Latest news with #BodyCorporate
News.com.au
04-08-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Body corp cops 312 ‘nuisance' email barrage from owner
A unit owner accused of sending an 'excessive' amount of threatening and insulting emails has been ordered to submit correspondence no longer than 1000 words. In a decision published by Queensland Body Corporate and Community Management Committee, the owner of Lot 10, who bought into the luxurious Royal Pines at Benowa on the Gold Coast in December 2022, allegedly sent a staggering 312 emails to the body corporate manager between then and December 2024. The body corporate - Archer Hill - alleged that there had been an increase in the frequency of emails in late 2024. 'Emails from the respondent to the body corporate manager have become more prevalent since that time, for example, with 25 emails received in a four day period in December 2024, and 13 emails in a 12 day period in January 2025, and which numbers do not include emails sent separately to individual committee members or lot owners,' the application by the body corporate said. 'In contravention of the by-law (By-law 23 regulates communications), the respondent has communicated via email with the committee, its members, and the body corporate manager in an unreasonable, discourteous, and disrespectful manner by: the sheer volume of correspondence, and the content of the correspondence, which includes accusations, condescending and demanding statements, unreasonable requests, and questions the committee's integrity.' On the day that the application for a hearing was lodged by the body corporate, the committee received 22 emails from the respondent in one night. It was also claimed that even when the body corporate actioned a request made by the respondent, she would them make complaints about insufficient notice, demands about access times, details of contractors, and then denying access to her lot. Submissions were received from the owners of eight lots within the scheme, all in support of the body corporate's application. The reasons for decision noted that the body corporate had previously attempted to resolve the issue (of communication) through both formal and informal channels, including a letter in September 2024, requesting the respondent to limit correspondence to one email per week. Despite these efforts, the respondent reportedly continued to send multiple emails, prompting the body corporate to issue a notice of contravention on December 10, 2024. In response to the application, the respondent argued that the volume of correspondence was justified, citing unresolved issues related to maintenance, personal safety, and alleged conflicts of interest within the committee. The respondent also expressed a preference for digital communication, stating that they do not maintain paper files. Her submission to the referee was described as 'lengthy' and included 70 attachments. 'She says generally that she views the application as an effort to silence her efforts to have issues addressed by the body corporate,' the decision noted. The respondent said that her emails were not unreasonable and rejected assertions by the body corporate that the tone of her emails was untoward. But after reviewing submissions from the respondent, the body corporate, and other lot owners, the referee found the respondent's communications to be excessive and not in compliance with the communications by-law. The by-law, introduced in December 2022, allows the committee to impose conditions on communications to manage their volume and tone. 'I accept on the balance of probabilities that the respondent has been sending emails to the body corporate in the number and at the frequency alleged and tallied by the applicant,' the referee said. Further, the referee noted that the tone of the majority of the emails was demanding, accusatory, and/or belligerent, with many of the emails containing words in all capitals, and phrases such as 'still waiting', 'not acceptable', 'I demand', and ordering that things be done 'immediately'. As a result, the referee imposed conditions on the respondent's future communications with the body corporate. These include limiting written correspondence to one piece per week, addressed to the committee, unless additional communication is explicitly invited. Each communication must not exceed two pages or 1000 words and should clearly state the issues, supporting facts, and desired outcomes. The decision also said that the body corporate committee was not necessarily required to respond to the woman's correspondence, and the order did not permit the respondent to send a 'follow up' email in the same week. 'I am satisfied that the volume of emails amounts to a nuisance within the ordinary meaning of the word and that the volume is excessive and therefore also unreasonable,' the referee said, finding that the lot owner had breached the communications by-law. 'Moreover, I am also satisfied the tone of a large portion of the emails is discourteous and disrespectful. 'I am also satisfied that the body corporate acted reasonably when it decided to place a condition limiting the frequency of the respondent's communications with the body corporate to once per week.'
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Rising demand for holiday apartments in Garden Route towns
While freestanding housing stock dominates in the towns across the Garden Route, there is growing demand for apartments, with some new developments finally coming to market, says Gail Rimbault, licensee for Seeff Knysna. Sectional title complexes can provide more options for buyers and investors, and they are generally also more accessibly priced, she says. They are also sought-after for the convenience of lock-up-and-go with minimal maintenance as there is usually a Body Corporate which manages the apartment complex. For holiday homes and even those who are downscaling to the coast, this is the ideal solution. While buyers include retirees and holiday home buyers, there is also high demand for rentals, both long and short-term holiday needs in these towns. She says many buyers also combine their holiday purchase with the option of renting it out when not needed and benefiting from a lucrative rental return on their investment. A key benefit of investing in the Garden Route holiday towns is that they are hugely popular holiday hotspots, and experience high holiday traffic during the school closure periods, over weekends, and especially over the summer season. Lightstone data shows that sectional title as a category of all housing stock in most Garden Route towns is still quite low with Mossel Bay (15%) and Plettenberg Bay (15%) the highest, followed by Knysna (10%), and George (6%). It also shows that most apartments tend to sell for over R2m with some exceptions. Sectional Title Housing Stock on the Garden Route Town Sectional Title as % of Housing Stock Ave ST Price Ave Lux ST Price Mossel Bay 15% R2m R3.6m-R3.8m Plettenberg Bay 15% R2.9m R5m Knysna 10% R1.5m-R2m R4m George 6% R1.6m R3.9m Source: Seeff/Lightstone Notably, while only around 10% of Knysna's stock is sectional title, it represents about 20% of all sales activity over the last year, indicating the high demand for compact units in the town. Compact units such as apartments are increasingly popular both for own use as well as holiday rentals, including Airbnb. The high demand has created opportunities for developers to come into the market with new offerings such as the Seahorse development, says Gail. It offers 35 new units with one or two bedrooms, braai balconies, secure parking, as well as Wi-Fi and inverters. The complex also offers a heated swimming pool and sun deck. Prices range from R1.75m (one bed), and R2.325m (two bedrooms). There's also no transfer duty payable, says Gail, adding that these are a great addition to this popular holiday town. The development is also just a short walk from the Knysna Lagoon and Waterfront area. These apartments appeal to a wide range of buyers, from those looking to retire or downscale permanently to the Garden Route, or as holiday or Airbnb investments for lucrative short or long-term rental returns. To facilitate hassle-free Airbnb income, Perch Short Stays will offer a complete turnkey service for investors, ranging from furnishing and marketing to management and maintenance. Issued by Gina Meintjes
