Frequently Asked Questions
Strata management
What is a Strata or Community Title property?
Strata Title and Community Title are the main property titles in South Australia given to a property that has shared or Common use, area or item. The Management of unit groups, Lots or Apartments have many different names across Australia.
These property titles are distinct from Torrens Title where you entirely own your property with no other parties. There are several differences between a Strata and Community group which are outlined in the relevant legislation for each Title. We would be glad to elaborate further if you have any queries in relation to your unit.
Why are my levies higher than my friend's who owns an apartment down the road and has more facilities?
The amount of funds raised by a group will differ from site to site, based on the needs of that particular group. Another group may have decided to put less funds away for future maintenance which in turn lowers their levies. They may have an individual water meter payable outside of levies, where as your water usage may be budgeted within your Corporation’s levies. Each group has varied circumstances, even if they appear the same. Even blocks side by side groups developed at the same time, may have different maintenance requirements.
How much will my levies be and why do they now need to increase?
Your levies will be determined by the Members of your group. This will be made up of the costs of the Corporation which the group incur annually, along with any long term maintenance plans. The group will determine whether there is a necessity to increase contributions depending on maintenance focus and whether their regular costs have increased or are set to increase. These could include routine repairs, utilities, insurance and facilities.
What do we pay Stratarama for if we as owners have to make the decisions?
A group of units is not required to have a strata management Company such as Stratarama manage their site. Whilst the decisions rest appropriately with those who own in the group, a professional and knowledgeable manager will be able to assist, guide and provide valuable information and services to the Company. We encourage Owners to check out our listed services and contact us if you would like to discuss these and other requirements of your individual group.
What is Stratarama's role as the manager?
The role of Stratarama is to manage your Strata or Community Titled property. All decisions are made by the Unit Owners and/or the empowered Committee. Our role as Managers is to provide you with professional guidance and assistance in making those decisions. Our experience offers a wealth of knowledge to your Members. We encourage Owners to check out our listed strata services and contact us if you would like to discuss these and other requirements of your individual group.
Your legal rights guide
Click here to view our explanatory pamphlet regarding your legal rights under professional management.
For residents living in strata
Where do I park my car?
Parking for your property will be outlined on your Strata or Community plan. Some groups will have allocated parking for each unit and/or common parking or Visitor parking. If you are having difficulty in interpreting your plan, please ask Stratarama to review and assist you with this.
Can I have a pet?
Each Corporation will have a different ruling in relation to the housing of pets (including type, number and other provisions). These are usually located in your groups By-laws or Articles. Decisions to set out a Pet policy or alter a policy are made at a meeting of the group. Stratarama can assist in reviewing your documents and offering advice based on your specific group.
How often is an AGM held?
AGM stands for Annual general meeting and these are held each year. Legislation governs how soon after the last AGM and close of your groups financial period, a meeting must be held.
The group may also have other types of meetings, for example an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) or regular Committee meetings to assist the group in prompt decision making.
What’s mine? What do I actually own?
Strata unit and Community Lot legislation will help determine your areas of ownership. In addition to this, the plans for your Corporation will show you what areas are owned by yourself (which may include unit subsidiaries), by other Owners and what is a commonly owned space. Let Stratarama review your plans and guide you through your ownership specifics.
Finance & insurance information
What is strata insurance?
Please see the Insurance section of our website which provides valuable information on Strata insurance.
How do I pay my levies?
Stratarama offers multiple methods of payment through our banking partners. These options will appear on your levy notice. Contact Stratarama for more information on our payment methods.
What insurance cover do I need to arrange for my home?
Your insurance requirements are governed by which Act applies to your Corporation (Strata unit/Community Lot). In addition, there may be a By-law or note in your Community Title Scheme description which outlines your Building Insurance needs. Stratarama can review these and confirm the requirements for you. Each site will have other insurance obligations to maintain, or which they may wish to consider. Some of these can include, Liability cover, fidelity cover, catastrophe cover, common area contents, loss of rent.
Outside of the Building Insurance requirements, each individual unit should discuss with their Managers and Insurers to determine what other insurances are required. These covers may include Landlords and Contents protection insurance.
Insurance can be complex: What is the Value of a Strata Manager?
Please find below a Link to an informative document on the value of your Strata and Community Title Manager being able to assist your Body Corporate with your Insurance needs. The Strata Manager is here to help on Insurance matters; such as claims processing, paying Contractor invoices on claims, arranging insurance valuations and providing reports to unit Owners, insurance record keeping, and general insurance needs such as quotes, purchases, placements and renewals.
Maintenance & improvements
Can I extend my unit?
It is important to remember that when living as part of a community or strata group, you have both rights and responsibilities. Decisions to alter the appearance or structure of your property may need to be approved by other Members of your group. Irrelevant of the works you are privately considering, it will be important to discuss these with your Strata Manager or Members prior to undertaking any works. This will allow you to understand what is or is not acceptable with your group, and whether your proposal needs to be voted upon by the Members (including details on how the other Owners may be affected by these works).
Who pays for maintenance on my unit/apartment/townhouse?
Each group has different rules and regulations set out in the By-laws and Articles which govern certain maintenance works. The type of Title your property is will provide further governance on this. Stratarama would be happy to assist you in determining the responsibility of maintenance items at your site.
The building looks terrible, why is it not being maintained?
Maintenance programming may have lapsed at your site as a result of poor planning, a lack of funds or poor management by either the Members or your Body Corporate Manager. It is important to review the history of the group to determine what has been the primary issues with keeping the site maintained. We recommend reviewing the meeting minutes to see what discussions have taken place, and if necessary, consider a change in management or adopting professional management for your site.