News & Insights

News & Insights

2024
02
Apr

Responsibility for utility infrastructure maintenance

By: Holly Oddo

The person responsible for utility infrastructure – whether it be an air-conditioning unit, electricity wires and cables, smoke alarms, plumbing…

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22
Mar

BCCMA Changes Start 1 May 2024

By: Mahoneys

The Queensland Government just confirmed that the amendments passed into law late last year will start 1 May 2024. That…

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11
Mar

Mahoneys featured in LookUpStrata

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys’ dedicated body corporate team was featured in LookUpStrata’s most recent Queensland magazine where they discussed: if a body corporate…

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2023
11
Dec

Mahoneys featured in LookUpStrata

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys’ dedicated body corporate team was featured in LookUpStrata’s most recent Queensland magazine where they: celebrated being named “Strata Law…

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23
Nov

New body corporate legislation – what smoking, parking and pet by-laws do you need for your scheme?

By: Mahoneys

Our recent email alert outlined a number of changes to the BCCMA – read more here. This included proposed changes…

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20
Nov

Mahoneys featured in LookUpStrata

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys’ dedicated body corporate team was featured in LookUpStrata’s most recent Queensland magazine where they discuss: the requirement to consider…

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16
Nov

Body Corporate and Community Management and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023

By: Todd Garsden

On 14 November 2023 the Body Corporate and Community Management and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 was passed. The key…

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13
Nov

Mahoneys named Law Firm of the Year

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys was named “Law Firm of the Year” at the most recent Strata Community Association (Queensland) awards night. The Awards…

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04
Oct

Body Corporate By-Law Webinar

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys’ Partner Todd Garsden recently joined Nikki Jovicic (LookUpStrata) for a strata webinar – where over 240 people tuned in…

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26
Sep

Mahoneys was featured in LookUpStrata magazine

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys’ dedicated Body Corporate team was featured in LookUpStrata’s most recent Queensland magazine – where they discuss: recovering body corporate levies…

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13
Sep

Waterproofing maintenance in bodies corporate

By: Todd Garsden

Who is responsible for maintenance and repairs continues to be one of the most prevalent issues for owners and bodies…

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25
Aug

BCCMA – What is changing?

By: Todd Garsden

On 24 August 2023 the Queensland Parliament introduced the “Body Corporate and Community Management and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023”…

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27
Jun

Management Rights Variations and Extensions

By: Todd Garsden

What is a variation? A variation is simply changing the terms of an existing contract. For a change to be…

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20
Jun

Mahoneys featured in LookUpStrata

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys dedicated Body Corporate team was featured in LookUpStrata’s most recent Queensland magazine where they discuss: Dealing with water damage…

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07
Jun

Mahoneys welcomes new body corporate lawyer

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys recently welcomed Katya Prideaux to the firm. Admitted in 2020, Katya originally started her legal career in commercial litigation…

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18
Apr

Guide to Managing Body Corporate Building Defects

By: Mahoneys

In response to recent legislative changes, that were specifically introduced to help bodies corporate identify and rectify building defects, Mahoneys…

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28
Mar

Who can be on a body corporate committee

By: Todd Garsden

Lot owners in a community title scheme have a statutory right to nominate for a position on the body corporate…

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28
Mar

Decoding body corporate management contracts

By: Mahoneys

Last week over 200 people tuned in to hear Todd Garsden and William Marquand (from Tower Body Corporate) discuss Body…

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20
Mar

Mahoneys featured in LookUpStrata Magazine

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys dedicated Body Corporate team was featured in LookUpStrata’s most recent Queensland magazine where they discuss: Enforcement notice to “repair,…

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22
Feb

What does 2023 have in store for bodies corporate

By: Mahoneys

Last week over 450 people tuned in to hear Todd Garsden and Nikki Jovicic (LookUpStrata) discuss what 2023 has in…

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2022
14
Dec

Changes to BUGTA – A reform for lot owners

By: Holly Oddo

The Building Units and Group Titles and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2022 has been introduced to amend the Building Units…

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21
Nov

Mahoneys featured in LookUpStrata

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys dedicated Body Corporate team was featured in LookUpStrata’s most recent Queensland magazine where they discuss: controlling access keys in…

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10
Nov

Mahoneys featured in Resort News

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys’ partner Todd Garsden was recently featured in Resort News – the magazine for the accommodation industry professional – where…

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27
Sep

Electric Vehicles in Bodies Corporate

By: Todd Garsden

Should a body corporate have an electric vehicle by-law? In 2021, there were 20,000 electric vehicles sold in Australia (three…

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31
Aug

Noosa short term letting rules challenged in court

By: Todd Garsden

Short term letting How Airbnb (or short term letting generally) operate in bodies corporate has been covered off in various…

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22
Aug

Mahoneys was featured in LookUpStrata magazine

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys dedicated Body Corporate team was featured in LookUpStrata’s most recent Queensland magazine where they discuss: proposed amendments to the…

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08
Jun

By-Law Series – Part 4 – Enforcement

By: Mahoneys

In part 1 of our by-law series, we discussed what by-laws are legislated to provide for. In parts 2 and 3 we…

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24
May

Are you complying with new smoke alarm requirements?

By: Todd Garsden

Is the body corporate responsible for the new smoke alarm obligations? It has been well documented that new smoke alarm…

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31
Mar

By-Law Series – Part 3 – By-law limitations continued

By: Mahoneys

In part 1 of our by-law series, we discussed what by-laws are legislated to provide for. In part 2 of…

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23
Mar

Land Access and Activity Notices (LAANs) – Your Rights

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys dedicated Body Corporate team was featured in LookUpStrata’s magazine – where on pages 14 & 15 we discuss a…

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08
Mar

By-Law Series – Part 2 – Limitations

By: Mahoneys

In part 1 of our by-law series, we discussed what by-laws are legislated to provide for. Sections 180 and 181…

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16
Feb

By-Law Series – Part 1 – What by-laws are legislated to provide for

By: Mahoneys

By-laws are an integral part of the administration of a body corporate. In an earlier article we discussed the importance…

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01
Feb

Celebrating 20 years in business

By: Mahoneys

Today marks a significant milestone in the firm’s history – it is 20 years since Mahoney Lawyers commenced trading.   …

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19
Jan

OCBCCM Decision – Smoking in Bodies Corporate

By: Todd Garsden

Smoking in a community title scheme Nuisances (of all types) in community title schemes are one of the most motivating…

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2021
13
Dec

New COVID restrictions for bodies corporate

By: Todd Garsden

On 17 December 2021 new covid-19 restrictions, linked to vaccination status, come into effect. Some of the restrictions will apply…

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10
Dec

Legal disputes in Strata – Part B

By: Mahoneys

In Part B of the two-part series, Mahoneys Partner Todd Garsden and Tyrone Shandiman (Strata Insurance Solutions) continue to discuss…

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08
Dec

Defective building work in the news again

By: Mahoneys

As reported in the Courier Mail over the weekend, defective building work continues to be a significant issue for bodies…

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03
Dec

Legal disputes in Strata – Part A

By: Mahoneys

In Part A of a two-part series, Mahoneys Partner Todd Garsden discusses legal disputes with Tyrone Shandiman (Strata Insurance Solutions)…

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06
Oct

Can management rights agreements be “topped-up” more than once?

By: Mahoneys

An article was recently published claiming that, contrary to current industry practice, management rights agreements cannot be “topped-up” more than…

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01
Oct

BCsystems manager forum

By: Mahoneys

Last night Mahoneys partners John Mahoney and Todd Garsden  joined Trudy Crooks (Resort Brokers), Matthew Savage (BCsystems) and approximately 100…

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02
Sep

Bodies corporate and Airbnb

By: Mahoneys

Author: John Mahoney & Todd Garsden A number of body corporate lawyers have recently published articles claiming that bodies corporate…

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11
Aug

What to do if you receive a LAAN notice

By: Todd Garsden

We have seen a significant increase in telecommunication providers seeking to access a body corporate scheme via a land access…

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23
Jul

Approving major maintenance and improvement projects

By: Todd Garsden

Bodies corporate are no strangers to carrying out large or expensive projects. These projects can include: scheduled body corporate maintenance…

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26
Jun

Application dismissed in Kirribilli Heights adjudication

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys successfully acted for the Kirribilli Heights Body Corporate in having an application brought against it dismissed. This decision considered…

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08
Jun

Mahoneys gets application dismissed in Watermark Residences adjudication

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys successfully acted for the Watermark Residences body corporate in having an application brought against it, by two lot owners,…

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08
Jun

Watermark Residences – When not to make and adjudication application

By: Mahoneys

In Watermark Residences two lot owners sought to invalidate an annual general meeting that had been called in a way…

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24
May

Mahoneys featured in LookUpStrata magazine

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys dedicated Body Corporate team was featured in – Lookup Strata Magazine where on pages 4 & 5 we discuss…

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27
Apr

Guide To Body Corporate Building Defects

By: Mahoneys

Earlier today Mahoneys Partner Ben Seccombe joined Lynda Kypriadakis ([Diverse Group]) and Dr. Nicole Johnston ([Deakin University]) – at Australian…

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24
Mar

Webinar – New Body Corporate Regulations

By: Mahoneys

Mahoneys Partner Todd Garsden joined Nikki Jovicic today for LookUpStrata’s New Regulation Modules webinar – where approx. 120 people tuned…

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24
Feb

Preparing for the new regulations

By: Mahoneys

Over the last month or so Mahoneys Partner Todd Garsden has been helping the body corporate industry prepare for the…

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20
Jan

Are you ready for the new regulation modules?

By: Todd Garsden

This article summarises the changes and what body corporate managers need to do (in addition to communicating the changes to…

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2020
09
Dec

Leasing or licencing common property

By: Todd Garsden

If the common property is going to be used in a way which is substantial, permanent or could interfere with…

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19
Nov

Selling common property

By: Todd Garsden

Our previous article discussed a number of ways in which car parks in a scheme can be created and swapped.…

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12
Nov

Car park reconfiguration

By: Todd Garsden

Parking, one of the four “Ps” for bodies corporate, is a common problem area that body corporate committees have to…

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23
Oct

Marina berths in bodies corporate

By: Todd Garsden

A marina berth can be a selling point for a community title scheme – if the body corporate is on…

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09
Oct

Temporary relief for bodies corporate

By: Todd Garsden

For a second week in a row, we have a second round of new body corporate legislation. This time it’s…

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07
Oct

Caretaking agreements and negative inflation

By: Todd Garsden

As a general rule, the remuneration under a caretaking agreement increases every year. However with a negative annual inflation rate…

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30
Sep

New Body Corporate Laws

By: Todd Garsden

The new regulation modules pursuant to the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld) have now been finalised and…

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15
Sep

Recovering body corporate costs from owners

By: Todd Garsden

Aside from the recovery of levies, the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld) (BCCMA) gives bodies corporate a…

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10
Sep

Changing the body corporate’s financial year

By: Todd Garsden

The body corporate’s financial year is different to the financial year most people are familiar with – it does not…

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07
Aug

Management rights assignments for bodies corporate

By: Todd Garsden

Despite the body corporate being a party to the management rights agreements (Agreements), they are usually only involved toward the…

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03
Jul

Update to social distancing requirements applying to bodies corporate

By: Todd Garsden

New social distancing requirements that affect bodies corporate come into effect from midday on 3 July 2020. The changes from…

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03
Jul

Maintenance obligations

By: Todd Garsden

Maintenance disputes are the single biggest issue that results in adjudication applications and information inquiries to the Commissioner’s Office. The…

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19
Jun

Social distancing requirements for bodies corporate?

By: Todd Garsden

There have been over 60 public health directives issued by the Queensland Health Department since the start of COVID –…

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10
Jun

The first virtual general meeting has been challenged

By: Todd Garsden

The interim orders in Watermark Residences [2020] QBCCMCmr 306 provides some relief for bodies corporate that held virtual general meetings…

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29
May

Making sure your by-laws are correct

By: Todd Garsden

Given the recent lockdowns that have forced many occupiers to spend more time within their lots, interferences between occupiers have…

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19
May

Urgent changes to the Body Corporate and Community Management Act

By: Todd Garsden

On 19 May 2020 the Queensland Parliament has introduced the Justice and Other Legislation (COVID-19 Emergency Response) Amendment Bill 2020…

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15
May

Reopening pools in a body corporate because of COVID-19

By: Todd Garsden

Pools can now be reopened after 15 May 2020. The Queensland Government has released its roadmap to easing restrictions. As…

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05
May

Management rights options and variations during COVID-19

By: Todd Garsden

Many things have changed for bodies corporate and resident managers and how they manage their affairs in light of the…

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29
Apr

Body corporate spending limits

By: Todd Garsden

It is important that bodies corporate and body corporate managers ensure costs are properly managed. That includes complying with body…

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23
Apr

Body corporate cost cutting during COVID-19

By: Todd Garsden

Body corporate levies are one of the first items of expenditure owners don’t pay in tough times. Committees need to…

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17
Apr

Levy recovery during COVID-19

By: Todd Garsden

Even though body corporate legislation has not changed with respect to levy recovery, the circumstances surrounding levy recovery and insolvency…

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14
Apr

Closing facilities in a body corporate

By: Todd Garsden

It has been well publicised that bodies corporate must close their swimming pools. However, how that is to take place…

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07
Apr

How to manage work orders during COVID-19

By: Todd Garsden

This guidance for bodies corporate and body corporate managers is to provide a way to manage risks in carrying out…

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31
Mar

COVID-19 guidance for bodies corporate

By: Todd Garsden

Guide to coronavirus isolation or lockdown in a body corporate This document is intended to provide body corporate managers and…

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10
Mar

The limits of committee powers

By: Todd Garsden

The committee will make the majority of the decisions for the body corporate. This is because the committee has the…

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10
Mar

Rights over common property

By: Todd Garsden

There are a number of ways rights over the common property can be obtained. This can relate to spare car…

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03
Mar

New risks for body corporate managers who carry out secretary duties

By: Todd Garsden

A recent adjudicator’s order has wide-ranging implications for body corporate managers who have been engaged to take on some or…

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19
Feb

Todd Garsden joins Mahoneys

By: Todd Garsden

We are pleased to announce that Todd Garsden formerly a partner at a specialist body corporate firm, has joined Mahoneys.…

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Resources

2023

Body Corporate Building Defects

30 - Aug - 2023 Download