The Knight Alliance

Properties are increasingly being built with sustainability front of mind, solar panels and recycled water systems are used to make them more energy efficient. For properties without these built in features, owners still have plenty of options to achieve sustainability success. Parque Apartments on St Kilda Road was awarded a sustainability grant for a community garden by The Knight , which they used to install planter boxes to grow a variety of herbs (pictured). This is a great way for residents to exercise their green thumb and reduce their property’s food and packaging waste. Owners corporations are increasingly coming together to commit to sustainable living. Some top initiatives include: Like Parque, your Owners Corporation can start a communal garden to provide health and wellbeing benefits. Residents can access fresh food and green space while also reducing food and packaging waste within the property. If there is no area in your common property, loo...

How secure is your driveway gate? Did you know that there are devices which can scan and copy the frequency of remote controls used to operate driveway gates from 50m away? These devices are particularly effective with 125Khz (low frequency) fobs and are readily available for purchase online. This creates a concerning security risk for properties using this type of fob to open remote controlled gates. Using such a device, an unknown party could easily gain access to common property to target vehicles and mailboxes, jeopardising residents’ belongings, and sensitive information. The team at Brave Security have shared a few alternative options which Owners Corporations can consider, if concerned about this potential risk. Keypad Entry Systems As the name suggests, Keypad Entry Systems require residents, trades and authorised personnel to enter a unique code to gain access. Not only is this more secure, but it will allow the OC to remove external key safes, which can often b...

The benefits of a strong community within an Owners Corporation include increased security, reduced tenant turn over, and improved resident well being. While as Owners Corporation Managers, our main role is to facilitate the management of common property, we strongly believe that we also have a role to play in the facilitation of a strong community spirit. This is why each year The Knight awards grants to Committees looking to implement a community building initiative at their property. Previous initiatives have ranged from Christmas in July  celebrations to  Trick or Treating and all sharing the common goal of getting neighbours together to get to know each other better. Keep an eye out on our  Facebook page , and be sure to be  subscribed to our newsletter to find out about the upcoming application process, and how The Knight could help your Committee with community building in 2021. Read More …

At the end of June, we had the pleasure of hosting our Australian Knight , Lyndon Galea from  Eat Up Australia as he guided 25 of our team through a sandwich making marathon in our Caulfield office. The morning started with many hands loading loaves of bread, margarine and sliced cheese from Eat Up’s trusty van, Norma into our sunny break room. From here, Lyndon taught us to become a polished production line for the humble cheese sandwich. Everyone was assigned a role, from spreader, to wrapper, to stacker, and together, we made over 1000 sandwiches in under an hour. The session was an eye-opening experience, showcasing just how many kids are turning up to school each day without lunch to fuel their growing bodies and minds. We’re proud to support such an amazing organisation that is making a real difference in the lives of Australian children. Who are Eat Up? After reading that kids were going hungry at school in his hometown of Shepparton in 2013, Lyndon pinched what he ...

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...