The Podcast takes a musical twist this week when we discuss the ear-bending plight of residents of four apartment blocks in the Sydney suburb of Meadowbank who have been subject to an opera singer practising his scales for 90 minutes every Sunday.

How bad can it be? The perp is clearly talented and may even think he’s doing his neighbours a favour by standing on his balcony belting out his do-re-mis, but really?

Oddly enough, music-loving Jimmy thinks hitting the high notes for a non-consenting audience is a bit of a low blow while self-confessed tin-ear Sue thinks it’s all in the ear of the beholder.

You can judge for yourself when we play a clip in the podcast or follow the links in the accompanying story HERE – and you can even vote on whether to call “encore” or shout “shut up!”.

Also in the Wrap this week, we look at why apartment rents are rising faster than houses’.

And while everyone else is focussed on the suburbs that are being pressured to allow more apartment blocks to be built, we take a swing through the councils that will be allowed to buck the trend in a review of NSW government policy.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

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Flat Chat is all about apartment living, especially in Australia.
Find us on Facebook and Twitter and the Flat Chat website.
Send comments and questions to mail@flatchat.com.au.
Register to ask and answer questions about apartment living anonymously on the website.
Recorded by Jimmy Thomson & Sue Williams; Transcribed by Otter.ai; Transcription tidied up and sensified by Raphie.
Find out more about Sue Williams and Jimmy Thomson on their websites.

This week’s podcast is mostly devoted to embedded networks, what they are, why they can be good or bad, and what you can do to make them work for your strata scheme.

To that end, we chat to Joseph Arena of Embedded Networks Arena, a company that will analyse your embedded network contracts – e.g. for energy and hot water systems – and tell you how you can get a better deal.

This was recorded via Zoom so the audio may not be up to our usual standards but if you listen to the end of the segment, you will hear about a terrific offer for Flat Chat readers and listeners. You can read all about Embedded Network Arena on its website HERE.

Another link you might want to follow is to Amanda Farmer’s audio summary of the case she discussed in her live podcast last week. It’s an interesting case where the committee in a resort scheme pushed through a special levy and a by-law that would have benefitted a minority of strata owners to the detriment of the majority. You can find out what happened at NCAT, both in audio and print, HERE.

And the Forum is abuzz (sorry) with discussions about a townhouse resident who put a beehive in their garden, conveniently away from their own back door, but annoyingly close to their neighbour’s.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.
SPECIAL OFFER: Embedded Network Arena is offering Flat Chat followers a 10% discount off their standard ‘Embedded Network Review Reports’. they provide a comprehensive embedded network contract review & utility cost benchmarking for electricity, hot water, gas & other embedded utilities. To take advantage of this special offer, contact them HERE and use the Discount Code “Flat Chat Offer 2024”.

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Flat Chat is all about apartment living, especially in Australia.
Find us on Facebook and Twitter and the Flat Chat website.
Send comments and questions to mail@flatchat.com.au.
Register to ask and answer questions about apartment living anonymously on the website.
Recorded by Jimmy Thomson & Sue Williams; Transcribed by Otter.ai; Transcription tidied up and sensified by Raphie.
Find out more about Sue Williams and Jimmy Thomson on their websites.

The only story in strata in the past week has been the decision by Building Commissioner David Chandler to hang up his hard hat and retire in August.
So we thought the time was right to look at what he has achieved, the challenges he's faced - like being encourage by his then Minister to have a sit-down with a very dodgy developer - and the legacy he leaves behind for his successor.
He says his challenge for the last few months of his tenure is to get the message out there that there are more protections for consumers than there ever have been.
And you can see his point - people who haven't lived in strata before have zero interest in the stuff we discuss here.
But there is a strong message and it's worth spreading. He and we just need more people to listen.

____________________________________________________


Flat Chat is all about apartment living, especially in Australia.
Find us on Facebook and Twitter and the Flat Chat website.
Send comments and questions to mail@flatchat.com.au.
Register to ask and answer questions about apartment living anonymously on the website.
Recorded by Jimmy Thomson & Sue Williams; Transcribed by Otter.ai; Transcription tidied up and sensified by Raphie.
Find out more about Sue Williams and Jimmy Thomson on their websites.