How to overthrow your strata committee
by Jimmy Thomson
12 July 2018
After 15 years of writing about apartment living, observing ordinary
people trying to manage their unit blocks, I have developed a theory
that there are three stages of strata committees: the chaotic, the
neurotic and the despotic.
The chaotic stage is when some committee members have half an idea of
what they are supposed to do (if that), while the others are driven by
self-interest and a misplaced faith in common sense – that's if they
are driven by any force strong enough to overcome systemic apathy.
Finally, someone who does know what they're doing comes along and
imposes some kind of order. That's when we enter the neurotic phase.
Here's where the committee members, having discovered there are rules
and regulations, can't make any decisions for fear that it might
contravene some law that they don't know about.
(By the way, when you are stuck in that particular rut, it's worth
remembering that there are no "strata cops", hovering around like
parking wardens, waiting to leap on you for every infraction. It takes
someone who's been disadvantaged by the committee's lack of diligence
to make an official complaint.)
Finally, having gone through a period of analysis paralysis, many
schemes will elect someone who simply gets things done. Overwhelmed by
waves of gratitude and relief, they then lock in their votes to this
person who, fearful that the block can't survive without them, starts
wielding executive powers to which they're not entitled, controlling
information, stacking votes and countering challenges, especially from
anyone who knows what they're doing.
Sooner or later, the despotic phase ends and it all falls apart and
you're back at stage one chaos, and so the cycle begins again.
If your strata scheme is in any of these phases, you may be considering
mounting a palace coup. However, given the general apathy among most
apartment owners (especially investors), it can be tough to initiate
change.
Collective approach
Also, any individual who challenges the status quo is going to be
branded a troublemaker so it's better to have a collective approach
with other owners than to be a lone voice, trying to convince
neighbours that everyone is out of step except you.
However, that has its problems too. I recall one chair of a building
who dismissed individual criticisms as just one person's point of view
while a group approach was a conspiracy.
In short, you need to present a viable alternative. One approach,
discussed at length on the Flat Chat Forum is to form an "alt"
committee.
The trick is to make sure it's about making things better, rather than
just getting rid of the old guard. Choose people who have the time and
skills to make a contribution, rather than just those who want their
turn in the driving seat
Also, if you want to get the majority of owners behind you, ready to
sweep you and your cohorts into power at your AGM, stay as positive as
possible.
Rather than only pointing out the incumbents' flaws to other owners,
wherever possible you should be pointing to a better way forward.
Eventually you will have to be critical but, even then, the best way to
get support is to target the policies rather than the personalities.
One sure-fire vote winner is to show how the current committee is costing owners money or harming the value of your properties.
You never know, if you get enough support, you might get to that fourth, almost mythical phase – the democratic.
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