2 out of 3
The state of your strata is the cumulative effect of not only recent decisions by council, but also all decisions made in the past. Each successive council inherits the deeds of their predecessors, and things keep getting done more or less the same way. A lack of consistent standards and systems throughout the years, combined with little to no customer service, or community building, can make for a strata corporation that experiences the same problems time and time again.
A common misconception in the industry is that the strata manager is paid through the strata fees to take care of everything. In fact, a strata manager's job is spent 99% in their office, with little to no on-site presence, except for council meetings. Their effectiveness is heavily reliant on their trades, who are not always familiar with the building, usually don't have access, nor have any connection to strata council. This 'blind leading the blind' scenario often ends up costing more time, and therefore more money, for the strata corporation.
There's a wide array of potential options for access: strata owner or council volunteer, ask the cleaner to let them in, or the trade has to drive to another city to get keys from the strata manager, and then return them when done. This is just one example of where strata management has some gaps, especially for smaller stratas who can't afford a caretaker.
Serious gaps also exist for those strata buildings with a caretaker, and it can cost a fortune to have someone there from 8am to 4pm just to have coverage. What happens for the other 16 hours that the building is still operating, and often when the water leaks, fires and other emergencies usually occur?