Strata legislation handbook NSW 2016-17

796 Pages·2017·15.56 MB·English

by  Alex Ilkin

STRATA LEGISLATION
HANDBOOK NSW 2016–17
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STRATA LEGISLATION
HANDBOOK NSW 2016–17
ALEX ILKIN
LAWBOOK CO. 2017
PublishedinSydneyby
ThomsonReuters(Professional)AustraliaLimitedABN64
058914668
19HarrisStreet,Pyrmont,NSW
NationalLibraryofAustralia
Cataloguing-in-Publicationentry
StrataLegislationHandbookNSW2016–17
AlexIlkin
ISBN:9780455500164(paperback)
Includesindex.
Realproperty(Law)
©2017ThomsonReuters(Professional)AustraliaLimited
Thispublicationiscopyright.Otherthanforthepurposesofandsubjecttotheconditionsprescribedunderthe
Copyright Act, no part of it may in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, microcopying,
photocopying,recordingorotherwise)bereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystemortransmittedwithoutprior
writtenpermission.Inquiriesshouldbeaddressedtothepublishers.
Alllegislativematerialhereinisreproducedbypermissionbutdoesnotpurporttobetheofficialorauthorised
version. It is subject to Commonwealth of Australia copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 permits certain
reproductionandpublicationofCommonwealthlegislation.Inparticular,s182AoftheActenablesacomplete
copytobemadebyoronbehalfofaparticularperson.Forreproductionorpublicationbeyondthatpermittedby
theAct,permissionshouldbesoughtinwriting.Requestsshouldbesubmittedonlineatwww.ag.gov.au/cca,faxed
to [phone] or mailed to Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Attorney-General’s Department,
RobertGarranOffices,NationalCircuit,BartonACT2600.
FormsincludedinthisbookhavebeenreproducedwiththepermissionoftheOfficeoftheRegistrarGeneral,
LandandPropertyInformation,NSW
Editors:NickJewlachow,NikkiSavvides,PatrickWu
ProductDeveloper:BeatriceMarett-Bird
Publisher:AnneMurphy
PrintedbyLigarePtyLtd,Riverwood,NSW
Disclaimer: This book does not replace legal advice.You should seek legal advice regarding any of the issues
referredto.Thisareaoflawisregularlyamendedandnewcasesdecided,requiringinformationtobeupdated.
Thisbookdoesnotincludeallpossiblesteps,remediesandtimelimitations.
This book has been printed on paper certified by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification
(PEFC). PEFC is committed to sustainable forest management through third party forest certification of
responsiblymanagedforests.Formoreinfoseewww.pefc.org
ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND LEGAL SERVICES
AlexIlkin
AlexIlkinisasolicitoroftheSupremeCourtofNewSouthWaleswithover40yearslegalexperience
specialisinginallaspectsofstratatitle,communitytitleandbuidlingdisputes.Heisanacknowledged
specialistintheseareasoflaw.
AlexregularlygiveslecturesonthoselegalspecialtiesatseminarsconductedfortheUniversityofNew
South Wales, the Australian College of Community Association Lawyers, the College of Law
(Australasia)StrataCommunityAustralia(formerlyknownastheInstituteofStrataTitleManagement),
theRealEstateInstituteofNewSouthWales,LegalWiseSeminarsandthefomerHomeUnitOwners
Association of New South Wales. For many years he has also taught strata law at the University of
Western Sydney and various colleges throughout Sydney.Alex is a Fellow of theAustralian College of
CommunityAssociationLawyersandacurrentmemberoftheStrataCommitteeAustralia.Heservedas
a member of both the New South Wales Government’s Strata Titles Act Review Committee – which
recommendedtoParliamentappropriateamendmentstotheStrataTitlesAct1973(NSW)andtheStrata
Schemes Management Act 1996 (NSW) – and of the Strata Management Chapter of the Real Estate
Institute.
Heactsaslegaladvisorforownerscorporations,developers,stratamanagers,solicitors,barristersand
judgesinstratamatters.HisplainEnglishstyleofcommunicationhasprovenverypopularwithclients.
Heistheauthoroftheleading,reader-friendlytextbookonstrataandcommunitytitlelaw,NSWStrata
andCommunitySchemesandtheLaw,publishedbyThomsonReuters(nowinitsfourthedition)which
isoftencalledthe“StrataBible”andistherecommendedtextformanyuniversitycoursesonstratatitles.
AlexIlkinpractisesunderthefirmnameof:
AlexIlkin&Co(Lawyers)
Suite3,13MortsRoad,Mortdale,NSW2223
Telephone:[phone]
Facsimile:[phone]
Website:www.alexilkin.com
Email:
[email protected]
Hismissionstatementforclientsis:
1. Firstly,toamicablysettledisputesbetweentheclientandopponentsinthemostexpeditiousand
practical manner possible at the least expense. As a result, Alex’s settlement success rate far
exceedsthatofmanyotherlawyers.
2. Secondly,failingsettlement,ifrequestedbytheclient,tovigorouslypursuelegislationtoacheive
aresultasfavouableascanbetotheclientinaccordancewiththelaw.
3. FInally,forallothermatters,tofinalisethemquickly,practicallyandatleastexpense.
Alex personally handles each matter with a proactive hands-on approach as if it is his own personal
problemtosolve.
v
StrataLegislationHandbookNSW2016–17
Hiscorevaluesforclientsare:
• practicality;
• expedition;and
• leastexpense.
SomeofhisleadingNewSouthWalescasesinclude:
1. Buzrio Pty Ltd v Consumer,Trader andTenancyTribunal (No 4) [2010] NSWSC 41 (Interim
orders,compulsorystratamanagingagent,certiorari,indemnityforagent’scostsandlegalcosts)
2. BuzrioPtyLtdvConsumer,TraderandTenancyTribunal[2009]NSWSC836(Interimorders,
denialofproceduralfairness,andcompulsorystratamanagingagent)
3. The Owners – Strata Plan No 35042 v Selwa (Australia) Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 36
(Maintenanceandrepairofcommonproperty,CTTTjurisdiction,lotboundarydefinition,rent
lossclaim,mandatoryinjunction)
4. Riana Pty Ltd v The Owners – Strata Plan No 22336 [2007] NSWSC 1033 (Challenge unit
entitlements,Makitaprinciples,erroroflaw)
5. SymesvTheProprietors–StrataPlanNo31731[2003]NSWCA7(Commonpropertydamage,
maintenanceandrepair,lotboundarydefinition,erroroflaw)
6. Eventang Development (Pyrmont) Pty Ltd v The Owners – Strata Plan No 51573 [2001]
NSWSC452(Proxies,quashboard’sdecision,invaliedresolutions,waiverandestoppel)
7. Smith v The Body Corporate – Strata Plan No 22669 [1997] NSW Titles Cases 80-046
(Outstandingandretrospectivelevies,compulsorystratamanagingagent’spowerandmeetings)
PleasetakethetimetofullyinvestigateAlex’swebsiteandfeelfreetocontactuswithanylegalqueries.
vi
AUTHOR ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
IgratefullyacknowledgeandthankJohnVernonofNSWFairTradingforansweringsomeofmyqueries
andthetimehetooktodiscussmattersinthenewstratalegislationandthepublication“StrataLiving:
GetInvolved”issuedbyNSWFairTrading.Thatpublicationisasourceofinformationandifreaders
need more detailed information then this Handbook provides a ready source of information, pending
publicationofthe5theditionoftheauthor’stextbook“NSWStrataSchemesManagement&theLaw”
publishedbyThomsonReuters.IalsogratefullyacknowledgetheworkofmysecretariesatAlexIlkin&
Co being Jill Lennon, Deborah Cooper, Julie Cirjak and Shelley O’Toole who patiently and diligently
typedtheamendmentstothemanuscriptofthisHandbookwhilstrunningabusylegalpracticeyetstill
maintainedacalmdemeanour.Finally,IwouldliketothankBeatriceMarett-Bird,NicholasJewlachow
andNikkiSavvidesofThomsonReuterswhopainstakinglydealtwithmymanycommunicationsabout
the Handbook and who persevered with a number of changes by me and still maintained a calm and
pleasantdemeanour.
vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
AbouttheAuthorandLegalServices....................................................................................................v
Authoracknowledgments..................................................................................................................vii
Aboutthispublication.......................................................................................................................xi
TableofAbbreviations......................................................................................................................xv
TableofCases................................................................................................................................xvii
TableofStatutes.............................................................................................................................xix
ComparativeTables.....................................................................................................................xxxvii
Part 1 Commentary
BackgroundtotheStrataSchemesManagementAct2015andStrataSchemesDevelopment
Act2015.......................................................................................................................... 3
CommentaryontheStrataSchemesManagementAct2015......................................... 27
CommentaryontheStrataSchemesDevelopmentAct2015....................................... 169
PrecedentForms.......................................................................................................... 237
Part 2 Legislation
StrataSchemesManagementAct2015........................................................................ 277
StrataSchemesManagementRegulation2016............................................................ 415
StrataSchemesDevelopmentAct2015........................................................................461
StrataSchemesDevelopmentRegulation2016............................................................ 571
Part 3 Forms
PlanForms................................................................................................................... 595
ApprovedForms.......................................................................................................... 605
PracticeNote............................................................................................................... 633
Index............................................................................................................................................657
ix