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A rebuttal to property valuer Mary Lau's article "What’s In A Rate?"
Contributed by Honorary Secretary-General of the National House Buyers Association Datuk Chang Kim LoongA rebuttal to property valuer Mary Lau's article "What’s In A Rate?"The National House Buyers Association (HBA) recognises the fact that there is great diversity of mixed-use strata...
What you should know when buying into strata living
Contributed by Mary LauWhat should purchasers be aware of at the point of sale, if the legislation is amended to allow different rates to be used from the developer-managed period?Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash.In addition to the Schedule of Parcels, which has to be exhibited at the sales office,...
Fixing the Strata Management Act (SMA) 2013
Contributed by Mary LauSingapore apparently has a proven solution to all this. So why is there so much resistance towards mirroring the Singaporean equivalent of the Strata Management Act 2013 (SMA 2013) – the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA)?Photo by Peter Nguyen on...
What’s in a rate?
Contributed by Mary LauThe recent Court of Appeal case overturning the High Court decision in the case of Muhamad Nazri Bin Muhamad vs JMB Menara Rajawali and Denflow Sdn Bhd has met with protests from professionals in the property industryAccording to Mary Lau, an owner who is affected by...
The rise of uniform rates for maintenance charges during the JMB period in mixed developments
The winds of change have brought to a halt the usage of different rates of maintenance charges in mixed developments during the Joint Management Body (JMB) periodContributed by property valuer Mary LauIn 2018, the High Court decision in the case of Muhamad Nazri Bin Muhamad v JMB Menara Rajawali...
How to recognise domineering management in strata properties
Contributed by property valuer Mary LauThe classic novel 1984 by George Orwell warned about the dangers of totalitarian and repressive governance – and it is still relevant in the 21st centuryDoublethink, newspeak, and telescreens: these are just some of the techniques of control used by "Big...
Planning and managing for better strata living
REHDA Institute’s Strata Planning & Management event was successfully held on 12th September 2019 at The Club @ Bukit Utama, attracting more than 300 attendees from as far as Penang, Kedah, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, and MelakaDato' Jeffrey Ng, Chairman of REHDA Institute, was present to give the...
Standard procedures for management bodies of stratified properties (Part 1)
Contributed by property valuer Mary LauOwners have come forward with problems at their properties – and the common themes centre on non-adherence to procedures by management, a lack of enforcement, and confusion on regulatory mattersSlogans have a weird way of getting mocked and our national...
Big fish and ikan bilis: A day at the AGM of a mixed development
Contributed by property valuer Mary LauAn observation of the frustrations that come with unequal voting rights at an Annual General Meeting (AGM)This article gives insight into the property industry where unequal voting rights at the AGM can have a huge impact on a development. It summarises key...
Seeking justice: A group lawsuit against an unscrupulous developer
Contributed by property valuer Mary LauA harrowing tale about a legal battle between a group of strata property owners and an unscrupulous developerThe details and complexities of this case would fill a book – but the specifics have been omitted to ensure the anonymity of the parties involved....