WA working group examines new laws

Major amendments to WA’s strata laws and regulations were introduced in May 2020, touted as the most important updates to the State’s strata framework in more than 20 years.

Strata Community Association (WA) has formed an important working group with the State’s land agency, Landgate, aimed at ironing out some of the teething problems with WA’s Amended Strata Titles Act 1985.

The working group, made up of SCA (WA) and Landgate representatives, had its first meeting in December and is scheduled to meet again in February.

The formation of the group comes after SCA (WA) approached Landgate with a series of issues its members were experiencing with the States’ rules and regulations in their roles as strata managers.

SCA (WA) President Catherine Lezer said she is hopeful the working group meetings will ultimately lead to a clearer and more workable framework for owners and those working in the industry.

“Striving for professionalism in our industry takes many forms, from advocating for licensing to speaking on behalf of owners, to making submissions on the National Construction Code and construction professions,” Ms Lezer said.

“WA strata reforms were a big step towards professionalism, and I am keen these laws evolve now we know more about the practicalities of using them on a day to day basis.”

In the year that followed the local industry was able to assess how the Amended Strata Titles Act 1985 worked on the ground.

SCA (WA) ran a member survey which collected feedback on the amended laws and regulations and held a roundtable meeting of senior SCA (WA) members who came up with five, key problem areas to take to Landgate as a starting point for improvement.

These included in the areas of education requirements, structural alterations, financial year end dates and the installation of infrastructure on common property.

In December, the working group made up of Landgate and SCA (WA) representatives was formed to identify, examine and look at solutions for these problems and others strata managers and owners were having.

Work on all of the areas except the financial year end date requirements, which has been deemed a low priority and not currently listed for action, is pressing ahead and will continue throughout 2022.