November 2024
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The timeline below summarises relevant legislative and industry changes affecting strata stakeholders in the Northern Territory. It includes helpful links and further reading to help you understand NT legislative changes.
November 2024
Available until 30 June 2025, homeowners can apply for grants from the Home and Business Battery Scheme to buy and install eligible battery and inverter systems for the property.
By opting for battery installations under this initiative, households can help minimise energy costs by limiting the power needed from the grid. They can also serve as a dependable power backup during inevitable disruptions brought on by cyclones and other severe weather conditions, thus ensuring a constant power supply for the property.
Successful applicants can tap into a grant of $400 per kilowatt-hour of usable battery system capacity, with a maximum grant limit of $5,000. These funds can be used to purchase and install:
The installation incentive is given as a voucher that can be used to pay the supplier. Each property and homeowner is allowed only one application. Furthermore, funds cannot applied to purchase and install solar PV panels and inverters without simultaneous battery installation. It’s important to note that this grant is exclusively available for battery systems in the downloadable list available on the official NT government website.
Learn more about the Home and Business Battery Scheme and harness the opportunity to solar power your property.
November 2024
The tropical cyclone season in the Northern Territory officially commences on 1 November and lasts until 30 April. During this time, body corporates in the Northern Territory should take proactive steps to stay prepared for potential extreme weather events to maintain safety and help minimise damage.
Preparing for cyclone season involves careful planning and clear communication and can help reduce the impact of severe weather. In addition to these measures, all lot owners are encouraged to have household emergency kits and an emergency plan.
To learn more about the recommended advice on planning and navigating cyclones for the upcoming months.
November 2024
As our communities become closer and more interconnected, so does our reliance on electrically powered devices. One area of innovation that has seen remarkable growth is electric micro-mobility. Light electric vehicles (LEVs) such as e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards, and self-balancing scooters have become more common in some daily transport routines. However, the lithium-ion batteries powering these devices pose growing fire safety concerns.
Charging e-bike or e-scooter batteries can lead to overheating and, in rare cases, fire hazards. It is crucial to use chargers provided by the manufacturer and avoid charging devices overnight or unattended. Low-quality chargers, faulty batteries, or inappropriate charging practices may significantly increase the risk.
In the face of the heightened focus on the hazards associated with these devices, all residents within body corporates need to practice safe usage within their communities. Here are some proactive steps to help minimise fire risks:
Learn more about how to promote lithium-ion battery safety on your property through the NTWorkSafe website below.
August 2024
To help ease the cost of living pressures, the Commonwealth Government is extending and expanding the Energy Bill Relief Fund (EBRF) by allocating $3.5 billion toward providing electricity bill rebates to Australian households for the 2024-25 financial year. This is an upswing from the $1.5 billion offered in the previous 2023-24 program.
Under this scheme, all eligible Australian households may be entitled to a $300 rebate, which the state government will deliver via retailers. These payments would take the form of deductions on your electricity bill under the EBRF and will be evenly distributed into quarterly instalments throughout 2024-25.
For those households where the strata or landlord provides electricity bills, the rebate may be available through an application to the respective state or territory government. The following census dates will determine eligibility for each payment:
There is no need to apply as the embedded network provider will lodge a claim with their retailer on behalf of landlords and body corporates. However, please note that rebates could take several months to appear on your bill. Contact your embedded network operator if you haven’t received the rebate by 31 December 2024.
Keen to understand how the expanded Energy Bill Relief Fund could benefit you or your business? Read more to learn more about this initiative and access factsheets and Q&As below.
August 2024
In the Northern Territory, a second stage of rental law reforms came into effect in 2024 under the Residential Tenancies Legislation Amendment Bill 2023. These changes are set to protect tenants and enforce additional guidelines on how landlords manage rental agreements and responsibilities. The main updates to Northern Territory rental laws include:
For more information about these changes and how they might affect landlords and rentals, click the link below.
August 2024
Effective waste disposal is essential for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in strata communities. With the growing number of residents in strata schemes, proper waste management etiquette has become increasingly important.
Residents in the Northern Territory can use their local councils’ services and resources to learn how to manage garbage disposal within their property. By following best practices and utilising available resources, strata communities can contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future. Below is an overview of best practice tips for management waste disposal in a body corporate:
Proper waste disposal etiquette and participation in local waste programs are vital for maintaining a clean and healthy environment in strata communities. Click the link below to learn how to recycle and dispose of common household items in the Northern Territory.
August 2024
As the digital world grows and evolves, so does the threat of cybercrime. As body corporate residents, safeguarding our digital footprint is essential in maintaining the security and integrity of our shared online spaces.
With the Australian government unveiling its 2023-2030 Cyber Security Strategy, a new era of digital protection is on the horizon, aiming to place Australia at the forefront of global cyber security by 2030.
This initiative aims to enhance our nation’s cyber security, manage cyber risks, and better support citizens and businesses in navigating the complex cyber environment. However, within this broader narrative, the crucial role of multi-factor authentication (MFA) for body corporate residents comes into sharp focus.
MFA provides an effective tool to help protect against unwarranted access by implementing multiple verification methods, adding an essential layer to your digital defence.
MFA apps, such as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator, generate temporary codes, also known as tokens or one-time passwords (OTPs), that you use as the second step in the authentication process. When you log into an online account, you enter the code provided by the MFA app to verify your identity. It adds an extra layer of protection to your online accounts. Even if someone obtains your password, they still need a second form of identification to access your data.
In body corporate communities, where shared network environments are common, the need for robust personal digital security mechanisms is more important than ever. Here’s how MFA can be used to protect the information of residents within a body corporate:
The process and capability to set up an MFA depends on the software or service provider the body corporate uses. Read more about how to set up MFA and why the Australian Government endorses MFA as a secure measure to protect your online identity.
May 2024
CoreLogic’s National Home Value Index reveals a significant acceleration in the quarterly growth rate of housing values – a jump from 1.4% in the final quarter of 2023 to 1.6% in the first quarter of 2024.
Despite high interest rates and soaring living costs, Australia’s housing market displays extraordinary tenacity, with CoreLogic’s national Home Value Index recording its 14th consecutive month of growth. In particular, national property values saw a 0.6% uptick in March, matching the rise seen in February and stirring up optimism in the market.
Even though housing values increase faster, the quarterly growth trend is now half what it was mid-last year when values were shooting up by 3.3% each quarter.
Although most capital cities saw an increase, Darwin’s home values fell by 0.2%. The monthly changes in property value are assumed to be attributed to factors such as:
Housing values are expected to trend upwards, potentially even more so should interest rates decrease. But there are some challenges to consider. With the cost of homes, rents and mortgages increasing faster than people’s incomes, it’s getting harder to afford a home.
As these expenses outpace household income growth, more potential buyers could see themselves priced out of the median-value home market. This trend could drive demand towards more affordable options, including detached housing markets and multi-unit properties.
Read more about the property trends of Q1 2024 in CoreLogic’s Home Value Index report below.
May 2024
Darwin’s rental market saw a surge in demand in March 2024, making it one of only two Australian capitals to record a drop in their vacancy rate. The PropTrack Market Insight Report providesd valuable data to help uncoverinsight into the dynamics at play in the rental market.
With the surge in rental demand, body corporates should gear up to prepare for any potential challenges that come with with higher occupancy. These could range from enforcing by-laws and handling noise complaints to managing the usage of shared facilities. To tackle these issues effectively, maintaining clear communication of rules and fostering mutual respect among residents is critical.
Learn more about the recent changes shaping the rental market trends in Darwin and regional NT in 2024.
February 2024
Unit entitlements represent the proportion of ownership within a body corporate property, such as common spaces like barbecue areas, swimming pools or shared facilities.
Changing unit entitlements is a fundamental decision that can alter an owner’s legal rights and responsibilities, such as voting powers, common property duties, and financial payments. To modify or reallocate the shared ownership of the property, body corporates and owners should follow specific processes outlined by Northern Territory legislation.
Unit or lot entitlements are calculated based on the lot’s market value. Generally, the larger the lot, the more unit entitlement it has, meaning an owner can carry higher levies and ownership of common areas.
A range of factors, such as the age, condition, common property facilities, design, onsite contractor services, insurance costs, financial status, the size of your lot, or any major changes to the property, can influence the allocation of shared body corporate ownership.
Historically, unit entitlements were calculated during the initial construction of the property or when significant changes were made. Developers were previously responsible for these assessments, which often led to inaccuracies. An independent property valuer is now mandated to handle these valuations, which has improved the accuracy and credibility of unit entitlement valuation reports.
It is important to get an accurate unit entitlement valuation. An undervalued lot may lead to lower voting rights on fundamental property decisions. On the other hand, an overvalued unit entitlement might have higher levies and fees than necessary.
Adjusting unit entitlements is a crucial decision that may impact an owner’s contributions, rights, and responsibilities within a corporate body.
Under the Unit Title Schemes Act 2009, unit entitlements can be adjusted through a unit owner’s application to the Tribunal, by mutual agreement between unit owners, or due to land acquisition, with each scenario involving specific conditions and procedural requirements.
Furthermore, the Units Titles Act 1975 provides additional requirements around reassessing unit entitlements and formatting a proposal for a new subdivision plan. Notably, the body corporate may submit a reassessed schedule for unit entitlements prepared by a valuer to the Surveyor-General for approval from the third or sixth year after the property development is finished. Also, every owner should get a copy of this proposed change. If the senior surveyor agrees, the new division plan has to be officially registered.
Click the link below to learn more about the legislation around adjusting unit entitlements within your body corporate.
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