A strata community is usually a great place to live. Most people respect and follow the by-laws, allowing everybody to live in relative peace and harmony. However, if that sounds too good to be true, it’s because it is. In any strata environment, there will inevitably be disputes from time to time, even if they’re quite minor. Not everybody will fit your idea of the perfect neighbour. From people not using communal waste disposal services properly to noise complaints, there are plenty of things that can irritate others in a strata building.
Let’s take a look at some of the common neighbourly disputes and how to resolve them.
Noise
The most common dispute in a strata setting is due to excessive noise. Or, at least what another resident perceives to be excessive noise. If you’ve got some neighbours who are getting too rowdy, and it affects your home environment, you have a right to do something about it.
The first step, if you’re comfortable, is to approach the offending party directly. This is always the most pleasant way to handle a noise dispute. However, if the behaviour continues, you’ll need to report the resident to your strata committee or building manager. They can then investigate and issue a breach of by-laws notice if the noisy behaviour continues.
Parking
Another common issue is the use of parking spots in a strata environment. Most strata buildings have designated car spaces for residents and some extras for visitors. Parking disputes can include visitors parking in lot owners’ spaces, lot owners incorrectly using visitor parking, or even people parking on common property.
Again, these issues can be directly addressed with the person concerned or referred to the strata committee.
Use of common spaces
There are plenty of actions that might grind the gears of some residents, such as leaving a mess in common areas, being noisy when moving through common areas or misusing shared facilities. If you can identify the culprit, approach them directly and remind them of the by-laws. If this isn’t possible, it can be referred to the strata manager for resolution.
What about more difficult disputes?
Not all disputes are everyday problems like those above. If the strata manager or committee isn’t able to adequately resolve a problem (or, in fact, if you have a dispute with the committee themselves), there are alternative options.
First, you can consider services such as mediation to try to resolve the issue. If that also fails, and certain parties can’t reach an agreement, the matter can also be referred to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) for a determination.
Need help with strata management?
If all of the complaints and disputes are getting too much for your strata manager and committee to handle, it’s time to make a change. More Than Strata offers specialist strata management services, taking the burden away from committees. When you choose to work with us, you don’t lose control. In fact, your committee should be stronger than ever, with more time to focus on bigger issues and less time worrying about smaller disputes. So, if you’d like expert strata management services, contact us today.
