Latest articles by Tom Bacon
Communicating to your communities during COVID-19
Right now, there are a lot of question marks as to when and if it will ever be possible to get back to “normal” following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read MorePerformance-based alternative solutions the key to cheaper cladding replacement costs
Owners’ corporations (OC) need not despair when served with an Order or Notice from the Municipal Building Surveyor or from the Victorian Building Authority (VBA).
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Owners’ Corporation Law
Social distancing in apartment blocks is hard to do, but necessary right now
Read MoreRed tape and further delays to amendments
In December 2013, Consumer Affairs Victoria completed its review into a more robust licensing and certification system for the training and conduct of owners’ corporation (OC) managers.
Read MoreEmbedded electricity networks are ripping off consumers
A new study by the Victoria Energy Policy Centre has found that customers in apartment buildings in Victoria on embedded networks are paying up to $439 a year more than the best deal they could get if they were able to access the free market.
Read MoreHats off to you, Premier, but remember, we’ll all be watching …
Credit where credit’s due, I say.
Read MoreNew Owners’ Corporation Bill reads like a “favour for mates”
Strangely absent from the new Bill that was introduced into Parliament in the middle of September was a raft of consumer protections that would have prevented builders and developers from running roughshod and trampling over the legal rights of owners settling on new apartments.
Read MoreRefund stamp duty to those affected by flammable cladding
Barely a fortnight passes in Melbourne these days without word that another residential building with dangerous cladding is evacuated by the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). If we aren’t already at a crisis point already, we are definitely approaching one.
Read MoreWork faster and work smarter
Recent cases studies from the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) in water damage claims highlight the need for owners’ corporations (OCs) to work faster and work smarter.
Read MoreThe great energy rort
As Melbourne swelters through another hot summer which has everyone reaching for the air conditioner remote control, a great scandal for owners’ corporations (OCs) simmers amid the whirrs and buzzes of the cooling towers on the rooftops.
Read MoreStrata land 2017: The year in review, and predictions for 2018
As we approach the holiday season and look forward to a well-earned break, it is perhaps important to reflect on the year that’s been and to cast an eye to 2018, which is shaping up to be an important year for those who live in owners’ corporations.
Read MoreThe times they are a-changin’
If you’re a baby boomer serving on your owners’ corporation (OC) committee, you may have already begun noticing a shift in the characteristics and tendencies of your fellow members and neighbours:
Read MoreCheck the balcony and terrace rules first
In a recent VCAT decision, a lot owner in a Docklands building has been ordered to remove shade sails and a permanently-affixed clothesline from his terrace, in breach of the rules of the owners’ corporation (OC).
Read MoreA siren song calling for fair play
In the middle of the day a few weeks back, and in the midst of my busy professional life running a legal practice in this increasingly complex area of law, I received a phone call that stopped me in my tracks.
Read MoreBreaking up is hard to do
When most of us enter into personal relationships, there is a fairly evenly-distributed balance of power and autonomy, at least to start with.
Read MoreMatters to consider before buying ‘‘off the plan’’
There is no denying that Melburnians are fascinated by high-rise strata living, as evidenced by the large number of multi-storey high rise developments that continue to be marketed, built and sold “off the plan” in and around the city.
Read MoreProposal for differential OC charging
As part of its review into consumer property law legislation including the Owners Corporation Act, Consumer Affairs Victoria is currently considering a number of different options for reform.
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