I live in a property with seven two-storey townhouses, and no facilities such as pool, tennis court, gym etc. Payments at the moment are $470 admin, $260 sinking fund per quarter, so $730 approx. Do you think our fees are too high? What can we do to lower the fees ? – Mel, QLD

Q: I live in a property with seven two-storey townhouses, and no facilities such as a pool, tennis court, gym etc. The only regular maintenance worker is a person who mows the common grass areas ie council strip and grassed area approx .3.5m x 3.5m. No further regular upkeep is completed . Payments at the moment are $470 admin, $260 sinking fund per quarter, so $730 approx.

The last two sales of the properties have been approx $265,000,  and a third is listed for sale at $269000. I am currently paying $2920 annually. I believe we should be paying around $807 – $1,883 annually. Do you think our fees are too high? What can we do to lower the fees?

A: In addition to the available facilities, number and dimensions of properties, there are a number of factors that could affect a property’s body corporate fees. You need to take into account things like the insurance requirements for the property, age and condition of the building, security and maintenance requirements, to name a few.

To give you a more accurate view of the recommended fee range, we need to have a lot more information about the building. If you’d like to discuss the matter further and gain greater insight, try our free body corporate assessment service.