Q: Hi, I am having a deck built off the end of my townhouse, against the wall, DA approved. Mine is the last townhouse and no one except me will be able to see it. I have gained approval from every owner at an AGM. Every owner is a committee member, including myself. Is it a legal obligation to create a by-law for the building of the deck with my solicitor? If yes, please can you let me know the reason for this? Many thanks. Diane
Is it a legal obligation to create a by-law for the building of the deck with my solicitor? – Diane, NSW
A:
All the lot owners (called the owners corporation) decide the levies during the annual general meeting (AGM). The AGM meeting agenda includes the budget that determines the levies. It also shows how the funds are allocated in the budget.
If you compare the budgets from different years, you can see how the expenses change and ask questions about specific items like insurance, maintenance, and electricity costs. Owners are encouraged to attend the AGM, review the agenda in advance, learn about the process of levies and have a say in the votes to represent the majority preference accurately.
This article: https://picagroup.com.au/article/enhancing-community-living/how-your-strata-property-type-may-affect-your-levy-payments/ may also help in understanding how levies are calculated.
