Welcome to the blog of NSW strata investigative journalism
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was NOT involved in investigations of strata issues in Australia (primarily NSW). We never used or relied on AI, and instead deployed classical methods: thorough due diligence, mitigating bias, abiding by ethical principles, clear and transparent documentation, mitigating risk, continuous monitoring, and legal compliance.
Since Annual General Meeting 2017 Waratah Strata Management not only prevented proper financial reporting for SP52948, but was also heavily involved in financial mismanagent:
Lot 158 finally starting to achieve results: NSW Fair Trading letter on 17 October 2023, confirming that Waratah Strata Management failed to comply with regulations for Auditor's reports (and this is just the beginning of troubles for this strata agency):
Nine committee members were asked to inform all owners about NSW Fair Trading update on 18 October 2023 and they did not respond.
On 19 October 2023, Director of Uniqueco Property Services was given one-page document to put on or near six notice boards:
SP52948-Lot-158-notice-board-v2-19Oct2023
Primary audience on the website are owners (current and previous), tenants, investors, and potential buyers in large strata complex SP52948. Attempts to get Waratah Strata Management to keep all parties informed has been ignored since 1 February 2017. Strata files are kept undisclosed and even events like mediation at Fair Trading NSW, NCAT case SC 20/33352, Police Events, and OLSC reports about professional misconduct of Solicitor Adrian Mueller are not provided to owners (current and previous), tenants, investors, and potential buyers in large strata complex SP52948. Committee members and Waratah Strata Management refused to offer assistance to these organisations.
Number of SP52948 owners, tenants, and investors expressed gratitude towards this website as that was the only way to gain access to lot of critical information, which is not available in minutes and notices of meetings, or on Waratah Strata website.
The rest of the audience is anyone who might be interested in problems with strata schemes in NSW...
This website does not have any desire or intent to add own comments and therefore it is up to anybody to make up their own conclusions based on evidence and statements by others who did it in public forums, in courts, or elsewhere. All files on this website were provided to Fair Trading NSW, Office of legal Services Commissioner, NCAT, Supreme Court, and Police. The same files were repeatedly sent to Solicitor Adrian Mueller, committee members and strata managers - silence is their response.
Public is voicing strong concerns about problems with Tribunals. Issues with strata complexes and dubious quality of services provided by those who should enforce laws are common and frequent - examples:
NSW-Civil-Tribunal-failing-to-deliver-services
Solicitor Adrian Mueller created dangerous precedence in two CTTT/NCAT cases (SCS 12/32675 and SC 20/33352) which, based on Australian legal system, allow other parties to use as valid defence (legal precedents). CTTT/NCAT fully co-operated with the Solicitor and effectively rendered NSW strata laws useless, and even allowed Solicitor's reprentation of large strata plan SP52948 without having any evidence of being approved by owners corporation (in fact, Solicitor was not approved at any legally-convened meeting).
CTTT/NCAT actively supported Solicitor Adrian Mueller’s predictive behaviour, contempt of court, falsified documents, and insurance claims in two cases in 2012/2013 (SCS 12/32675 and SCS 12/50460, conducted by Tribunal member M. Harrowell) and 2020/2021 (SC 20/33352, conducted by Tribunal member G.J. Sarginson). The precedence means that all evidence of the Applicant can be ignored if the Respondent fails to attend Hearings.
Tribunal had full knowledge of the Applicant's submissions about Solicitor Adrian Mueller, including ones dated 8, 27 February 2022, and 22 June 2022, which they completely ignored.
Democracy should be the leading avenue for managing strata complexes. But, democracy requires high level of sense and ethics, and right for all owners to have full access to strata files in order to make informed decisions. And when that does not happen, how to proceed? One way is to educate public and rise awareness that license to be a strata manager is one of the easiest in any industry: Strata Community Australia (SCA) are offering a three-day course on qualifying to be a strata manager with no prior educational requirements (apparently educational requirements are fulfilled by completing the course):
Analysis of Federal Court data in 2022 found 10 per cent of all forced bankruptcies across Australia are from strata levy debts. A state breakdown of the problem shows it is much higher in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales, and it is a growing problem in some other states:
Bankruptcy filings 2022 | Strata bankruptcy filings as a percentage of total bankruptcy filings |
---|---|
NSW | 18% |
ACT | 29% |
Victoria | 4% |
Queensland | 5% |
Western Australia | 3% |
Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania | 0% |
SP52948-effects-of-Waratah-Strata-Management-on-Balance-Sheet-from-31Jan2017-to-1May2024
Lot 158 was ridiculed and completely ignored.
Lot 158 was ridiculed and completely ignored.
Lot 158 was ridiculed and completely ignored.
Seven more warnings were sent to Waratah Strata Management and committee members in 2023 - no reply was ever received:
In agenda for Annual General Meeting 2023, Waratah Strata Management continued to mislead owners, confirming problems with strata funds without disclosing any balance sheets from funds, ongoing problems with fire safety, and providing completely false and fabricated figure of 18% inflation rate over three last years:
Even layman can easily confirm that figure for official inflation rates of 18% for three years prior to 2023 were grossly inflated, false, and deliberately designed to coerce owners:
Australian historical inflation rates at WorldData
Australian historical inflation rates at MacroTrends
... whilst sending this agenda to owners (full of errors and misleading statements)
On 29 April 2021, for the first and only time, Waratah Strata Management shyly admitted negative balance in Admin Fund, without providing any details, and claiming that it was a temporary problem:
Owners were not informed about three quarters in FY 2021 with negative balance in Admin Fund:
SP52948 Balance Status on 31 January 2021, Admin Fund negative balance of $18,794.90
SP52948 Balance Status on 30 April 2021, Admin Fund negative balance of $25,254.77
SP52948 Balance Status on 31 July 2021, Admin Fund negative balance of $22,323.34
Not only this negative balance is shockingly bad for owners and investors, but created further high risks because SP52948 insurance premium due on 21 September 2023 was allegedly still not renewed as of 11 October 2023 (20 days after the due date):
SP52948-expired-insurance-on-21Sep2023-not-renewed-as-of-11Oct2023
Graph of serious negative balance in Admin Fund since 1 February 2017 when Waratah Strata Management took office to 1 May 2024 speaks for itself:
For first time in history of strata complex SP52948, thanks to Waratah Strata Management, Admin Fund had continuous negative balance two whole FY 2023 quarters (1 November 2022 to 31 January 2023, and then from 1 February 2023 to 30 April 2023):
For first time in history of strata complex SP52948, thanks to Waratah Strata Management, Admin Fund had almost continuous negative balance in third FY 2023 quarter (1 May 2023 to 31 July 2023):
Thanks to Waratah Strata Management, SP52948 Admin Fund had almost continuous negative balance in whole FY 2023 (1 September 2022 to 31 August 2023):
SP52948-effects-of-Waratah-Strata-Management-on-Balance-Sheet-from-1Sep2022-to-31Aug2023
Thanks to Waratah Strata Management, SP52948 Admin Fund had almost continuous negative balance in whole FY 2024 (1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024):
SP52948-effects-of-Waratah-Strata-Management-on-Balance-Sheet-from-31Jan2017-to-1May2024
Waratah Strata Management since 2017 failed to comply with SSMA 2015 and SSMR 2016 six times for Annual General Meetings and four times for Extraordinary General Meetings that followed AGMs, whilst in other two years the Auditor's Report at AGMs in SP52948 was highly questionable:
Waratah Strata Management changed their own data in Balance Sheets dated 30 April 2023 and 31 May 2023, where Admin Fund had negative balance of $170,670.75 on 30 April 2023 and $173,000.75 for the same date (30 April 2023) on 31 May 2023:
On 25 December 2022, Admin Fund had negative balance of $130,200.95:
SP52948-negative-balance-in-Admin-Fund-25Dec2022
On 25 January 2023, Admin Fund had negative balance of $166,116.59:
Waratah Strata Management changed their own data in Income & Expenditure Report for 31 August 2023 (end of financial year) and three different versions were found in late evening on 31 August 2023, 6 September 2023, and 16 September 2023, generating a result which is almost 57 percent lower on 16 September 2023 than on 31 August 2023:
Insurance premiums are very costly:
SP52948-insurance-premium-changes-1997-to-2024.pdf
On 21 September 2022, insurance premiums increased by significant amount of 50.84% (from $108,193.26 in 2021 to $161,569.59 in 2022 - all GST inclusive), without disclosure to owners, while as of 3 October 2022 Income & expenditure Report still did not list any payments for insurance policy:
Waratah Strata Management did not disclose to owners that they might have delayed additional payments (excesses) for insurance policy due on 9 August 2022, as shown in reminder sent by BCB insurance broker:
Detailed Expenses for FY 2022 (1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022) shows that Waratah Strata Management might have failed to pay excesses for two events on time, dated 20 September 2021 and 19 April 2022, which were listed in BCB insurance broker reminder in August 2022, with warning about expired insurance. The dates of payments for insurance excesses in Detailed Expenses for FY 2022 were questionable, unless BCB insurance broker made a mistake with the letter in August 2022. As an example, no insurance excess was listed in code 169400 in Income & Expenditure Report on 28 September 2021 at 08:47 hours. Waratah Strata Management did not list any insurance claims in FY 2022, as shown in Delegated Functions Report dated 7 October 2022 at 17:46 hours:
The reminder highlighted the risk of UNINSURED large strata complex worth $146,550.000 (evaluation dated 1 September 2022) for two unpaid excesses dated 20 September 2021 and 19 April 2022:
SP52948-insurance-valuation-1Sep2022
SP52948-Waratah-Strata-Management-and-undeclared-expired-insurance-in-FY-2022
Owners' property worth more than $146 millions did not have any insurance cover when insurance policy for SP52948 expired on 21 September 2022, but renewal was delayed for five days and was not published for owners and costs were not included in Income & Expenditure Report even as late as 3 October 2022. No owner was notified about it by committee members or Waratah Strata Management.
Insurance renewal was paid on 26 September 2022, leaving SP52948 uninsured for additional five days (possibly adding to other period since early August 2022), without disclosure to owners. It also created risk of being unable to make any claims in that period, should any incident had happened.
Based on official information published by Waratah Strata Management, owners' property worth more than $146 millions did not have any insurance cover when insurance policy for SP52948 expired on 21 September 2023, but renewal might have been delayed for 20 days and was not published for owners and costs were not included in Income & Expenditure Report even as late as 11 October 2023. No owner was notified about it by committee members or Waratah Strata Management:
SP52948-expired-insurance-on-21Sep2023-not-renewed-as-of-11Oct2023
In agenda for AGM 2023, sent by Waratah Strata Management on 5 October 2023, information about insurance premiums still showed details for previous financial year with expiration date of 21 September 2023:
This was not an accidental mistake, because the same misinformation was repeated on page 81 of the AGM 2023 agenda, showing expired insurance (21 September 2023) on 5 October 2023:
The comparison between agenda for AGM 2022 and 2023 shows same insurance expiration date (21 September 2023), but different sums insured for loss of rent/temp accomodation, additional excesses for water-related claims and all other claims, and different insurance commissions paid to Waratah Strata Management
The comparison between agenda for AGM 2022 and 2023, show same insurance expiration date (21 September 2023), but different sums insured for loss of rent/temp accomodation, additional excesses for water-related claims and all other claims, and different insurance commissions paid to Waratah Strata Management
As predicted by Lot 158, Waratah Strata Management published updated insurance policy 21 days after due date on 12 October 2023, claiming that insurance was paid before due date - on 20 September 2023. This document still did not list all excesses (one drastic example was $10,000.00 excess for each and every water-related damage and exploratory work, introduced by insurance company since 2012 and hidden from owners by strata managers in most years):
SP52948-insurance-due-on-21Sep2023-published-21-days-later-on-12Oct2023
Either Waratah Strata Management ran dubious accounting practices, or had sinister reasons for delaying updates to financial documents, but here is evidence that even as late as 4 October 2023, they did not publish any expenses for insurance renewal, which directly correlated to the fact that agenda for AGM 2023 was published and sent on 5 October 2023, allowing Waratah Strata Management to avoid publishing any information about insurance renewal and still claiming cost of $161,569,59 for September 2022 (GST inclusive) instead of new costs for September 2023:
SP52948-Income-and-Expenditure-Report-1Sep2023-to-4Oct2023
Document folder at Waratah Strata Management website did not disclose insurance policy for owners as of 16 October 2023:
Insurance commissions were paid to Waratah Strata Management in amount of $47,849.98 since 2018 with evidence of previous strata agency BCS Strata Management not allowed to receive insurance commissions due to conflict of interest.
In spite of undisclosed cash-flow problems, contract for Uniqueco Property Services was increased by extra 2% (costing owners an extra $6,794.76 in first 12 months) at non-compliant committee meeting on 9 February 2023. It is worth stating that contract renewal without any tender was allegedly approved for three years at general meeting in 2020:
Financial Year | Building Manager (old name Caretaker) | Total Contract Value | Official annual inflation rate |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Strata Sphere | $186,611.00 | 1.48% |
2000 | Universal Strata Services | $220,168.00 | 4.46% |
2001 | Universal Strata Services | $220,624.00 | 4.41% |
2002 | Universal Strata Services | $218,938.00 | 2.98% |
2003 | Universal Strata Services | $218,167.00 | 2.73% |
2004 | Universal Strata Services | $222,376.00 | 2.34% |
2005 | Universal Strata Services | $227,995.00 | 2.69% |
2006 | Universal Strata Services | $228,438.00 | 3.56% |
2007 | Universal Strata Services | $232,844.00 | 2.33% |
2008 | Universal Strata Services | $235,560.00 | 4.35% |
2009 | Universal Strata Services | $244,287.00 | 1.77% |
2010 | Universal Strata Services | $264,080.00 | 2.92% |
2011 | Universal Strata Services | $245,094.00 | 3.30% |
2012 | Universal Strata Services | $255,673.00 | 1.76% |
2013 | Universal Strata Services | $256,605.00 | 2.45% |
2014 | Universal Strata Services | $252,618.00 | 2.49% |
2015 | Uniqueco Property Services | $275,838.09 (charges split into four invoices: garden maintenance, security, caretaker fees, maintenance garden items, difference to previous year: 8.78%, contract RS/RH 081394 signed on 7 December 2014 by two committee members of which one of them - Mr. Moses Levitt of Lot 147 was unfinancial due to unpaid levies since 2001) | 1.51% |
2016 | Uniqueco Property Services | $295,250.60 (charges split into four invoices: garden maintenance, security, caretaker fees, maintenance garden items, difference to previous year: 7.03%, Unfinancial Chairperson Mr. Stan Pogorelsky of Lot 181 approved false statements about building management costs in agenda for AGM 2016 ($292,912.00) evidence part 1 and evidence part 2, minutes of committee meeting held on 21 March 2016 renewed contract for another year without any tender, although its expiration date was nine months later on 7 December 2016, contract value increased by 2% without owners corporation decision at general meeting on 22 April 2016) | 1.28% |
2017 | Uniqueco Property Services | $291,507.13 (difference to previous year: -1.27%, contract renewed without tender at general meeting on 24 October 2017 and signed by two unfinancial owners - Mr. Moses Levitt and Mr. Stan Pogorelsky of Lot 147 and 181 due to unpaid levies since 2001 and 1999 respectively, increasing the contract value by 4% per year) | 1.95% |
2018 | Uniqueco Property Services | $306,837.99 (Auditor signed incomplete version of financials at AGM 2018, agenda for AGM 2019 confirmed it, difference to previous year: 5.25%) | 1.91% |
2019 | Uniqueco Property Services | $293,031.44 (difference to previous year: -4.50%) | 1.61% |
2020 | Uniqueco Property Services | $330,986.89 (difference to previous year: 12.95%, contract renewed without tender at general meeting on 22 October 2020) | 0.85% |
2021 | Uniqueco Property Services | $339,249.60 (difference to previous year: 2.49%) | 2.86% |
2022 | Uniqueco Property Services | $339,741.00 (difference to previous year: 0.14%) | 6.59% |
2023 | Uniqueco Property Services | $343,507.47 (difference to previous year: 1.10%, undisclosed increase of 2.0% since February 2023) | 4.1% as published on 31 January 2024 |
2024 | Uniqueco Property Services | Not applicable yet (undisclosed increase of 10.0% since September 2023) | not applicable yet |
Contract with Uniqueco Property Services, approved at general meeting without tender or full disclosure, was signed on 7 December 2014 by two committee members of which one of them - Mr. Moses Levitt of Lot 147 was unfinancial due to unpaid levies since 2001 without disclosure to owners).
Contract with Uniqueco Property Services was renewed without tender at general meeting on 24 October 2017 and signed by two unfinancial committee members - Mr. Moses Levitt and Mr. Stan Pogorelsky of Lot 147 and 181 due to unpaid levies since 2001 and 1999 respectively, increasing the contract value by 4% per year.
Contract with Uniqueco Property Services was renewed without tender at general meeting on 22 October 2020.
In 2023, monthly salary for Uniqueco Property Services was increased three times, without any disclosure or details:
2% in March 2023.
10% in September 2023.
2.21% in December 2023.
SP52948-dubious-contract-with-Uniqueco-Property-Services
During document search at Waratah Strata Management on 13 February 2024, these undisclosed accounting figures were discovered for payments to Uniqueco Property Services on 25 October 2023 and 20 December 2023:
Early in November 2023, Lot 158 predicted that Waratah Strata Management either did not pay Uniqueco Property Services for month of November 2023 so that negative balance in Admin Fund did not look as bad as it really was, or would pay the building manager's invoice for November 2023 but hide it in accounting files for owners. In both cases, it would be a premeditated effort to mislead owners about bad financial status.
Waratah Strata Management failed to provide documents to Lot 158 in accordance with Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), Sch1, Part 10(1) - copies of administrative fund, the capital works fund and any other fund of the owners corporation (term deposits and trust accounts, and others as applicable), which had to be produced to Lot 158 at least two days before the meeting at which the statements should be presented (EGM on 30 November 2023). The same ignorance by Waratah Strata Management happened at AGM on 26 October 2023.
Auditor's report was still outstanding for 2023, on 13 December 2023 it was 48 days late (after the compulsory presentation at AGM 2023). Economos again completed their audit in non-compliance with regulations for AGM 2023 46 days late after due date on 11 December 2023 but Waratah Strata Management published it on their website 49 days after AGM 2023 on 14 December 2023.
Solicitor Adrian Mueller stated the following on 25 January 2021 (sign-off date of his three-and-half page response to Lot 158 and NCAT in case SC 20/33352 was 18 January 2021 while hidden metadata (forensic investigation), contained real date of the document – 14 December 2020), confirming legal obligation of owners corporation to make all decisions related to strata and building management at general meetings:
On 20 January 2023, Insurance company was warned about these high risks and their unpaid reimbursement
In spite of fresh collection of levies on 1 February 2023, SP52948 Admin Fund balance became negative straight away at the beginning of a new quarterly cycle: -$2,643.41:
SP52948-Balance-Sheet-2Feb2023
SP52948-Income-and-Expenditure-Report-1Sep2022-to-2Feb2023.pdf
In agenda for AGM 2022 on 10 October 2022, owners received concerns about financial status and levies, without getting any picture of long-term problems with planning the levies and future costs. Chairperson Mr. John Gore mislead the owners by talking about "surplus" in Admin Fund in 2022, while the actual status on the day of Annual General Meeting there was a negative balance of $203,914.85 (misleading and dangerous presentation of facts):
Non-compliant committee meeting on 9 February 2023
...allegedly approved contract increase for Uniqueco Property Services, whilst not disclosing full financial and fire safety problems to owners (negative balance in Adnin Fund of $203,914.85 on 27 October 2022 - on day of Annual General Meeting, and negative balance in Admin Fund of $166,111.44 on 31 January 2023):
In March 2023, Uniqueco Property Services monthly salary increased from $28,311.75 to $28,877.98 (first increase in 2023, without approval by owners corporation at general meeting):
At non-compliant committee meeting on 7 September 2023, without giving owners any details of poor financial and property management, the following brief statement about finances:
... and still recommended salary increases:
What Waratah Strata Management failed to disclose to owners was the fact that monthly salary to Uniqueco Property Services already increased from $28,877.98 to $31,764.07 (an increase of 10%), as shown in Income & Expenditure Report dated 13 September 2023 (second increase in 2023, without approval by owners corporation at general meeting):
... on the same day (13 September 2023), negative balance in Admin Fund was $37,050.64:
Solicitor Adrian Mueller stated the following on 25 January 2021 (sign-off date of his three-and-half page response to Lot 158 and NCAT in case SC 20/33352 was 18 January 2021 while hidden metadata (forensic investigation), contained real date of the document – 14 December 2020), confirming legal obligation of owners corporation to make all decisions related to strata and building management at general meetings:
SP52948-brief-log-of-events-related-to-contracts-for-strata-and-building-managers-public-version
Minutes of the AGM held on 26 November 2014 approved Uniqueco Property Services engagement and BCS Strata Management contract renewals without proper tenders (Director Mr. Steve Carbone of Uniqueco Property Services was an Assistant Manager of incumbent Universal Strata Care):
The contract RS/RH 081394 increased costs to SP52948 by 8.78% (compared to FY 2014), and it was signed on 7 December 2014 by two committee members of which one of them - Mr. Moses Levitt of Lot 147 was unfinancial due to unpaid levies since 2001):
The new contract was awarded to a member of the staff of the Universal Strata Care (Mr. Steve Carbone), who had full knowledge of the expenses charged by his employer. In essence, it was insider-bidding. Since May 2014, by new caretaker’s own admission, BCS Strata Management had been aware of the intent by him to tender against his employer and made no effort to run independent tendering that includes companies not involved in the management of the complex:
Uniqueco-Pty-Ltd-business-registration-7May2014.pdf
Secret email from Chairperson Mr. Bruce Copland to Universal Strata Care Directors on 7 December 2014, expressing sorrow that they had lost the contract with SP52948:
The fact that Mr. Steve Carbone was an employee of Universal Strata Care when he "won" the building management contract from them whilst performing poorly, is nicely summarised by warnings about fire safety issues that City of Ryde Council sent to BCS Strata Management on 15 December 2014:
As of November 2023, Uniqueco Property Services (together with Waratah Strata Management) continue to be non-compliant with fire and OH&S regulations:
SP52948-continuous-delays-with-fire-and-OHS-problems.html
Examples of reports from 2018 and 2021 - many of those issues are still unresolved:
Building-Manager-ongoing-issues-including-fire-and-health-safety-security-maintenance-25Aug2018.pdf
SP52948-some-of-long-term-OHS-and-fire-safety-risks-and-maintenance-status-1Oct2021
Contract with Uniqueco Property Services was renewed without tender at general meeting on 24 October 2017 and signed by two unfinancial committee members - Mr. Moses Levitt and Mr. Stan Pogorelsky of Lot 147 and 181 due to unpaid levies since 2001 and 1999 respectively, increasing the contract value by 4% per year.
Waratah Strata Management and committee members prevented Complete Building Management Group quote for building management and caretaking services at AGM 2017:
Contract with Uniqueco Property Services was renewed without tender at general meeting on 22 October 2020:
The following tenders were disallowed for competing for strata and building management contracts at AGM 2020 without valid reasons.
Three very competitive quotes for building management contract:
Curtis Strata Cleaning
Forte Asset Services
Clean and Secure Building Management
All three of them offered two options for security services with licensed staff:
Patrols two times a night in around 30 minute duration each time,
Full 10-hour a night onsite security.
The reason for option with patrols:
All fire doors in the basement in the complex now have alarms,
New CCTV system.
Very competitive quote from Jim's Mowing franchise for gardening.
Three very competitive quotes for the strata management contract:
Strata Excellence
Strata Title Management
Netstrata
One can ask committee members (especially those who were unfinancial to vote and be elected as committee members: Mr. Stan Pogorelsky, Mr. Moses Levitt, and Mrs. Lorna Zelenzuk), Waratah Strata Management, and Solicitor Adrian Mueller about their reasons to prevent these Motions at general meetings which include evidence of extreme misconduct and mismanagement by Uniqueco Property Services:
SP52948-Motions-by-Lot-158-AGM-2022
Uniqueco Property Services (Mr. Steve Carbone and Mrs. Sandra Carbone) stayed silent when approached to provide responses for the following issues:
SP52948-Lot-158-unresolved-common-property-issues-Oct2023
SP52948-AGM-2023-dubious-invoices-24Oct2023
SP52948-AGM-2023-misconducts-and-risks-24Oct2023
Some of the issues with Uniqueco Property Services:
Uniqueco Property Services failure to comply with mandatory Code of Conduct for the Short-term Rental Accommodation Industry (Code).
Uniqueco Property Services failure to comply with mandatory City of Ryde fire orders since 2020.
There are seven Police Events for staff of Uniqueco Property Services committing stalking, harassment, and threats in SP52948. Even Police was declined access to CCTV and some of the video evidence was deliberately deleted.
Uniqueco Property Services stopped doing number of activities that their predecessor undertook as part of standard services:
Touch-up painting of smaller areas within the complex
Cleaning exhaust vents in bathrooms and laundries
Mowing Ryde Council unnamed park Lot 202 DP848752, 440 Lane Cove Road, classified as Public Recreation Space. This started happening in 2019 after Uniqueco Property Services and Waratah Strata management were prevented by Lot 158 to allow selective owners to park illegally (Ryde Council Reference 2158948).
On most work days, there is nobody on site between hours of 14:00 to 14:30 and 18:30 to 19:00.
On weekends, there is nobody on site between hours of 04:00 to 08:30 (or often even 09:00) and 15:00 to 28:30 (or often even 19:00).
Cleaning of foyers in four buildings is only done two-three times a week.
Other problems:
Uniqueco Property Services staff abusing parking regulations in the complex (parking in private garages or non-parking areas of common property whilst designated parking slot near tennis courts was empty).
No evidence of Police checks for building manager’s staff, and licenses for security guards working for Uniqueco Property Services.
Unaccounted $92,950.00 for major upgrades for 26 townhouses without any work being done since 2017.
Since October 2023, Uniqueco Property Services failed to justify FY 2023 invoices and expenses for maintenance in amount of $122,843.87 (GST excl).
Unaccounted common property that disappeared or was stolen (one example: timber for half of fence behind townhouses).
Changing common property without owners corporation approval (examples: removed wooden railings behind townhouses, six fire door push bars in basement in 2019, adding private gate on colorbond fence for Lot 151 (Mrs. Maureen McDonald) in 2022, down lights in foyers of Block B and D in 2023).
Uniqueco Property Services failed to respond to question if they are claiming benefits for employing staff with disabilities: Employment Assistance Fund, Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support (DNAWS), Payroll Tax Exemptions (NSW only), Wage Subsidies, whilst building manager's income grew well above the inflation rates.
Ongoing long-term problems with maintenance (especially fire and OH&S).
And much more.
In agenda for AGM 2023, Chairperson Mr. John Gore mislead owners by providing false and inaccurate information, in attempt to renew three-year contract with Uniqueco property Services without tender:
In spite of 92 owners being presented at the meeting (only 15 in person of which 9 were FY 2023 committee members, 5 others were ordinary owners, and all others were proxy votes), Lot 158 decisively prevented renewal of the contract with Uniqueco Management Services due to illegal process.
Chairperson Mr. John Gore continued to mislead owners in preparation for EGM on 30 November 2023, with fabricated information about inflation rates (at AGM 2023 he could not answer when directly asked to justify his figures), whilst hiding facts from owners about excessive negative balances in Admin Fund:
SP52948-negative-trends-with-Admin-Fund-under-Waratah-Strata-Management
To raise further concerns, SP52948 extract from minutes of EC meeting on 23 September 2021 documents shortage of $1,515,541.00 in Capital Works Fund against the forecast in April 2017 that was approved without general meeting:
Chairperson John Gore second misleading statements in attempt to renew contract with Uniqueco Property Services with 27% increase in first year, whilst secretly preparing to sell his property and run away from complex:
Waratah Strata Management failed to publish information that committee Chairperson (SP52948 Lot 200, Mr. John Gore) put their property for sale on 26 October 2023 - on day of general meeting, had six proxy votes for the meeting, got elected on the committee, voted to increase levies by 7.91% for other others whilst they did not intend to pay for them. Domain website claimed that Lot 200 sale was known to them since 24 October 2023 (two days before the AGM). Lot 158 collected such evidence.
Six proxy votes were given for Lot 200 at AGM 2023 without disclosure to owners that Mr. John Gore was leaving the complex as a matter of secret urgency.
Lot 200 is a townhouse and it was sold prior to auction at price of $1,670,000.00 on 4 November 2023.
Waratah Strata Management declined to respond to inquiries why this false candidacy for committee membership was allowed.
Building Management Australia submitted their quote for building management tender to Mr. John Gore on 3 November 2023, whilst Mr. Gore was already not legal to represent SP52948 due to property sale. Lot 158 approached Director of Building Management Australia as their is serious suspicion that their quote was deliberately made look bad.
On 10 November 2023, Lot 158 sent email to eight committee members and Waratah Strata Management. The subject line of the email was "SUMMARY Incomplete agenda for EGM 2023 on 30Nov2023 with extreme risk of bankruptcy".
Extract from the email:
"Negative balance (deficit) in Admin Fund on the last day of the quarter (31 October 2023) was record -$312,113.03.
Even after collection of new levies on 1 November 2023, negative balance in Admin Fund on 9 November 2023 was already deep into negative: -$122,658.53. And there will be no new income (only mounting expenses) until next collection of levies almost three months away on 1 February 2024.
Attachments SP52948-Income-and-Expenditure-Report-1Sep2023-to-31Oct2023.pdf and SP52948-Income-and-Expenditure-Report-1Sep2023-to-9Nov2023.pdf.
Where will the money come from for all standard expenses in next three months and throughout FY 2024?
Alleged building management tender is incomplete, and recommendation to increase Uniqueco Property Services contract by 26.68% over next three years is excessive, not based on real value and quality of their services.
Real costs to owners already increased for Uniqueco Property Services too much in the past, whilst their services decreased and became poorer."
On 13 November 2023, Waratah Strata Management and eight committee members received this email highlighting facts about already too high building management costs:
SP52948-request-to-Waratah-Strata-Management-to-provide-financial-documents-for-EGM-2023-13Nov2023
On 30 November 2023, owners allegedly approved contract renewal with Uniqueco Property Services, at EGM 2023 which failed to comply with regulations and laws:
... whilst negative balance in Admin Fund reached $126,629.39: