The Knight Alliance

On Wednesday 7th June, the 2022-2023 SCA Australasia Awards Gala Dinner was held. Hosted at the Darwin Convention Centre, the evening was a celebration of those who make a significant contribution to the strata industry and community across Australia and New Zealand. The winners from the 2022 SCA (Vic) Pillar Awards were finalists in the 2022-2023 SCA Australasia Awards. We would like to send our congratulations to all finalists and winners in this year’s awards. The Knight were proud finalists in six categories this year: Essay Award – Sim Firns Support Team Member – Ella Sheldon Strata Community Manager – Dianne Burton Strata Community Environmental & Engagement Award – Alex Smale Large Strata Community Management Business – The Knight Excellence in Innovation Award – The Knight It is with excitement to share that we came away as winners in two categories, Support Team Member and the Large Business award ! We are so proud of the hard work and commitm...

In 2021, The Knight launched our webinar training series, designed to equip Committee Members with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their duties and support functional, harmonious communities. The fourth session was held on 17 May 2023 titled ‘ The Role of a Building Manager ‘and covered: The role and scope of an Owners Corporation Manager . The role and scope of a Building Manager. What is Building Management? Why have a Building Manager? Options for Building management. The best Building Management option for your Owners Corporation. Watch webinar #4: The Role of a Building Manager .

For those living in multi-dwelling properties, the idea of short stay accommodation may conjure some negative experiences. While there are many groups advocating for tougher restrictions and legislation on short stays in strata , the current reality is that an Owners Corporation is limited in what it can do to manage them. A restrictive covenant can be placed on a lot, however this needs to be registered on the Plan of Subdivision and would require a unanimous resolution ( all   lot owners in agreeance) to have applied to an existing building; a near impossible feat. Trying to prevent a unit from being used as a short stay via the rules would be discrimination but working towards an enjoyable experience for the resident and the whole building is achievable. Establishing an open relationship with the owner creates the opportunity to stop bad behaviour. The Owners Corporation should ensure the owner has the rules, understands the regulations, and appreciates the vision of the...

At The Knight , we are always looking for ways to improve the experience of both our clients and our team. An important part of this is our Owners Corporation Team Leaders. They provide support, mentorship, and management to our Owners Corporation Managers, and a key point of escalation, additional expertise, and leave coverage for our clients. We first appointed an OCM Team Leader back in 2018, and in the years since have created new positions to reflect our growing workforce and portfolio. A second was appointed in 2019, and a third in 2021 . Now, we are pleased to announce the appointment of a fourth Owners Corporation Manager Team Leader. This fourth appointment, however – rather than a response to growth – represents a conscious decision to reduce team sizes. Smaller teams ensure that our Team Leaders are more available for clients and team members alike, and that our operations remain sustainable for all. Introducing Kate Trickey: Kate is our newest OC Team Leader, b...

Over the years as a strata manager , countless owners have come to me with bold plans to make their strata lot more sustainable by installing solar panels. They go out, get a quote, present it to their committee of management and it gets voted down. Why? Too often, simply because other owners don’t like the look of solar panels. This is especially true at townhouse estates where owners want to maintain a consistent appearance. It was always disheartening when aesthetics came before combatting climate change. However, things have changed. With the changes to the Owners Corporation Act introduced in December 2021, owners corporations may no longer make rules that unreasonably prohibit the installation of a sustainability item on a lot. For example, if a lot owner wants to install solar panels, the owners corporation cannot deny this request simply on aesthetic grounds. However, they may be able to deny the request if they have a legitimate reason. For example, if the solar panel imp...

The Knight is an Owners Corporation, Strata and Body Corporate management company with an office in Caulfield North. In 2021 they achieved Climate Active Certification as a carbon neutral organisation, becoming the first Owners Corporation Management company to do so. “Going carbon neutral for us was a way to lead by example and demonstrate to our industry colleagues and clients that sustainable strata is an option.” – taken from https://www.climateactive.org.au/buy-climate-active/certified-members/knight Sustainability highlights The Knight has reduced their environmental impact through the following achievements and actions: Achieved a Climate Active carbon neutral certification in 2021. Provided all staff with reusable coffee cups. Recycling of soft plastics in a small bin saving about one bag of soft plastic from landfill a week. Set up of e-waste bin for office equipment and broken fobs/remotes for their properties that is regularly dropped off at ...

Owners corporation managers are seeing increasing demand for retrofitting electric vehicle (EV) charging into apartment buildings. The Knight recently spoke with David Hamilton, an OC committee member at Triptych and EV charging solutions consultant. He graciously agreed to share with us his experiences with EV charging in strata. The Knight: Starting with your Owners Corporation, Triptych, could you explain what drives your sustainability ethos? David: Triptych was designed to be a building with extensive sustainability features incorporated into it from its conception in 2007, so it was ahead of the curve as far as Melbourne high-rise apartment developments back then, and even today. Sustainability has been a key attraction for many owners and renters over its history but more so today with greater awareness of climate change and the need to transition to a low carbon economy. In a building where the ethos is sustainability, it is an easy step for people to understand the ben...