Re "Laws will force out unit owners" (Leader, October 27).
The new changes are long overdue and desperately needed.
The simple fact is most strata units in the shire are around 50 years old, with the structural problems, as well as plumbing and wiring that go along with that.
Buildings, like anything else, wear out — particularly in Cronulla where they are exposed to the elements.
No matter how many special levies, render, new windows or new roofs a committee puts on a building, eventually it becomes a losing battle and unfortunately those residents with limited means are faced with a choice of huge and futile levies or selling up.
Dishonest real estate agents, who in many cases have sold the same property several times over and only care about their commission, will say anything to potential buyers.
I recently enquired about a unit in Cronulla and was shocked at the high levies. When I asked the agent about problems with the building he brazenly told me is was a "young building with a new roof just fitted".
A quick read of the contract revealed the building is more than 50 years old and there will be more to do and more to spend until the inevitable occurs and the building has to come down.
As unfortunate as it is, a simple reality is everything, including buildings, wears out.
Property is not an endless pot of gold for investors or owner-occupiers, whether strata or Torrens title. More are becoming aware of this fact.
Tony Unicomb, Cronulla
