Your Strata Property With Amanda Farmer

Hosted by Amanda Farmer

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Episodes

492

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-AU

About the show

The ultimate source of actionable tips for strata property owners with Amanda Farmer

Listen to episodes

60 recent

November 11, 202636 min

493. Your embedded network contract is up. Now what?

This week, I speak with Energy Locals CEO Adrian Merrick about the complicated world of embedded networks, and whether recent reforms are really delivering better outcomes for apartment owners. We cover: – Why embedded networks have become so controversial, and what’s being done to protect apartment owners – The new NSW law, hiding in plain sight, that could discourage operators from investing in strata buildings at all (and why that’s bad for owners) – What owners corporations should check before renewing or switching their embedded network contracts and more.

October 29, 202626 min

492. Should paper adjudications return to NSW?

Reena Van Aalst joins me this week as we consider: Whether a tribunal order is needed before an owners corporation can pay compensation to an owner suffering from water ingress, How bringing back paper adjudications might help tackle the growing delays at NCAT, and Why winning a legal case isn’t everything.

October 15, 202634 min

491. Hybrid strata loans: the lender’s response

This week, Firstrata Finance CEO Andrew Boss joins me to give a lender’s response to the questions raised in our last episode about hybrid strata loans. Andrew explains why his company takes a different view, backed by its own legal advice (which he shares), and how the product has evolved over the last few years to address the concerns of strata managers. We also test the assumption that legislative reform could ultimately make the whole process much simpler.

September 23, 202627 min

490. Paid Up Front? The levy credit that might not be legal

Gerard Doyle of Bugden Allen Lawyers joins me this week to take a closer look at hybrid strata loans: a product designed to let some owners pay their share of major works upfront while others participate in a strata loan. Gerard shares his concerns about the legal basis for “levy credits”, how those credits are treated in an owners corporation’s accounts, and whether the legislation actually gives an owners corporation the power to structure repayments this way. We also explore the risks for self-funding owners, possible tax implications, and why legislative reform may ultimately be needed to make these products work more cleanly.

September 9, 202626 min

489. “Very unusual terms” – what could be hiding in your agency agreement

Dianne Copping from Elevate Strata joins me this week to talk about what can happen when an owners corporation decides it’s time to change strata managers. We discuss difficult handovers, delays in releasing records, and the formal steps available when an outgoing manager won’t cooperate. Dianne also calls out some “very unusual” rollover and extension clauses that she’s seeing in some agency agreements, and frustrating behaviour from managers who can’t seem to let go. We also look ahead to mandatory strata committee training from 1 October and what the added compliance work could mean for strata managers, committees and management fees.

August 26, 202625 min

488. The documents you paid for but can’t get a copy of

Reena Van Aalst joins me this week, as we cover: – An owners corporation being denied access to engineering designs it paid for – The little-known right of strata committee members to inspect records held by their strata manager without paying a fee – Why small knowledge gaps and everyday mistakes can quickly undermine confidence in a strata manager and more.

August 12, 202646 min

487. Australia is ahead of the United States on this…

If you think hidden commissions, vertical integration and conflicts of interest are uniquely Australian strata problems, think again. This week, I’m joined by US community association advocate Vicki MacHale to compare notes on what’s happening on both sides of the Pacific – from insurance commissions and private equity to the fascinating world of “earned credits”, where management companies can benefit from the money their clients hold in the bank. The parallels are striking, but when it comes to scrutiny, transparency and regulators taking action, Australia may actually be ahead.

July 29, 202636 min

486. What happens when your new apartment is worth less than you agreed to pay

Buying off the plan can look like a smart way to lock in today’s price, but what happens when settlement arrives and the market has moved against you? In this edited version of Friday’s LIVE chat, I unpack the risks, possible options and costly consequences of being unable to complete an off-the-plan purchase. I then…

July 15, 202636 min

485. A Strata Cop on the Beat: What The Netstrata Prosecution Means

Reena Van Aalst and I discuss: A committee that tried to sack a building manager without the required general meeting approval, The growing legal risk around serving agenda packs by link instead of attachment, and What the Netstrata prosecution may signal for accountability in our sector. A big episode. Dive right in. Links Mentioned:…

July 1, 202636 min

484. When a committee member goes rogue: one strata manager’s NCAT experience

Strata manager Luke Derwent joins me to share how an owners corporation ended up in NCAT after a committee member leaked confidential negotiations with a major service provider. We discuss how the committee responded, why they chose NCAT over an internal political fight, and what it really took for Luke (a non-lawyer) to successfully prepare and present the case himself, on behalf of his client.