The Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Act 2020 (NSW) passed swiftly through the NSW Parliament and was assented to on 10 June 2020.  This is part of the government’s response on buildings that may have serious defects, including non-complaint cladding or buildings with Mascot Towers type issues.  

We all know, the recent spread of COVID-19 in Australia has brought unprecedented and complex challenges to commercial and retail Landlords. This rapidly evolving crisis has caused considerable stress to Landlords, particularly with regards to corresponding with and responding to tenants in financial hardship due to the crisis, as well as dealing with their own financial considerations.

Unit entitlements are the allocated share of the rights and responsibilities of a strata scheme. They impact an owner’s contributions to the expenses of the strata scheme, rights over common property and voting rights.

New tenancy reforms have been introduced in NSW which aim to protect victims of domestic violence who are living in a residential tenancy premises. Effective from 28 February 2019, the new Laws allow for a tenant to terminate their tenancy without penalty and immediately if they or their dependents are subject to domestic violence.

New EP&A Reg 270A requires a Contributions Plan before DA’s in the Growth Centres can be approved or refused.

Underquoting laws introduced in 2016 made it an offence for real estate agents selling residential properties in NSW to understate a property’s likely selling price.

DA (development application) processes have been given a fillip under changes to the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act which took effect this month.

The phone rings and you pick it up. It’s your father, and he tells you the same cat story for the 10th time this week. In fact, you’re not even sure if the cat story happened this week, or last month, or last year or…  Your father is displaying signs of memory loss and dementia.

The new Strata Scheme Management Act 2015 and Strata Scheme Development Act 2015 commenced on 30 November 2016.

Hicksons congratulates Amelie Housing, the community housing company of the Trustees of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (NSW), who have been appointed to provide 500 social and affordable housing dwellings.

On 1 December 2015, the most significant changes to Australia’s foreign investment framework in over 40 years were introduced. The reforms provided for stronger enforcement of the rules, a better resourced system and clearer rules for foreign investors.

Note for the diary – major changes to NSW government’s planning laws will be arriving very shortly.

A significant development opportunity has emerged for the retirement and aged care sector, as TAFE NSW opens its property portfolio up for aged care development.

Foreign purchasers of residential land in NSW are now exposed to additional stamp duty and land tax charges, following changes to State taxes as part of the NSW 2016 State Budget. Foreign purchasers must pay a stamp duty surcharge of 4 per cent on the acquisition of residential real estate. A land tax surcharge of 0.75 per cent has also been imposed on the taxable value of residential land owned by foreign persons.