POSITIVE NEWS FOR THE STRATA INDUSTRY

 

In this "new" world of Covid-19, where we live our lives in isolation, communicate via phone or video, have the option to work from the solitude of our home office, and all the while searching the horizon for our future way forward to something that represents a semblance of normality.

​

Whatever that may be, I have some new positive news for the WA strata industry.

 

Late last week I received an email from Landgate, that finally the Strata Titles Amendment Act 2018 and the Strata Titles (General) Regulations 2019 WILL take effect from the 1st May 2020. When the 1985 Act was last reviewed in 1997, we were promised by the Minister of the day in 1998 that we would have a new Act by the year 2000. Here we are now, 22 years later.

​

The 2018 Act is not a new Act but a very extensive review of the Strata Titles Act 1985, and well overdue, which will certainly be embraced by the Industry. Hats off to Landgate who took the lead in the reforms along with industry bodies, individual meetings, workshops and through public consultation. I believe the reforms are workable and will benefit all participants in the industry. One interesting consequence will be, that going forward, ALL lot owners will need to be better informed and more knowledgeable in their individual strata complexes, something that I believe in my 23 years as a strata manager, was lacking.

​

The other big winner out of the reforms will be Strata Managers, who will have recognition for their role for the first time, a great step forward. And going forward, they will be required to have certain qualifications to act as a strata manager, including a Police clearance and Professional Indemnity Insurance, all in all, a very positive and reassuring step for their clients.

​

These reforms will recognise strata management as a professional, serious and required profession.

I know this is a difficult time to introduce the reforms, but the industry, particularly strata managers, have been aware of these impending changes, have had input, have been waiting a long time for them to happen, and will now be relieved that they WILL happen and can now get on with it.

​

They, and their owners, have a clear direction and can move forward with certainty.

​

We at Strata Training and Consulting – STRATATAC, are geared up to assist the industry with reform courses - initially for strata managers and owners, but also for other real estate professionals involved in the strata industry who are either selling or managing stratas. Our reform courses originally designed for a one on one approach, have been adapted to the current environment and engaging online technology.

​

We are here to help.

​