Strata system overhaul set for NSW
The government is sending the “engine room for solving the housing crisis” for repairs as it targets a modern transport community living system.
As part of the changes, John Minns, the state’s Property and Services Commissioner, will add strata to his responsibilities and become the state’s Strata and Property Services Commissioner.
Adding strata into his modus operandi, which, amongst other things, sees him charged with setting professional development requirements for agents, will make Mr Minns responsible for oversight and reform across the whole sector.
President of the Strata Community Association, Chris Duggan, believes Mr Minns’ appointment is a “genuine reflection of the government’s authentic commitment to the strata sector and consumers”.
“Strata is the engine room for solving the housing supply crisis,” he added. “Having an experienced and engaged commissioner such as John Minns is welcome news to the industry”.
“John has excelled in his role as Property Services Commissioner through active industry and consumer engagement and advocacy and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented to community living,” Mr Duggan said.
The NSW government will move on its first phase of reforms this week, with legislation before Parliament this week expected to:
- Make the strata collective sale and renewal process more transparent by ensuring owners disclose conflicts of interest and letting courts award stronger against those acting unreasonably.
- Make it easier and fairer for residents to keep pets by banning fees, bonds, or insurance as a condition of having a pet.
- Give Fair Trading the ability to ask the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal to appoint a compulsory strata managing agent to help manage dysfunctional strata schemes.
Minister for Fair Trading and Better Regulation Anoulack Chanthivong noted how, in addition to increasing the number of homes constructed in the state, the Labor government is “making sure we’ve got the right systems and laws to manage them”.
Given the increase in the number of strata schemes in recent years, with over 1,000 registered per year in the last decade, Mr Chanthivong stressed “getting this right will be critical”.
“As the number of strata schemes in the state has grown rapidly, the rules haven't kept pace,” he added.
The current system sees “safeguards that were intended to support owners in renewing their strata schemes being used against them,” explained Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Jihad Dib.
Mr Dib insisted this “reform will help restore balance, improve transparency, and boost protections for owners in the collective sale and redevelopment process”.
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