Behind the scenes with the Strata Trap reporter

FLAT CHAT WRAP

We’re rolling the Wrap out a little early this week because it’s connected to the hottest topic in strata right now.

Linton Besser, the reporter who brought you the Four Corners report The Strata Trap on Monday, has come on to the podcast to answer our questions about what he’s found in the strata industry, not only in NSW, but across Australia.

What questions? How about what piqued his interest in the story that led to the exposure of strata management firm Netstrata and the resignation of its General Manager Stephen Brell as President of Strata Community Association (SCA-NSW)?

Linton admits he almost ignored the story when the first email landed in his in-tray. But when another came in a few days later, he thought he might start digging.

That led to the 7.30 report on Netstrata and that sparked a tsunami of tips and complaints that led, in turn, to the Four Corners episode.

The podcast is a wide-ranging chat about the culture of the strata business – not just in NSW – that leads to big strata management companies believing they can act with impunity while apartment owners are left “incoherent with rage”.

Everyone from complacent politicians to apathetic media operators cops it in this fascinating chat, but he does think some strata managers are suffering too and believes, despite it all, that there is a solution.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

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Recorded by Jimmy Thomson & Sue Williams; Transcribed by Otter.ai.
Find out more about Sue Williams and Jimmy Thomson on their websites.