strata title

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Strata title is a form of ownership devised for multi-level apartment blocks and horizontal subdivisions with shared areas. The word "strata" refers to apartments being on different levels.
Strata title was first introduced in 1961 in the state of New South Wales, Australia, to better cope with the legal ownership of apartment blocks. Previously, the only adequate method of dividing ownership was company title, which had a number of defects, such as the difficulty of instituting mortgages. This term also applies to house-type strata title units in Australia.
Other countries that have adopted the Australian system (or a similar variant) of apartment ownership include: Canada (Alberta, British Columbia), Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Other countries have legislation based on similar principles but with different definitions and using different mechanisms in their administration.
Strata Title Schemes are composed of individual lots and common property. Lots are either apartments, garages or storerooms and each is shown on the title as being owned by a Lot Owner. Common Property is defined as everything else on the parcel of land that is not comprised in a Lot, such as common stairwells, driveways, roofs, gardens and so on.

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    WA Property Law - Boundary Wall on Common Property - Who Pays?

    On this strata titled land, all external areas have been designated as common property (including the individual unit's court yards). Only the buildings themselves have been defined as being owned by the owners. The front unit had an issue with an unapproved patio in their court yard and...
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    NSW Who is Responsible to Clean Windows under Property Law?

    Hi all, I live in Sydney and the apartment above us decided it would be a great idea to dry food over the side of their balcony. However the juices from their food has dripped all down the outside of ours and our neighbours' window. Under Property Law, are the "food dryers" responsible for...
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    NSW Strata Title Special by Laws under Property Law

    Hi, one of the properties in our strata title block has a special by law which allowed them to replace their front windows with sliding doors. Does this mean that a precedent has been set and all properties would be able to obtain sliding doors? If I was to also have a special by law written...
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    WA Strata Title - Form 28 and 29 Contradictory to Each Other?

    A Form 28 contains important information in regards to strata title properties. If a Form 28 is not provided, it states on the Form 29 the buyer may have a right to terminate however then it goes onto say that the right to terminate is restricted if the information is provided before property...
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    NSW Illegal Parking - When to Consider Car Abandoned Property?

    Someone is parking in my parking space (apartment block, the space is on our strata title). Police tell me the address of the person is not the address of my apartment block. They say they can't do anything (they tried to ring the offender but the phone numbers they had were disconnected). The...
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    NSW Moving in with Girlfriend Soon - How to Protect Assets?

    Can you give me some advice? I would like to know how to protect my assets under family law. I live in NSW. I have my own home and I have 2 teenage children. My girlfriend will be moving in with us soon. I'd like to know how to protect my assets in case we decide of a separation in the future...
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    WA Bad Neighbour - Can't Keep Tenants in our Rental

    For the last 4 years, we have had a bad neighbour living on our strata which consists of 4 freestanding townhouses on one block. The bad neighbour's father is the home owner but lives overseas and has let her and her husband live in the house. First up as they are not homeowners are they still...
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    WA Strata Title Act - Kids Playing on Common Land?

    My neighbour and I have a dispute over the interpretation of schedule 2(5) of the Strata Title Act was which reads Children playing upon common property in building A proprietor, occupier, or other resident of a lot shall not permit any child of whom he has control to play...
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    WA Entering Commercial Lease - Council Approval Required?

    Hi I have recently entered into a commercial lease and did not know I required planning approval from the council for a change of use. The shop is located in a suburban shopping centre, where there are other retailers. The shops in the centre are under strata title. The previous use was Red...
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    NSW Default Judgment and Liquidation Help

    I'm in need of some desperate advice, I hope someone might be able to donate a few minutes of your time. I have a superannuation fund in which we own the unit, and my company leases the unit from the super fund. We owed some money from strata title management but when we went to court to apply...