Strata Management in Double Bay NSW 2028

Strata Management in Double Bay NSW 2028

Clear Decisions for Double Bay Apartments and Mixed Use Buildings

Double Bay has apartment buildings near the Bay Street and Cross Street centre, around New South Head Road and in quieter residential streets. Some sites combine homes with shops or other uses; others are entirely residential. Each owners corporation needs to know its own boundaries, shared services and approval rules. Ellouise Tyrrell Strata Management (ETSM) helps committees organise those decisions and follow approved work through with clear records and financial reporting.

Separate public streets from building access

A centre building may have a shop entrance, residential lobby, garage and service area close together. Before a repair, delivery or major inspection, the committee should identify which entrance the contractor may use, how residents will be notified and whether a loading space or parking area is actually part of the scheme. The registered strata plan and by-laws determine private rights; a public kerb or footpath is managed by the relevant authority.

Where a scheme has commercial and residential lots, a single instruction may not suit every occupant. Confirm the lot and common-property responsibilities for the affected equipment, accessway or service, then record who authorised the work. Do not assume that a shop below an apartment automatically pays a particular share of every repair; contribution and cost arrangements depend on the scheme's documents and the decision being made.

Keep the shared building services visible

For an apartment complex, recurring water entry, a leaking roof, a lift fault, a blocked drain or a failed entry system should be tracked as a sequence rather than a collection of isolated emails. Record the location, dates, reports, temporary measures and previous repairs. If the cause or ownership of an item is unclear, obtain appropriate technical advice before approving a permanent solution.

The NSW Government's strata repairs and maintenance guidance explains the owners corporation's common-property duties and how the 10-year capital works plan informs major work. A Double Bay committee can use its own condition reports to put roof, facade, waterproofing, garage, lift or other shared assets into a realistic sequence, where those assets exist. The plan should show the likely timing and funding of actual work, with changes recorded as new information arrives.

Give residents useful waste instructions

Woollahra Council says its green bin organics service is available to apartment residents and offers education material for strata managers, cleaners and residents. A Double Bay building should check its own service and collection point, then explain which bins are for household waste, recycling and organics. In a shared bin room, a short sign and move-in information can be more useful than a general reminder after contamination has occurred.

For bulky items, make sure residents know the applicable council collection process and where items can be stored before collection. Commercial premises may have separate arrangements. The committee should check the property's actual services and avoid promising council collection for material that is outside the domestic service.

Check the property before changing its exterior

Woollahra Council identifies Transvaal Avenue as a heritage conservation area within the Double Bay Centre. That does not mean every Double Bay building is heritage listed. When a committee is considering windows, balconies, an exterior colour, an awning or other visible changes, check the particular parcel, any heritage status and the current Woollahra planning controls. The owners corporation may also need to approve the change under its own strata rules. Council and a qualified adviser can address the proposed work where approvals or technical details are uncertain.

Request a Double Bay strata proposal

ETSM is independently owned, with experienced leadership and no insurance or contractor commissions. Our agreed scope can cover meetings, levies, records, budgets, owner communication and coordination of authorised maintenance. The proposal should show the ordinary service and any additional charges so owners can compare the full arrangement.

Send your Double Bay address, lot count, latest AGM papers, existing management agreement and a brief summary of outstanding matters. We can prepare a proposal for the actual property. Call our Coogee head office on 02 9369 3639 or email reception@etsm.com.au. The ETSM Coogee office page sets out our broader Eastern Suburbs service.