Apartment owners jubilant as dodgy strata manager banned for life
Michael Lee, general manager of strata company Result Strata, has also been hit with the maximum fine allowable of $11,000 in addition to his disqualification from holding a licence by NSW Fair Trading. His company also had its licence cancelled and was fined the maximum $22,000.
After a long-running investigation into their activities, Fair Trading officials found that, under Lee's direction, the company had failed to disclose conflicts of interest, consistently breached rules of conduct, charged fees for services not rendered, and failed to ensure owners' properties complied with critical fire and safety obligations.
In addition, it hadn't provided information to owners when required, acted contrary to instructions given at general meetings, and failed to make sure a building had adequate insurance cover. As a result, he had become what they believed to be the first strata manager banned for life.
Michael Lee was contacted for comment.
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Fair Trading commissioner Natasha Mann said in a statement to this masthead: 'NSW Fair Trading is committed to strong, visible enforcement to protect consumers and this action sends a clear message that poor conduct in the property sector will not be tolerated.
'Through our dedicated Strata and Property Services Taskforce and ongoing reforms, standards and protections are being lifted and strengthened for the more than 1.2 million people who live in strata communities.'
One jubilant apartment owner who had campaigned against Lee's reign over his building in Sutherland said he was thrilled that the government had acted so decisively to free so many residents from the 'diabolical clutches of such a terrible player.'
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