Unit News Online July 2019 by OnlineEdition

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF UNIT OWNERS ASSOCIATION QLD EDITION JULY 2019

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Basic Guide to Strata Insurance

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Self managed and simple schemes READ MORE

Generating Cash Flow for Strata Community Improvement Projects READ MORE

NEW FEATURE Get my Pet READ MORE

Body Corporate and Community Title Lawyers

• General advice • Contractual matters • Dispute resolution • Scheme • Revision of by-laws re-structuring • Levy recovery • Government • Scheme establishment consultancies

Bugden Legal’s team of talented lawyers is headed up by Gary Bugden OAM, Australia’s most experienced body corporate lawyer

p 07 3905 9260 a Level 13, 200 Mary Street, Brisbane Qld 4000

p GPO Box 2624, Brisbane Q 4001 e info@bugdenlegal.com.au

Visit our website to sign up for free updates bugdenlegal.com.au

Shandit Pty Ltd are proudly corporate authorised representatives of Insurance Advisernet Australia Pty Ltd. Authorised representative number 424246

Shandit Pty Ltd are proudly corporate authorised representatives of Insurance Shandit Pty LtdAustralia are proudly corporate Advisernet Pty Ltd. authorisedrepresentative representatives of Insurance Authorised number 424246

Advisernet Australia Pty Ltd. Authorised representative number 424246

UNIT NEWS JULY 2019

Shandit Pty Ltd are proudly corporate authorised representatives of Insurance Advisernet Australia Pty Ltd. Authorised representative number 424246

“Would our Committee have been able to achieve what we have over the past 12 months and cope with the work required to get us through? Were it not for the personal interest and dedication of UOAQ then the short answer to that question is … absolutely not!I strongly urge all Queensland unit owners to ensure that their Body Corporate Committee subscribes to an annual membership with the UOAQ - an organisation with a strong voice supporting of all owners in Queensland. Garry Deighton - Chairperson Ocotillo CTS 32327

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ABOUT US

FROM THE EDITOR

Published by Unit Owners Association Qld 6th Floor. 333 Adelaide St, Brisbane QLD 4000 help@uoaq.org.au (07) 3220 0959

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(07) 3220 0959 or uoaq.org.au and request to communicate to a particular person. Ross Anderson, Bob Boundy, Paul Cassels

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Help for Members

Members of the UOAQ are welcome to contact committee members of the association for any help on any body corporate matter.

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Disclaimer Articles contributed to this newsletter are published as a service to members and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policy of this Association. To contact the committee of the UOAQ for assistance with a body corporate matter please email help@uoaq.org.au

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elcome to the July edition of our magazine. We trust you are enjoying the Winter, getting a chance to savour the food too hot to eat during the Christmas period. For unit owners, however, 31 July 2019 marks the deadline for those bodies corporate who have progressed to Part 2 of the cladding assessment process. The QBCC has issued a warning to owners to obtain competitive quotes the for Safer Building Audit in May 2019. UOAQ encourages bodies corporate to contact professionally registered providers. You may find a good source of registered professional engineers on page 4 – Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland who regulates the profession of engineering in Queensland. Thinking about saving energy costs? LPE’s Solar product may well be your answer. See page 5 for more information. We continue our series on small and simple schemes by addressing the topics of lots in arrears. See page 7 for more. Pets in strata is an emotional topic for all concerned. Our new

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF UNIT OWNERS ASSOCIATION QLD EDITION JULY 2019

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Jana Koutova editor@uoaq.org.au Unit News Editor

“We continue our coverage on insurance related matters. Look no further than page 7 for useful tips.” series on this issue starts on page 11 and may be just the solution you needed. We continue our coverage on insurance related matters. Look no further than page 8 for useful tips. Thank you all for your helpful comments and feedback on our publications, please keep them coming. Jana Koutova Editor

Basic Guide to Strata Insurance

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FOR MORE ABOUT UOAQ

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Self managed and simple schemes READ MORE

Generating Cash Flow for Strata Community Improvement Projects READ MORE

NEW FEATURE Get my Pet READ MORE

SPONSORED ARTICLES 4 5 6 7 9 10 11

Board of Professional Engineers of QLD LPE - Locality Energy Duress & Emergency Lift Telephone DET Service) VOIP Tracsafe Strata Insurance Strata Insurance Get My Pet

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JULY 2019 UNIT NEWS

FOR

SAFER BUILDINGS CAIRNS: 169

QUEENSLAND

MOUNT ISA: 7

The Queensland Government’s Safer Buildings program aims to identify buildings that may contain potentially combustible cladding. If you are the owner of a building that may contain potentially combustible cladding, you will need to engage a building industry professional to complete a building industry professional statement by 31 July 2019. Registered Professional Engineers of Queensland (RPEQs) registered in Civil, Fire, Fire Safety or Structural engineering can complete the building industry professional statement. Currently there are 9,738 Civil, Fire, Fire Safety and Structural RPEQs based around Queensland.

TOWNSVILLE: 204

The Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland’s online search function can be used to search for a RPEQ by name, location, area of engineering or company.

MACKAY: 118

To find a RPEQ in your area to complete the building industry professional statement, visit www.bpeq.qld.gov.au or for more information on Safer Buildings visit www.saferbuildings.qld.gov.au. ROCKHAMPTON: 123

TOOWOOMBA: 180 FRASER COAST: 7

SUNSHINE COAST: 416

BRISBANE: 8107 GOLD COAST: 407

Generating Cash Flow for Strata Community Improvement Projects

very building ages with time, creating the ongoing need for maintenance repairs, painting, new carpet or tile, and much more. The financial responsibility of repairs – whether expected or unexpected – is a burden to lot owners. However, there is a viable solution for reallocating substantial cash flow to important building needs simply by taking advantage of a growing trend and changing how you’re sourcing electricity for your community.

Solar power, which has been around since the late 1700’s, converts energy from the sun into electricity. It is a renewable, clean energy source that significantly lowers electricity costs with relatively low maintenance. As of January 2019, Australia has the highest average solar radiation per square metre of any continent across the globe. Solar electricity is rapidly expanding in Australia, as the country leads the way on renewable energy with more than 2 million households utilising rooftop solar systems. According to Green Energy Markets data, solar now accounts for 4 percent of the country’s total electricity generation and is growing in popularity. To put that in perspective, only 1.6 percent of electricity generated in the United States is from solar.

and lot owners – but it’s important to understand the process and options before universally installing standard solar electricity in your strata community. Traditionally, the decision is made at the committee level, requiring licensing agreements and a special resolution at a General Meeting. Objections are often voiced by occupants in disagreement, citing concerns about the large capital cost, maintenance issues and occupants being unable to utilise the electricity generated. These are valid objections, but there is a new alternative that allows everyone in your strata community to win. Locality Planning Energy’s (LPE) Solar Distribution Centre is the first energy solution of its kind in Australia that eliminates those common concerns, offering a compromise that works for both Body Corporate and their occupants. With Solar for Small Communities, the Body Corporate can make solar available in common property areas, with individual occupants choosing to opt-in if they wish. There is no cost to the Body Corporate or residents for the solar equipment, installation or maintenance.

All maintenance is the responsibility of LPE, with world-class attention from its Australia-based customer service team. Participating strata communities pay up to 45 percent less than standard “pay on time” discounted prices, allowing you to reallocate cash flow for much-needed building projects that would otherwise be delayed or unfunded. This option presents a longterm solution to funding building upgrades, as the low rate for solar is locked in for 10 years. Innovations such as this support our country’s growth trend and leadership in this area, with the goal of further increasing the amount of electricity generated by solar and putting more money back into the pockets of Australia’s residents.

The concept of solar, and being able to save money for other important building needs, is appealing for both Body Corporate

Further Information For more information visit localityenergy.com.au THE LATEST NEWS facebook.com/uoaq.inc

JULY 2019 UNIT NEWS

WHAT IS THE DET SERVICE?

Duress & Emergency Lift Telephone (DET) Service

The DET service provides a cellular, battery powered backup for your lift phone during a blackout. Offering a fixed, all-inclusive monthly fee ($170, 5 year contract) with no upfront hardware or installation fees*, the DET service encompasses:

Duress & Emergency Lift telephone services in Australia will require an alternate technology to be installed due to the rollout of nbn™ in Australia.

DET Hardware: • •

The technology is required to provide a quality service standard, as well as redundancy & power during blackouts for systems that cannot be provided by the nbn™ replacement services.

• •

1 x DET unit/service supporting up to four lifts 12-hour battery backup & upgrade options for larger batteries in cyclone-prone regions Dual SIM capability 2 x integrated antennas with the ability to connect additional antennas for difficult installations*

Fully Managed Service (all included): • • •

All-inclusive: $170 per month, 5 year contract (ex GST)

• • •

Pre and post-install communications audit for each lift Configuration, installation & testing by a Telstra technician Provisioning of Telstra SIM & backup network SIM: includes all voice and carriage charges 24/7 proactive monitoring (power, SIM connectivity, phone & battery health) Complete maintenance service including spares, battery replacement & onsite support through contract life All mandatory technology upgrades come standard

The above hardware and service will be delivered as a fully managed solution featured on your monthly Telstra bill.

THE DET ADVANTAGE Emergency communication management you can count on. • • • • • •

Effortless, all-inclusive solution Budget friendly monthly fee vs. large upfront cost Feature rich solution (Dual SIM redundancy, 12-hour battery backup & 24/7 proactive monitoring) Telstra footprint and service you can trust Seamless billing with zero configuration downtime No obsolete IT equipment; all mandatory upgrades are standard *Complex installations may include additional fees

TO ORDER OR ANY QUESTIONS: detinfo@voip.com.au

1300 658 025

voipforce.com.au

SERIES

Self managed and simple schemes 4. Lots in arrears By Ross Utting, Tracsafe

This is the fourth article in a series about simple schemes. Most simple schemes can be characterised as being either a low height apartment complex or a collection of independent dwellings. Complexity increases with the number of lots and the variety and extent of infrastructure on the common property. There is no strict cut-off to our definition of simple. Penalties and discounts.

A major issue for simple schemes with small numbers of lots is that a single non-payer can significantly impact the finances of the body corporate. The situation can be so disastrous that levies may need to be increased to cover for the deficit caused by the non-payers. In other cases, everybody may be on good terms and paying on time, but the situation can change in an instant when a lot owner sells. I discourage the use of discounts for standard levies. The concept of a discount makes sense when there is some urgency around the receipting of the funds. Generally, I find this not to be the case. Additionally, there can be a lot of angst over whether a lot owner should receive the discount, particularly when they only just miss the due date cut-off. Lastly, the use of discounts makes budgets and levies more complex and less transparent for lot owners. I encourage the use of penalties even when all lot owners are paying on time. Penalties only kick in one month after the due date for payment has passed. Where lot owners are getting email reminders for overdue payments, there is less need for a discussion about waiving the penalty. The difficulty for selfmanaged schemes is the correct calculation and application of penalties. The Act requires that any monies receipted must be applied first, towards the penalty; and second, in reduction of the outstanding contribution or instalment; and third, towards any recovery costs for the debt. There is body corporate software that can help self-managed schemes with this task. THE LATEST NEWS facebook.com/uoaq.inc

Reminders and documentation. I see many bodies corporate who only use email for the distribution of levies. Neither email nor post are a guaranteed delivery mechanism and there are occasions when these communications simply never get through. Emails can also go to junk or spam and not be seen by the recipient. When penalties and discounts are in play, we recommend using two separate mechanisms to alert lot owners. I use a combination of text, post and email to ensure that lot owners are notified. There is body corporate software that can help self-managed schemes with this task. Capacity to act. It could be that a lot owner has a diminished capacity to act and is unable to execute their financial obligations when previously they had paid regularly and promptly. In these situations, I would suggest that making contact with a relative. In rare cases, it may be appropriate to report the issue to the Public Guardian (www. publicguardian.qld.gov.au) who can investigate. BCCM Commissioner cannot help with a debt dispute. A lot owner may be refusing to pay because they are disputing the amount owed. A clear documentation trail of the levies, penalties, discounts, lot expenses and debt recovery is essential so that the committee can substantiate the debt. Neither the lot owner nor the committee can raise a debt dispute with the BCCM commissioner. In a BCCM adjudication (QBCCMCmr 326), the adjudicator advised - If Ms Naismith does now pay all amounts claimed by the body corporate then Ms Naismith would regain her voting rights, stop losing 20% discounts, stop accruing 30% interest, and stop accruing recovery costs. Also, with no ongoing debt dispute, an adjudicator would then appear to have jurisdiction to consider Ms Naismithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s substantive claim. That is, the adjudicator could consider whether the decision by the committee on 20 May

2013 to refuse to waive the penalties and costs accrued against Ms Naismith was unreasonable and should be overturned. However, there is no jurisdiction to consider this claim while any of the claimed amounts remain unpaid. Granting penalty remission. Committees have the power to grant remission and award discounts to lot owners who are late payers if they are satisfied that there are special reasons. However, committees need to be consistent in the use of this power and clearly document the occasions and rationale in committee minutes. I recommend that a committee take no action until a lot owner makes a written request with explanation in regard to the desired remission. Taking it to the next step. Regrettably, there are times when payment remains outstanding and action must be taken. The Act requires that the committee must take action to start proceedings, within 2 months, to recover the amount if any amount owing remains outstanding at two years from the due date. Long before that milestone, a competent committee would have already ascertained that the lot ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contact details are correct and that the lot owner is receiving the levy notices and reminders. Starting formal proceedings to recover the debt can be undertaken by a committee but it is more usual to engage a company that specialises in debt recovery. In both cases, a budget allocation and associated motions will be needed before commencing. A special levy may be appropriate to fund the action. Ultimately, the debt recovery costs should be recoverable from the non-paying lot owner but it could be some time before those monies are receipted. In a scheme with a small number of lots this can be an additional burden and there is no guarantee that all costs will be recovered. In this QCAT case, none of the debt recovery costs of the body corporate were allowed (http://www.austlii.edu. au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/qld/QCAT/2012/23.html).

Further Information Website www.tracsafe.com.au Email contact@tracsafe.com.au Phone 07 31143198 JULY 2019 UNIT NEWS

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Basic Guide to Strata Insurance 8

UNIT NEWS JULY 2019

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If you have ever had the opportunity to look at your insurance schedule you may find the covers offered confusing or wonder if what is provided is what you actually need. This article is designed to provide a guide on these covers. We have split the cover into four categories.

Must Have

Below provides a list of covers that are required in accordance with the Body Corporate & Community Management Act (BCCM Act). • Building Insurance – Buildings within a strata plan are required to be insured for full replacement value. Furthermore, an insurance re-build valuation is required every 5 years to determine this sum insured; • Public Liability – Bodies corporate are required to maintain a minimum of $10million public liability insurance covering legal claims made against the body corporate for personal injury or property damage.

Should Have

Although not prescribed by the BCCM Act, it is our view that strong consideration should be given to the following covers: • Loss of rent & temporary accommodation – When damage happens to a property that makes it uninhabitable, whether you are an owner occupier or landlord the

owner will suffer a loss through temporary accommodation costs or loss of rent. Fortunately, most insurers provide this cover automatically at 15% of the building sum insured. • Office bearers liability – This covers office bearers for legal claims made against them for their actions as an office bearer. As a guide for smaller buildings we would recommend cover of $500,000-$1million or for larger buildings with a building sum insured exceeding $20million, we suggest cover of $5million.

Worth Considering - Optional

Below is a list of covers that are worth considering and in most instances, insurers will allow you to choose to take cover. • Catastrophe – This cover increases your building sum insured if your property is damaged in a Catastrophe (state of emergency) event. The reason why you would consider this additional level of cover is because is in catastrophe events, re-build costs increase due to higher demand, which increases the cost of labour and building materials. Usually insurers allow you to elect an option to increase your sum insured by 15% or 30% of your building sum insured. • Common Contents – Common contents should be considered if you have contents

items in common areas including but not limited to pool equipment, gym equipment, furniture, art work, carpets and curtains. Owners usually can elect their sum insured or some insurers provide common contents cover automatically at 1% of the building sum insured. • Flood – Provides for claims caused by flood meaning the covering of normally dry land with water released or that has escaped from the normal confines of any watercourse, lake, reservoir, canal or dam. • Machinery breakdown – Provides cover for the breakdown of equipment like lifts, pool equipment, garage doors etc.

Below is a list of covers that many insurers are providing as an automatic cover whereby there is no premium benefit to remove the cover. Some direct insurers and smaller insurers will provide policies that allow you to optionally chose these covers or do not have the covers, as many of these covers can be more suited to larger schemes.

• Legal Defence Expenses - Covers legal fees, costs, and expenses which you incur in legal proceedings initiated against the body corporate. Many insurers provide this cover automatically at $50,000 • Voluntary Workers Personal Accident This cover provides payments to anyone who works on your property in a voluntary capacity and suffers a defined injury. Cover is provided automatically usually up to $200,000 as a capital benefit or $2,000 weekly benefit. • Audit Expenses – Covers the cost of professional fees (such as accountants) for the purposes of complying with a government audit. This cover is usually provided by insurer automatically for $25,000. • Appeal Expenses - This covers costs incurred in appealing against any an improvement, prohibition notice or determination by any court or tribunal made under any, occupational health and safety or similar legislation. Insurers will usually provide cover automatically up to $100,000.

• Fidelity Guarantee – In the event of embezzlement, theft, misappropriation, conversion or fraud relating to the body corporate funds and assets, insurers are able to provide cover for $100,000 for under the “fidelity” section of the policy. Many insurers will cover this automatically.

If you are unsure about coverage under your policy, we would always recommend contacting your insurance adviser or broker or alternatively you can contact Strata Insurance Solutions for advice about your insurance needs.

Automatic Covers

This information is of a general nature only and neither represents nor is intended to be personal advice on any particular matter. Shandit Pty Ltd T/as Strata Insurance Solutions strongly suggests that no person should act specifically on the basis of the information in this document, but should obtain appropriate professional advice based on their own personal circumstances. Shandit Pty Ltd T/As Strata Insurance Solutions is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. 404246) of Insurance Advisernet Australia AFSL No 240549, ABN 15 003 886 687.

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JULY 2019 UNIT NEWS

Preventing Water Damage Claims / Avoiding Water Damage Excesses

Water Damage claims are by far the largest source of claims for strata insurance making up 45% of all claims lodged to Strata Insurance Solutions. Insurers are now starting to pay close attention to properties that have water damage claims, particularly properties that have series of water damage claims. This is because it can indicate pipes, membranes, roofs and other water apparatus are starting to fail due to either coming to the end of their use life or they were not installed correctly when the property was built. Insurers are applying premium increases and/or higher water damage excesses to buildings with a history of water damage claims. In some instances, only one claim can mean unfavourable treatment from an insurer when the policy renews. On the claims front water damage claims are our most disputed source of claims as insurers have a number of exclusions which can mean they void claims for water damage. These exclusions include damage from wear and tear, faulty workmanship, building defect, gradual deterioration, building or earth movement, rust, corrosion or tree/plant roots. The best way to avoid a declined claim or high premiums/water damage excesses is to prevent the claims from happening in the first place. This article discusses our top five causes of water damage claims and measures that can be taken to avoid water damage claims, high water damage excesses and repercussions that follow.

Failed waterproofing membranes in shower recesses Shower recesses are typically built on a suspended timber frame with a waterproofing membrane applied to prevent water from damaging the sub-floor below. A properly applied membrane has a lifespan starting from 25 years until such a time the shower membrane fails and causes damage to the sub-floor. A poorly applied membrane can start to fail within years of the shower recess being built. To minimise the chance of damage from a failed waterproofing membrane we recommend speaking to a

plumber about the following measures: • Bathrooms are not designed to last forever. Owners should consider renovating their bathroom every 25 years to replace tiles and waterproofing membranes; • Alternatively, owners can repair damaged grout, apply new silicone seals and a spray on water membrane over tiles; • If membranes are failing within the builders warranty period (usually six years from construction) due to faulty workmanship, consider applying to cover re-application of all membranes under the builders warranty insurance.

Burst Pipes Burst pipes can cause major damage to properties particularly if the lot owner is not home to tend to the burst pipe. In a multi-storey building a burst pipe can cause extensive damage to multiple floors. We recommend speaking to a plumber about installing the following: • Water sensors detect water leaks in its infancy and send an alert to your mobile or security control room if you have a monitored alarm. Water sensors are designed for high risk appliances such as plumbed fridges, water filters, dishwashers and washing machines.

• Water shut-off devices constantly monitor the flow of water and operate on time-based parameters, shutting off the water at the mains once water flow reaches the pre-set time. They also have home and away modes to maximize protection when the building is unattended. • When combining water sensors and shut-off devices claims can be significantly reduced as the water can be shut-off at the mains the moment the water sensor detects water, preventing any further escape of water.

UNIT NEWS JULY 2019

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NEW SERIES

Flexible Braided Hoses

Roof Leaks

Toilet Blocks

Flexible Braided Hoses are becoming a growing issue for many properties and can mean inundation of 1,500L of water per hour to a property. Flexi-hoses should last for 10 years but can fail before their warranty due to incorrect installation. We recommend the following: • Regularly check flexible braided hoses that connect plumbing fixtures such as tapware and toilet cisterns to the mains water supply. Look for bulging, rust spot, fraying or kinking. • As flexible braided hoses usually burst once they have come to the end of their use life. Once out of warranty we recommend you engage a licensed plumber to replace hoses; • Ensure all new hoses come with a warranty.

Leaking roofs in most cases will cause damage to the internal ceilings. In more severe cases ceilings can collapse and water can damage floors, skirting and cabinetry. The most common cause of roof leaks are from broken and slipped tiles, flashings not being installed properly, blocked gutters and iron roof screws/seals coming loose or failing. A maintenance plan should be implemented for the following: • Gutters (all roofs) annually or more if needed; • Iron Roofs every 5 to 10 years; • Tiled roofs on smaller properties every 5 years • Tiled roofs on larger properties annually

Blocked toilets are also common source of water damage claims. Aside from water damage to property, sewerage also can cause a safety hazard to property occupiers.

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If you live in a multi-storey property we recommend you provide a memo or remind unit occupiers not to flush wipes, sanitary products or other foreign objects down the toilet.

The Right Pet for your home by Richard Branch, Get-My-Pet

This is the first in a series of articles discussing a range of topics about pets in units. This article will look at issues to consider in choosing a pet for your home, the second will look at different types of by laws as they relate to bodies corporate and pets, the third at applying for a pet – both the process and things to consider, and the final one will discuss pets and owners of rental units – the pros and cons of having tenants with pets.

he question of choosing a pet that is suitable to live in a unit is much more than the questions of cat or dog (or bird or reptile), and, large or small. In bringing a pet into your life you are making a commitment for possibly 20 years or more and the responsibilities that go with it; rather like children except your animal will always love you unconditionally. Whatever decisions you make will ultimately become the entire life for that pet. If your unit is small, dark and has few ground level glass doors or windows that offer an external view for a dog or cat, then that will be your pets 24/7 while you are at work or play. As Dr Harry

Cooper used to encourage people to do was get on the floor and view the world from your pet’s perspective! I genuinely hope no-one lives like that but hopefully paints the picture.

In that context, how do you choose the right pet for your unit? There are some quick, easy decisions. First – are you on team, cat or dog or bird or reptile or fish? You should hopefully know the answer to that already. If you’re a dog person, you can easily eliminate the large and giant breeds like Great Danes or Alaskan Malamutes. If you’re a cat person > JULY 2019 UNIT NEWS

“Behaviour issues are not only unfair on the pet, they’re also unfair on your neighbours and that is where the considerations of the body corporate come in.”

> you do have a decision at this point as not all cats are created equal. Domestic cats do not enjoy the size variation that domestic dogs do (although evolutionists tell us one day they will) but there are breeds you should seriously consider not having in a unit - such as the Bengal. Bengal’s are large, athletic, muscular and need to be able to run, climb and express their inner tiny lion characteristics. Once again if your unit is small, a cat with those instincts could develop behavioural issues if not managed properly and that is not fair on the cat. That leads into the next consideration of breed, particularly dogs, as once again not all small dogs are created equal. Some small dogs are instinctively working dogs like the Jack Russell. Anyone who has ever met a Jack Russell knows they bark, they’re energetic because their instinctively hunting dogs (bred to hunt foxes). Just because you live in a unit and love Jack Russell’s doesn’t mean you can get one and all those instincts bred over thousands of years will suddenly disappear. Once again, you may end up with a dog with behaviour issues.

UNIT NEWS JULY 2019

Age is another consideration in choosing your pet. Animals, like humans, tend to get more mellow as they age. A new born puppy or kitten brings the joy and opportunity everyone should have at least once in life or raising them from birth, but that brings the boundless energy and curiosity and potty training. An older pet may bring that more settled, stayed, ‘I’m happy to sit and relax in a sunny spot’ quality which could lend them very well to unit living. Not only that but it is also a wonderful opportunity to give a second chance for a new life to an animal which they will repay in spades through their love. Behaviour issues are not only unfair on the pet, they’re also unfair on your neighbours and that is where the considerations of the body corporate come in. Bodies corporate are responsible for the management of the scheme and common areas. If there is an issue with your pet, that is by extension their

issue to manage especially as it affects others. Nobody wants to live in a situation where there is a dog barking constantly because it is bored and lonely; especially if that dog is a few feet away behind an adjoining wall! In making a pet decision you want to be considerate of the animal, your neighbours, the body corporate and your own health and wellbeing before you make a 20-year commitment. Doing your research is the key. Make an informed decision and then approach your body corporate; which we will discuss in the next articles. Get-My-Pet, an advocacy service for people applying for pets in units. The aim of GetMy-Pet is to assist applicants for pets make informed, unemotive applications considering all the factors reasonably so they can enjoy a pet in their home as more than 60% of Australians do.

Further Information contact Richard Branch Website www.getmypet.com.au Email richard@getmypet.com.a Phone 0419 707 378 BECOME A MEMBER TODAY uoaq.org.au