19 August 2013

BodyCorp Gate Blocking Visitors Access

| TimmyAct
Join the conversation
30

Hi,

I have lived in my townhouse for almost a year, which is inside a large open complex with a 12 standalone townhouses and communal carport/carpark.

Prior to buying the place, the executive committee and the body corporate had organised and funded to install a large security gate around the complex – which is opened by a small hand held remote control that each owner has.

The issue is that my unit, is behind the security gate. There is no intercomm system at all and visitors are forced to either resort to using mobiles, or waiting and hoping someone opens the gate by chance. Visitors can not physically knock on my door.

Three of the executive members live in units who’s front doors are street facing and not fenced off. A forth member rents theirs out and a fifth doesn’t seem to mind not having visotrs. We find the biggest issue is unexpected visitors, or visitors who does not have our phone number. I have since become an executive member, however my complaints and inconveniences go uncared for.

The owners corporation see to shrug off requests and complaints of this. I have read through the unit titles act and been unable to find anything. Is there a law that prevents visitor access to my front door? Is there a governing body that I can enquire to?

Join the conversation

30
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Can I ask … how does ACTEWAGL access your electricity meter to charge you for the electricity you use in your townhouse?

My mother lived in a townhouse complex and I swore I would never live in one, due to all the goings on with the Executive Committee. Sadly, most people in the complex complained about the EC but never wanted to replace them on the committee to change the dreadful things they had brought in. I would advise anyone contemplating buying a townhouse to read all the Minutes of the meetings thoroughly and ask questions before you do.

You might find it useful to pose your question on the Flat Chat Forum at http://www.flat-chat.com.au/forum/

I bet the fence was installed for a reason. Generally people don’t like spending money if they don’t have to.

Maybe get a posse together, and ask for the gate to lock on a timer. 8am-6pm it stays unlocked, then after that you require the remote/pin

Madam Cholet said :

Nope. It’s managed by a strata mob. They also own a unit in the complex tho. Unfortunately these are the things to come out in the wash!!

Oh my; I don’t think that’s even legal. Yes the owners corporation can employ a strata management agent but by definition they cannot also be a unit owner. If you’re still a owner I’d be contacting NSW Fair Trading to clarify this.

Just prop the gate open, especially if you’re expecting visitors.

watto23 said :

Same with my BC. The 5-7 people who turn up to the AGM are often the executive. The only time we ever had complaints from the residents other owners was when we passed a rule that all fencing when replaced was to be done in colorbond. Mostly because people read it as having to do it now,especially landlords looking to avoid spending any further money.

The good thing is though usually only live in owners turn up to AGM’s and most of the things we do are for the benefit of people living there, like supply a skip bin twice a year for waste disposal. Yet you’d think getting people to understand basic parking and garbage bin rules should be easy but they are the most commonly violated rules and its difficult to enforce.

I think we live in the same complex.

Madam Cholet4:35 pm 20 Aug 13

davo101 said :

Madam Cholet said :

Well in our case they decided they would sack the resort manager from his caretaking duties with no prior notice, other than being under the guise of contract negotiations which had apparently ‘broken down’ (but not according to the caretaker/manager).

Sounds suspiciously like a self-managed strata–personally I would not touch one of those with a barge pole.

Nope. It’s managed by a strata mob. They also own a unit in the complex tho. Unfortunately these are the things to come out in the wash!!

Madam Cholet said :

Well in our case they decided they would sack the resort manager from his caretaking duties with no prior notice, other than being under the guise of contract negotiations which had apparently ‘broken down’ (but not according to the caretaker/manager).

Sounds suspiciously like a self-managed strata–personally I would not touch one of those with a barge pole.

Holden Caulfield1:04 pm 20 Aug 13

FioBla said :

Sometimes they don’t come at all.

Is that grounds for a refund?

Madam Cholet12:27 pm 20 Aug 13

watto23 said :

davo101 said :

Madam Cholet said :

Good luck is all I can say. We have to deal with an Executive Committee at our apartment in Merimbula and by golly do they have a bob on themselves. As it stands in NSW, and I would hazard a guess in the ACT, the decisions of the EC are final. The legislation says that when they make decisions, it is as if the whole complex made the decision. One would think that there would be provision in the legislation for adequate consultation prior to decisions being made, but actually no.

Well except for the bit where they have to be voted in, can’t make decisions that require resolutions at the general meeting, can be overridden by the owners’ corporation, have to give 72 hours notice of a meeting, have to let you attend and observe, and have to provide you with minutes after each meeting; then yes there is no consultation.

Madam Cholet said :

the ones who get themselves on to committees such as these are often nitwits to start with.

In the two strata schemes I’ve owned in the executive committee was everyone who could be arsed to turn up to the annual meeting.

Madam Cholet said :

the ones who get themselves on to committees such as these are often nitwits to start with.

In the two strata schemes I’ve owned in the executive committee was everyone who could be arsed to turn up to the annual meeting.

Same with my BC. The 5-7 people who turn up to the AGM are often the executive. The only time we ever had complaints from the residents other owners was when we passed a rule that all fencing when replaced was to be done in colorbond. Mostly because people read it as having to do it now,especially landlords looking to avoid spending any further money.

The good thing is though usually only live in owners turn up to AGM’s and most of the things we do are for the benefit of people living there, like supply a skip bin twice a year for waste disposal. Yet you’d think getting people to understand basic parking and garbage bin rules should be easy but they are the most commonly violated rules and its difficult to enforce.

Well in our case they decided they would sack the resort manager from his caretaking duties with no prior notice, other than being under the guise of contract negotiations which had apparently ‘broken down’ (but not according to the caretaker/manager). No amount of appealing would get through to them that this was a decision of some magnitude and that there should have been more consultation. Fortunately some other crap went down and stopped them in their tracks, enabling us to execute a new strategy and head them off at the pass. Phew!

davo101 said :

Madam Cholet said :

Good luck is all I can say. We have to deal with an Executive Committee at our apartment in Merimbula and by golly do they have a bob on themselves. As it stands in NSW, and I would hazard a guess in the ACT, the decisions of the EC are final. The legislation says that when they make decisions, it is as if the whole complex made the decision. One would think that there would be provision in the legislation for adequate consultation prior to decisions being made, but actually no.

Well except for the bit where they have to be voted in, can’t make decisions that require resolutions at the general meeting, can be overridden by the owners’ corporation, have to give 72 hours notice of a meeting, have to let you attend and observe, and have to provide you with minutes after each meeting; then yes there is no consultation.

Madam Cholet said :

the ones who get themselves on to committees such as these are often nitwits to start with.

In the two strata schemes I’ve owned in the executive committee was everyone who could be arsed to turn up to the annual meeting.

Madam Cholet said :

the ones who get themselves on to committees such as these are often nitwits to start with.

In the two strata schemes I’ve owned in the executive committee was everyone who could be arsed to turn up to the annual meeting.

Same with my BC. The 5-7 people who turn up to the AGM are often the executive. The only time we ever had complaints from the residents other owners was when we passed a rule that all fencing when replaced was to be done in colorbond. Mostly because people read it as having to do it now,especially landlords looking to avoid spending any further money.

The good thing is though usually only live in owners turn up to AGM’s and most of the things we do are for the benefit of people living there, like supply a skip bin twice a year for waste disposal. Yet you’d think getting people to understand basic parking and garbage bin rules should be easy but they are the most commonly violated rules and its difficult to enforce.

Rawhide Kid Part311:12 am 20 Aug 13

GardeningGirl said :

“Is there a law that prevents visitor access to my front door?” That’s an interesting question, for example what if someone alone inside such a secure complex required an ambulance?

I could come under the Health and Safety requirement that access is required 24/7 for emergency services.

davo101 said :

FioBla said :

Parcel/pizza delivery/sex worker?

So you get a lot of unsolicited visits from sex works then?

Sometimes they come late. Sometimes they don’t come at all.

FioBla said :

Parcel/pizza delivery/sex worker?

So you get a lot of unsolicited visits from sex works then?

BimboGeek said :

Why are you getting unscheduled visits from people who know you well enough to have your home address but not your phone number? How does this possibly happen?

Parcel/pizza delivery/sex worker?

Madam Cholet said :

In our case, we had to get a strategy together to boot our elected member off and install a more moderate person. The rabid ‘right winger’ was desperately upset and is flinging insults hither and thither. It’s a tough world out there in apartment land I can tell you.

So he took it well then?

Madam Cholet said :

Good luck is all I can say. We have to deal with an Executive Committee at our apartment in Merimbula and by golly do they have a bob on themselves. As it stands in NSW, and I would hazard a guess in the ACT, the decisions of the EC are final. The legislation says that when they make decisions, it is as if the whole complex made the decision. One would think that there would be provision in the legislation for adequate consultation prior to decisions being made, but actually no.

Well except for the bit where they have to be voted in, can’t make decisions that require resolutions at the general meeting, can be overridden by the owners’ corporation, have to give 72 hours notice of a meeting, have to let you attend and observe, and have to provide you with minutes after each meeting; then yes there is no consultation.

Madam Cholet said :

the ones who get themselves on to committees such as these are often nitwits to start with.

In the two strata schemes I’ve owned in the executive committee was everyone who could be arsed to turn up to the annual meeting.

Madam Cholet8:41 am 20 Aug 13

Good luck is all I can say. We have to deal with an Executive Committee at our apartment in Merimbula and by golly do they have a bob on themselves. As it stands in NSW, and I would hazard a guess in the ACT, the decisions of the EC are final. The legislation says that when they make decisions, it is as if the whole complex made the decision. One would think that there would be provision in the legislation for adequate consultation prior to decisions being made, but actually no. Any committee worth their salt would consult, but unfortunately, the ones who get themselves on to committees such as these are often nitwits to start with.

In our case, we had to get a strategy together to boot our elected member off and install a more moderate person. The rabid ‘right winger’ was desperately upset and is flinging insults hither and thither. It’s a tough world out there in apartment land I can tell you.

You need to canvass opinion from other non-executive members and get a body of evidence together to suggest that the situation needs to be reviewed. I would cite the suggestion below about emergency vehicles also – it’s a fair point.

But I do like the suggestion of a series of tunnels.

Why are you getting unscheduled visits from people who know you well enough to have your home address but not your phone number? How does this possibly happen?

GardeningGirl8:40 pm 19 Aug 13

“Is there a law that prevents visitor access to my front door?” That’s an interesting question, for example what if someone alone inside such a secure complex required an ambulance?

SammyLivesHere8:00 pm 19 Aug 13

Hello there.
It’s good to canvas the voices of others, but in the end if you still feel nobody is taking action on the Committee to consider your concerns you can consider going to “mediation”. This means that they have to talk through your issue with a Government Official, and seek to mediate the issue. Maybe one solution will be to put a side pedestrian gate in with the added expense of intercoms to each unit, and a pin code to get in if it’s you looking to use it… it’s very common in Perth to have security all around the apartments. Good Luck.

patrick_keogh5:26 pm 19 Aug 13

Buy another remote and superglue it to an inconspicuous location on the wall near the gate. Tell your visitors where it is.

dannybear said :

I think the only solution here is a series of tunnels.

Ha good one

the original decision would have had significant financial impact and would have had to go to a general meeting of some sort (AGM or such) – but if the only ones attending and active are the executive committee then the decision is binding and legal. someone must have decided that this was a necessary expense as everyone would have contributed to the cost out of the sinking fund or through a special levy (those sort of gates are not cheap and for 12 units that is a significant increase in your levies).

sounds like it was poorly thought through and you need to add some form of system that allows people to contact the ‘internal’ units affected by this. better if you can get some care and support from other affected unit owners as by yourself you are unlikely to get much leverage.

Are you sure you don’t live at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

I think the only solution here is a series of tunnels.

Two options:

1. Get a majority of owners to vote to have the gate removed
2. Get a majority of owners to vote to have an intercom system installed

One question:

1. If you knew what the situation was before you bought the place why are you bitching about it now?

I used to live in a large apartment block in Braddon – trust me the intercom is not a great solution if you have significant walk by traffic as every drunk idiot who came past at 3am in the morning would page random units… In the end I used to leave it off the hook with the volume set to 0 on Friday and Saturday nights (and during Summernats).

Put up a sign telling your visitors to knock on the doors they can access and ask to be let in. If you are getting a lot of visitors they’ll get sick of that pretty quick.

By my count, there are still another 6 units not accounted for. What are their views on this issue? You can always get political, and call extra meetings, or have other residents nominate to be on the executive who agree with you. Then you propose to either install wireless intercoms to every unit, or have the gate removed, or another access gate installed for pedestrians.

My other thought is a little more passive aggressive. Bolt a bell onto the wall outside your door, and run a rope/string to the outside area. Like they used in the old days 🙂 Or on Downton Abbey.

I guess you could also install a single wireless door bell as well, perhaps next to your letter box?

I’m sure there is a legal avenue as well. Perhaps warn the other members of the executive that you are considering legal avenues, and that they might like to work something out prior to legal people getting involved with their expensive rates?

mark

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.