Consider this – you have entered into a contract to purchase a property, but for various reasons, the property no longer suits you.  But it will suit your parents perfectly.  So can you transfer the contract over to your parents, so that your parents are the purchasers?

Also consider this – your bu...

A few years ago, Shire Legal acted for a client purchasing a property at Kurnell.   There was nothing particularly unusual about the transaction – it was a standard family home being sold from one family to another.

However initial enquiries carried out by Shire Legal suggested that the recent reno...

Rising house prices across Sydney have made it difficult for people trying to enter the property market. In response to this we are seeing more and more people buying property with friends or family members rather than trying to go it alone.

This can be a great solution because sharing the costs of...

Section 162 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 (NSW) provides that a Fair Trading Strata Schemes Adjudicator can order for the compulsory appointment of a strata managing agent to exercise all of the functions of an owners corporation, or only specified functions, as well as the functions of ...

There are a number of reasons why it’s a good thing to know your neighbours and be on good terms … but one situation that may not come immediately to mind is when you want to renovate or develop your property.  Having a good relationship with your neighbour can be the difference between a quick, has...

As some people may be aware the government passed new legislation, the Conveyancing Amendment (Sunset Clauses) Act 2015 (NSW), at the end of last year with the sole purpose of amending the Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) to prevent a developer from unreasonably rescinding an off-the-plan contract for a ...

As most people know, if there is a swimming pool on your property, then you are required by section 7 of the Swimming Pools Act 1982 (NSW) to ensure that the swimming pool is, at all times, surrounded by a child resistant barrier which complies with the Building Code of Australia as prescribed by th...

With the wild weather in New South Wales of late, the question has come up – what happens if the property you are buying is damaged between exchanging contracts and settlement? What are your rights? Does the vendor have to fix the damage? Do you have to settle?

Part 4 Division 7 of the Conveyancing...

Unfortunately it’s a fact of life that many houses in bushy areas, such as the Sutherland Shire, are subject to termite invasions. It is actually more common than not for homes in the Shire to already have pre-existing termite damage.

But what if the pre-existing damage is so substantial, that it t...

Unfortunately not all owners within a strata scheme are aware of their rights and obligations regarding strata ownership, which can lead to problems with other lot owners, the strata manager, and the owners corporation.

What does strata ownership involve?

Strata title refers to the type of ownersh...

More and more clients are coming to Shire Legal to set up a family trust, usually on the advice of their accountant or financial adviser.  But this begs the questions – what is a trust?  And why is it recommended that you set up a company to run the trust?

What is a trust?

A trust is a relationshi...

Strata title is a form of ownership used for multi-housing developments, such as:

• units

• townhouses

• villas

• detached dwellings within a defined area.

The strata plan divides the building(s) and the associated land into:

• individual lots (owned by the various lot owners); a

  ...