Welcome to the blog of NSW strata investigative journalism
Primary audience on the website are SP52948 owners (current and previous), tenants, investors, and potential buyers in strata complex.
Number of SP52948 owners, tenants, and investors expressed gratitude towards this website as that was the only way to gain access to lot of critical information, which is not available in minutes and notices of meetings, or on Waratah Strata website.
Public is voicing strong concerns about problems with Tribunals. Issues with strata complexes and dubious quality of services provided by those who should enforce laws are common and frequent.
The rest of the audience is anyone who might be interested in problems with strata schemes in NSW...
Democracy should be the leading avenue for managing strata complexes. But, democracy requires high level of sense and ethics, and right for all owners to have full access to strata files in order to make informed decisions. And when that does not happen, how to proceed? One way is to educate public and rise awareness that license to be a strata manager is one of the easiest in any industry: Strata Community Australia (SCA) are offering a three-day course on qualifying to be a strata manager with no prior educational requirements (apparently educational requirements are fulfilled by completing the course).
Major news on 14 May 2025: strata manager Michael Lee, featured in the Strata Trap report on ABC TV’s Four Corners, was the first in NSW to be banned for life from operating as strata manager. Lee was also been fined $11,000, his company, Result Strata Management, had its licence cancelled and it fined $22,000. Lee who was just three days from the end of a four-month suspension issued in January, was the first strata manager in NSW to be “struck off” purely for the way they conducted their business. Lee was featured in the ABC report using hired “security” to prevent owners from entering the AGM to vote against him and his committee. Lee, an owner in the building, was its strata committee chairperson as well as its strata manager. After a long-running investigation, Fair Trading 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 that owners’ properties complied with critical fire and safety obligations. In addition, it did not provide 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 became the first strata manager to be banned for life.
Examples of legal cases terminated contracts with strata and building managers in Australia
The owner of the website was exposed to multiple threats and intimidation tactics by BCS Strata Management (until 31 January 2017) and Waratah Strata Management (since 1 February 2017), which included unsuccessful defamation attempts, false statements to owners in notices of the meetings, prevention of access to SP52948 strata documents (and even Strata Rolls), preventing the owner from conducting duties of committee member whilst allowing unfinancial owners to do it, supported verbal threats, stalking, and intimidation of the owners, and refusal to attend free mediations at NSW Fair Trading, whilst providing false statements to CTTT and NCAT through the same Solicitor.
There is no website which covers more detailed events related to strata issues with direct evidence than this one in Australia (trust through verification).
This website does not have any desire or intent to add own comments and therefore it is up to anybody to make up their own conclusions based on evidence and statements by others who did it in public forums, in courts, or elsewhere. All files on this website were provided to Fair Trading NSW, Office of Legal Services Commissioner, CTTT (now NCAT), District Court, Supreme Court, and Police.
Primary audience on the website are owners (current and previous), tenants, investors, and potential buyers in large strata complex SP52948. Attempts to get Waratah Strata Management to keep all parties informed has been ignored since 1 February 2017. Strata files are kept undisclosed and even events like mediation at Fair Trading NSW, NCAT case SC 20/33352, Police Events, and OLSC reports about extreme professional misconduct of Solicitor Adrian Mueller are not provided to owners (current and previous), tenants, investors, and potential buyers in large strata complex SP52948. Committee members and Waratah Strata Management refused to offer assistance to these organisations.
Justice McCallum publicly stated:
Extensive media reporting of allegations of criminal conduct is not a mischief in itself. On the contrary, it is appropriate to recognise that the media play an important role in drawing attention to allegations of criminal or other misconduct and any shortcomings in the treatment of such allegations.
Would a reasonable person find these problems to be disturbing and serious (protected document submitted to NCAT in case SC 20/33352):
SP52948-serious-threats-to-Lot-158-due-to-strata-mismanagement-investigations-Nov2021
Since 2010, when Lot 158 uncovered complex mismanagement issues, attacks against the family were persistent and deliberate. The sheer hatred of Lot 158 by committee members, strata managers, and some of maintenance staff is on display in, now deceased, committee member Mrs. Elizabeth Saulits' submission to CTTT on 14 February 2011:
SP52948-EC-member-Betty-Saulits-using-democracy-phrase-for-CTTT-submission-14Feb2011
Lot 158 was lone defender of equal rights in the complex, warning committee members and BCS Strata Management about inciting religious intolerance:
SP52948-difference-between-swastika-signs-issue-with-Lot-159-11Nov2013
13 Police events for stalking, harassment, intimidation, and threats against Lot 158 by few maintenance staff, few committee members, and some tenants in the complex:
SP52948-Police-confirmed-lack-of-actions-to-investigate-Lot-158-concerns-7Feb2018.html
Police Event E45617744 on 6 October 2011 - anonymous hate notice in Lot 158 letterbox with request to disapper from the complex,
On 20 October 2011 - what appeared to be a mentally unstable Ms. Sandra Quick prevented female owner from Lot 158 to exit from own garage. Police was on the phone with Ms. Quick for more than an hour, trying to calm her down - Police never provided the Event number (Ms. Sandra Quick later even served as a committee member),
Timeline of events for anonymous death threat in 2013:
Throughout February 2013, Solicitor Adrian Mueller was actively engaged in preventing access to strata documents, protecting own interests, exhibiting contempt of court (CTTT) in deliberate exercise with intent to interfere with the administration of justice
On 24 February 2013 at 19:45 hours, Lot 158 sent email to strata manager Peter Bone with the subject line "ADVANCED NOTICE: Peter Bone will be issued with CTTT summons to produce documents on 25 February 2013"
Lot 158 submitted summonses on 25 February 2013 to CTTT, with updated version on 27 February 2013 (CTTT requested the changes to the document)
Day after notice of issue of summonses to strata manager Peter Bone, there was an anonymous phone call to Lot 158 on 26 February 2013 (male voice) with clear instruction to stop CTTT cases or risk own life, with suggestion to disappear from complex. Less threatening anonymous phone call also occurred in 2012, which we ignored as prank.
Threat "urging" Lot 158 to disappear from complex in an anonymous letterbox notice was reported to Police (and ignored by them) in another Event E45617744 on 6 October 2011
Evidence that Solicitor Adrian Mueller knew about summonses for strata manager Peter Bone and was actively involved on 26 February 2013 exist in Solicitor's invoices
Police Event E115593702 on 31 October 2015 - verbal attack and assault in elevator area by executive committee member Mr. Moses Levitt on female owner of Lot 158 wife (owners of Lot 147 Mr. and Mrs. Levitt also called Lot 158 "non-believers" on number of occasions - whatever they meant by that!),
Police Event E59750519 on 18 November 2015 - evidence of financial mismanagement and false statements to CTTT by Executive Committee member Mr. Bruce Copland and BCS Strata Management,
Police Event H64596706 on 14 May 2017 - staff member of Uniqueco Property Services Mr. Steve Westrip tried to cause criminal record for Lot 158 who tried to discuss and defend his wife against persistent stalking (case was later dismissed in Local Court), Mr. Steve Westrip and his manager Mr. Steve Carbone received numerous advanced complaints and pleas to stop with intimidation of female owner but they had ignored it,
Police Event E66107079 on 31 August 2017 - continuous stalking of female owner of Lot 158 by Uniqueco Property Services Mr. Steve Carbone,
Police Event E244254697 on 26 March 2018 - one week after the alleged assault committed by Lot 158 against Mr. Steve Westrip was dismissed in court, staff member of Uniqueco Property Services Mr. Steve Westrip again followed female owner of Lot 158 and caused harassment, intimidation, and fear which ended with her being taken to hospital with blood pressure above 220,
Police event E69860959 on 26 October 2018 - staff member of Uniqueco Property Service Mr. Steve Westrip again tried to intimidate female owner of Lot 158 by taking photos/videos of her on his mobile phone without valid reason and acting in threatening manner towards her,
Police event E265804296 on 14 November 2018 - two staff members of Uniqueco Property Services (one of them was Mr. Steve Westrip and the other ageing cleaner Ms. Dorothy) tried to intimidate Lot 158 whilst he was collecting video and photo evidence of poor maintenance of the complex and fire safety non-compliance with state regulations (four years later as of November 2022, Uniqueco Property Services and Waratah Strata Management still have not complied with Ryde Council fire orders),
Police event E372820993 on 11 August 2019 - staff member of Uniqueco Property Services Mr. Steve Westrip stalked and tried to intimidate Lot 158 whilst they were collecting video and photo evidence of damages to the tennis court,
Police event E72924428 on 11 October 2019 – car of female owner of Lot 158 was damaged whilst parked on common property (by coincidence or not, Mr. Steve Westrip was working in the complex on that day and car of unfinancial committee member Mr. Stan Pogorelsky showed up parked near her car,
Police event E74640451 on 17 October 2019 - executive committee member Mr. Jeffery Wang illegal recording of Lot 158 on his mobile phone at Annual General Meeting (it took three attempts to force him to stop - he ignored email sent to him after the meeting),
Police event E145042401 on 10 June 2020 - deliberate attempt by committee member Mr. Moses Levitt to cause fear by ignoring request from female owner of Lot 158 not to enter elevator after her.
Eleven requests to obtain access to CCTV recordings for stalking, harassment, intimidation, and threats against Lot 158 were silently ignored by Waratah Strata Management, committee members, and maintenance staff (even Police did not get access to them). Examples:
SP52948-Example-of-preventing-access-to-CCTV-recording-as-evidence-in-Police-event-dated-11Aug2019
SP52948-Waratah-Strata-Management-allowed-CCTV-evidence-to-be-overwritten-23Jul2020
Document search on 8 June 2022 found secret email from Uniqueco Property Services to Waratah Strata Management, showing determination to prevent Lot 158 from accessing common property (CCTV recording) that is owned by owners corporation, not temporary building manager:
One example of lack of actions by Waratah Strata Management and committee members: would any reasonable and law-abiding person ignore pleas of a female owner to stop her stalking and harrassment:
Additionally, owners have no information about official rules for: who has access to footage, where the footage is kept, how it is kept (is it securely held?) and the process for obtaining access to the footage and then to ensure this is encapsulated in a by-law in addition to authorising any necessary services agreements required to install, maintain and operate the CCTV system. As an extreme example, maintenance staff uploaded video titled "IMG_0267 - Following staff March 2017.mov" into public cloud on internet on 11 August 2019 (and made it available ever since), without owners corporation approval, or approval of owners in question (the event happened in 2017 and maintenance staff failed to produce it to Police and Lot 158 when requested in 2017). The video confirmed that staff member was not on duty on that day in 2017 as they were not wearing uniform:
On 24 April 2020, O'Brien Criminal & Civil Solicitors sent demands to Secretary of the owners corporation, requesting answers on the following:
OBrien-Criminal-and-Civil-Solicitors-redacted-letter-to-SP52948-Secretary-24April2020
Legality of Committee
Lot 158 Member of The Committee
Defamation
Mediation
Access to Documents:
On 23 June 2024, Waratah Strata Management and Uniqueco Property Services again ignored much more serious attack by Lot 182 female owner:
Extract from Lot 158 email:
We are sending this email to obtain CCTV footage as follows:
Location: SP52948 CCTV camera in foyer of Block A
Description: Lot 182 (to be confirmed!) non-compliance with By-Law 3 - forcefully entered elevator, expelled Lot 158 owners, and unnecessary harassed Lot 158 owners
Date: 23 June 2024, approximately between 13:25 and 13:30 hours
We ask that SP52948 ensures the footage is not destroyed and confirms in writing that it has been retained and copy provided to Lot 158 promptly.
It is emphasized that number of previous requests for CCTV were ignored.
On 22 October 2020, Director of Uniqueco Property Services openly decided to ignore request for CCTV recording (attachment "SP52948-Uniqueco-Property-Services-refusing-access-to-CCTV-22Oct2020.png").
1) Between 13:25 hours and 13:30 hours on 23 June 2024, foyer of Block A: two owners from Lot 158 were going in elevator from level 2 to basement, when the elevator was stopped on ground floor.
2) Lot 182 owner (we might be wrong about it, but screenshot in attachment "SP52948-owner-entering-elevator-without-approval-23Jun2023.png" from mobile can easily identify the person), forcefully entered the elevator in spite of warning to stay outside to avoid risks of germ spreading and infections.
3) Her direct response was "I do not care".
4) Female owner of Lot 158 simply exited the elevator, to avoid any dealings with unreasonable and unpleasant person.
5) Male owner of Lot 158 wanted to clarify reasons why Lot 182 was so rude and ignorant, but she continued to use phrase "stupid man", waved her hand towards Lot 158 multiple times and acted like a dismissive person would, and even raised her umbrella to threaten Lot 158.
6) Part of her actions was recorded on Lot 158 mobile with open warning to Lot 182 that this was done for evidence.
7) Both owners of Lot 182, and almost all owners in SP52948 are fully aware that Lot 158 tenants NEVER enter elevators if there is someone else already traveling. They personally knew and experienced such actions by Lot 158 in the past.
8) In summary, Lot 182 was politely asked not to enter and overcrowd the limited space in the elevator. Her forceful actions were irrefutable.
9) By forcefully entering the elevator (in spite of what any reasonable person would do in time of continuous Covid-19 and flu seasons) Lot 182 deliberately exhibited behavior that bordered with harassment, nuisance, and intimidation.
10) We have no relationship with Lot 182 and no interest in having one. Her erratic behavior was deliberate and unjustified.
11) Video evidence from CCTV recording from camera in Block A foyer can confirm this event.
SP52948-Special-By-Law-Unreasonable-Communications-to-discriminate-against-Lot-158