... two words we rarely see printed next to one another.
In fact, there is hardly a day without an article in the press about the pitfalls and hardships of Strata schemes in Australia and beyond. Flammable cladding, insurance, AirBnB and the list goes on… One would be tempted to think that any day buildings are going to start collapsing under the sheer weight of their multiple and seemingly unsolvable problems! Don't get me wrong, I believe it is important for these issues to be reported on in the press. Highlighting them is a necessary first step towards their resolution, and sunlight is definitely the best disinfectant.
But with a little more hindsight, it is quite easy to realise that all these issues Strata schemes are currently facing are due to a combination of unprecedented and wide-ranging disruptive changes on one side, and fragmented legislative bodies that are ill-equipped to deal with them in a timely fashion on the other. And of course, it probably doesn’t help that every single state and territory in Australia has to go through the exact same process with various time frames, terminologies and outcomes!
If we focus on what the essence of strata is since its inception in the early 60’s, I believe that, on the contrary, it is a phenomenal success. For close to 60 years, it has allowed millions of schemes to be managed in a collaborative and semi-autonomous manner, not only in Australia, but also in a large number of Commonwealth countries.
Although its workings can appear intricate and complex, and it is often referred to as “the 4th level of government”, Strata is a very powerful system that allows a level of self-determination through a democratic process. Of course, it is far from perfect and when issues arise, they touch people on one of the most sensitive aspect of their lives, their home, and things can get a little emotional.
But make no mistake, whatever issue some or all lot owners are facing in a building, it is only likely to be made a lot worse by the lack of transparency and communication. Burying your head in the sand waiting for someone else to take care of things never has, and never will be, a good idea. Everybody will end up paying more than they should because of it. So how do we go about getting people involved and fight the current high levels of apathy?
Until now, getting involved in Strata was a big, time-consuming commitment, mainly due to the archaic processes and lack of a purposely designed tool. Not anymore! Technology gives us the ability to share the load, keep all parties engaged and access the history of records, so everybody can give a hand without getting caught up to their shoulder.
Every single scheme has an amazing compounded skill set amongst its owners and occupants. Many of these skills can be relevant when applied to helping manage a scheme, and the ability to harness those skills and using them collaboratively are key to a scheme achieving ongoing success.
At Stratabox, we want to be part of the next chapter in the long history of Strata and truly believe that making it more convenient for Committees, Owners and Residents to get involved can only achieve a better outcome for everyone!
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"If you've got it, flaunt it!"
Additionally to a variety of articles on Strata-related topics, we would love to publish YOUR Strata success stories and share them with a wider audience.
If you would like to be featured on our blog, feel free to send us your material at contact@stratabox.com.au
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Stratabox team