BODY CORPORATE
What do the changes mean?
Some unit owners (whether as a home owner or an investment owner) may have difficulty paying strata/body corporate fees.
More information
Australian Capital Territory
No specific information available.
New South Wales
NSW Fair Trading has questions and answers available for strata title owners dealing with holding meetings and health requirements. They do not cover the financial hardship of the owner.
Resources:
NSW Fair Trading: Renting and property during COVID-19.
Northern Territory
No specific information available.
Queensland
Guidelines are available with information around health and how to hold meetings in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Resource:
Queensland Government: COVID-19 in bodies corporate
South Australia
No specific information available.
Tasmania
No specific information available.
Victoria
Meeting and health information is available.
Resources:
Consumer Affairs Victoria: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and your rights
Western Australia
No specific information is available.
What do you do differently?
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Strata/body corporate fees remain a high priority payment. Accruing a debt can cause a large problem later on, including forced bankruptcy (and the forced sale of the unit) and very large legal costs.
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Clients may want to contact (keeping to social distancing rules) the body corporate and other owners to arrange a meeting.
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The body corporate can resolve to amend fees and change due dates of payments subject to already agreed expenditure and the requirement for a sinking fund for repairs.
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The client should approach the body corporate to make a repayment arrangement.
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Do access any hardship assistance or mediation service offered by Consumer Affairs/Fair Trading departments.