what does a body corporate really do?

Dear all

Recently I bought a unit in Laverton and later on found out that it had a body corporate. The selling agent said it did not and it was not in section 32. I recieved an invoice of $580 for three months from the so called body corporate.

I realised they charge this money for doing nothing. The front of the building is full of rubbish sitting there for three months. The gutters is full of weeds and the front yards of the units are messy.

I was told by the conveyacer that I can not get out of a body corporate. I called them and asked if they cover for any water, insurance or council rate. They said they do not. I told them about the rubbish. They asked me to take a photo and send to them!

This is the first of my IPs with body corporate and I can no understand why I should pay $180 a month to some people who do nothing for the unit. I appreciate ay advice from those
you who have had an experience with body corporates.
 
You are part of the Body Corporate or owners corporation. BC is the entity responsible for ensuring the building meets the owners obligations under the Strata Communities Act for the common areas. More often than not, it will appoint an external strata manager to assist in the management of the sinking and administrative funds. Sinking fund looks after building maintenance eg cleaning common areas, lawn mowing, common area power, building repairs, common area water etc. Admin fund pays for building insurance, strata manager costs.

It is up to you to get involved with the BC, attend strata agm etc. If you don't get involved you are just as responsible for keeping the place looking like it does. Oh, if they clean the gutter, pay someone to put out/clean bins, paint the windows, pay a gardener to mow lawns/maintain landscaping the strata levies will increase - yes but the presentation will improve and the value of your asset will also increase.

Go to the VCat website or Office of Fair Trading and check their publications about strata living. This will give you an idea of what your responsibilities are in a strata property.
 
you who have had an experience with body corporates.

Yadeh,

At it's simplest, the Body Corp (or Owner's Corp as it is known in Vic) is the central organisaiton where all the owner's pool their money to pay for:
- Insurance of common areas (eg driveways) - so that if someone gets hurt on the driveway, they won't go suing every owner
- maintenance of any common areas (garden, driveway etc)
- maintenance/repair of mailboxes (unless units have their own)
- rates (unless each owner pays)


By majority (non-compulsory) vote, you can choose to have someone outside manage the bills etc, or you can have one of the owners volunteer to do this. These decisions need to be minuted by law, and the members must meet at least once a year (the AGM)

The Owner's corp can't hold a "profit" (except for sinking funds).
If you think something dodgey is happening with the money, get teh minutes of the AGM - it will have a statement of how the money collected was/will be spent.

In terms of your rubbish issue:
Is the yard with the rubbish common ground or private (on the owner's title). If it is not common ground, not much you can do. Same goes for the gutters - unless it is a structure like an apartment, probably not much you can do.

In terms of the section 32 - there should definiltely have been an OC certificate, and minutes of the last AGM. Alternatively a statement that the OC had not been activated (but you recveived a bill - so it is obviously active). Otherwise the property can not be sold. :eek:

The Y-man
 
Dear Scot and Y-Man

Thank you both for the detailed information about BC. I trying to get myself familiarised with it and digest paying $580 every three months that I did not include it in the list of expenses! Tanks again guys.
 
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