I pay an owners corporation fee but I’ve seen no signs of the proposed services being completed. Why do I need to pay this fee? – Maria, VIC

Q: I have been residing in 13 Kai Close, Caroline Springs for about 6 months and have a couple of questions:
The Owners Corporation Fee, I’ve noticed that it includes the following which I’ve seen no sign of; General Maintenance (especially with house number 7), Cleaning of Common areas and Gardening and Lawn mowing. The state of the front of these units is an absolute joke and is indefinitely need of some TLC.
I pay a fee for maintenance but in the past 4 months I have never seen someone complete any type of maintenance whether it was grass cutting (as we don’t have any grass to cut), so I’m confused why do I need to pay this fee – There are other fees which I pay and unsure to why I pay them.

A: The owners corporation fees cover the costs of maintaining the common property. The front of the units may not form part of the common property and may be the lot occupant’s responsibility. Your strata manager should be able to provide guidance on where the obligation lies.

The Owners Corporation will set its budget each year, and the owners vote to approve it at the annual general meeting. Your strata manager will be able to provide further information regarding the location and exact purpose of all of the costs.