’s tempting, but are you risking by-law breaches, insurance issues, or tribunal action? I share some landmark court cases, plus the essential inclusions in any lease agreement.

Reena Van Aalst joins me in a rare in-person chat covering:

The real cost of under-resourced strata management

Some of the big-ticket items in NSW’s latest strata reforms

The empowered owner who chose to sell - finding freedom on the other side of the fight

A group of owners launching a bold (and misguided) challenge to a compulsory appointment.

An important note: when discussing the NSW law reform, you’ll hear me mention the new, mandatory general meeting motion dealing with “environmental sustainability”. To be clear, this motion is mandatory for all annual general meeting (AGM) agendas from 1 July.

I'm walking you through 5 situations where taking your strata dispute to the Tribunal isn’t just reasonable—it’s necessary.

These are real cases, with real lessons, helping you understand when it's time to stop negotiating and take action.

I’m sharing 5 hard truths I’ve learned as a strata lawyer - truths that might just change your mind about commencing legal proceedings (whether that’s in NCAT, or the equivalent in your jurisdiction).

In this week’s podcast episode, I’m joined by Luke Woollard of PILOT Body Corporate, who’s on a mission to shake up the strata industry. From ditching insurance commissions to rethinking the role of strata managers, Luke shares his bold vision for a better, fairer future for strata owners.

When an owner installs a DIY pipe down the side of a building and hacks through a locked tap with a power tool, what can the committee actually do? Reena Van Aalst and I discuss this one. Plus, an owner who fought for over a decade to get justice for his leaking, uninhabitable home is finally ready to relax.