Mondrian is a small community of 137 apartments, and the activities and attitudes of every resident shape the experience for everyone else. That’s the upside of strata living – and also why a few things work differently here than in a freestanding home. Understanding the basics before moving in makes for a smoother experience and fewer surprises later.

Whilst strata living can provide a friendly community style environment, it helps to remember that it is not the same as living in a freestanding house. Some activities may be more restricted in a strata scheme, for example, where you can park your car, hang your washing or when and how you can renovate. Understanding these differences before buying or moving into a strata scheme can help reduce the likelihood of disputes over these activities later on.

Key Features of Living in a Strata Scheme

• You own your unit or apartment as well as sharing ownership and responsibility for ‘common property’
• If you own your unit, you are automatically a member of the ‘owners corporation’ which has responsibility for common property
• Every 3 months you have to contribute to the cost of running the building through paying quarterly levies
• You also have to pay money into a sinking fund, for future long term expenses such as painting the building or replacement of guttering
• Compared to living in a freestanding house, there will be lifestyle restrictions in a strata scheme. For example there are rules and by-laws that may affect you doing renovations to your unit, that state where you can and cannot park your car, where you can dry washing or whether or not you can keep pets.

Strata living comes with its own set of rules, rights, and responsibilities – and the NSW Government’s strata resources are the most reliable place to get across them. Whether you’re new to strata, weighing up a renovation, or trying to work out who’s responsible for a leak, it’s worth knowing where to look.

For day-to-day questions about Mondrian – by-laws, applications, maintenance – start with the Strata Manager or Building Manager. For the broader legal framework that sits behind it all, NSW Fair Trading and the Office of the Registrar General publish plain-English guides on living in, buying, and managing strata schemes.

The “Who’s responsible? A guide to common property” guide is particularly useful – it walks through the common grey areas (windows, balconies, pipes, floors) and explains where lot owner responsibility ends and Owners Corporation responsibility begins.

Links & Resources:

• NSW Government Living – Strata Information
• Strata Schemes Management Act
• Who’s Responsible Guide