High Maintenance 6/03/2006 Everybody commented on the fact that she looked a treat. It wasn’t just that she looked good on the outside. It was because the more they got to know her all found that she seemed to be well maintained on the inside too. Apartments can be like that.
Some people have units whilst others have apartments. The difference often revolves around taste and their relative position in the social hierarchy of housing. As with one’s significant other, maintenance can become important and can go more than skin deep.
Some owners believe a well maintained unit can become an apartment, whilst a poorly dressed unit quickly becomes a flat. Then there’s the tenement, but who wants to live there? The name just doesn’t ring any bells. And of course there are the Americans who like to say they live in a condo, short for condominium, a somewhat strange term that we do not use.
And like American language, apartments and units can become a mess too, without proper care and maintenance. Maintenance however doesn’t have to be an obnoxious word and cost the earth, particularly if you live in a strata titled building where many of the expenses are shared around.
Mr Richard Tooker, a strata property specialist says cost sharing continues to draw people to strata titled living but bad maintenance derived from poor management is something to watch for.
His company, New South Wales Strata Management, oversees hundreds of complexes where things are done right and witnesses the efforts of others where all goes wrong.
“Owners need to ensure that there is a sufficient sum put away for regular and ongoing maintenance of the building. This is called a sinking fund. It’s the pooled money that sees the property continue to look sharp and remain healthy in both body and spirit.”
Mr Tooker says some people see his company as a personal trainer for strata titled properties.
“For a buildings Owners Corporation there can be quite a lot to attend to. So having someone especially knowledgeable about strata title management can be of major help. In this regard, I guess we do act somewhat as a personal trainer, guiding the process and seeing that good health is maintained for the building on behalf all of the owners.
“An important objective is to oversee that fairness reigns and that costs are appropriately assessed, properly apportioned and wisely used. Preventative maintenance can and does help prevent major repairs, and this saves money for all.”
Today, many owners’ corporations appoint a licensed strata manager to carry out either some or all of their functions. This sees that proper oversight is given to both the legal issues of administration and the practical issues affecting the overall appearance and health of the complex.
“Good management not only ensures that a property looks and operates at its best, but also sees that the longer term value of each owners investment is maintained as well.”
Owners wishing to find out how little it might cost to put their building under professional management can contact New South Wales Strata Management direct on 9890 1841.
New South Wales Strata Management (formerly Gilmour Strata Management) commenced business in early 1991, as a member of the highly respected J A Gilmour & Sons group of companies. Licensed solely and specialising only in strata management services, the company has steadily grown to become one of the largest such organisations in New South Wales.
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