The recent statement by NSW Minister for Fair Trading Anthony Roberts that he plans to curb the activities of strata lawyers over-enthusiastically pursuing defect claims against developers was like a baseball bat to the knees of apartment owners and strata profesionals. This is an entirely appropriate allusion considering at least one Sydney developer has used this method to dissuade unhappy apartment owners from exerting their legal rights.

In these days of modern apartment living, we are often deprived, through clumsily worded, poorly understood and obsessively enforced strata committee bylaws, of many rights, including the right to truly private outdoor spaces. Yet the functions carried out on them and need for such spaces have not gone away.

Buyers are saving money by car sharing. No car means no hassles with parking.

High-density strata title communities comprise a growing new form of local democracy.