Promoting Harmony within a Body Corporate

Here is a list of things respectful body corporate residents can do to promote harmony and good feelings at home:

1. Put your car in its designated space or leave it outside the scheme. 
   • Do not use visitors’ car parking or block anyone in, or anything with your vehicle. 

2. Treat shared spaces with respect.
   • Keep off the lawns and respect the gardens.  

3. Keep the exterior of your lot tidy.
   • Buying a lot in a body corporate is a shared investment. A failure of one person will have a detrimental impact on the value of the entire scheme. Appearance is one of the key responsibilities all body corporate residents share.  

4. Keep the noise down.
   • Shared spaces means there is going to be some noise; there is no way to avoid it. Please, do try to be quiet. Especially be quiet after 11pm and in the early morning, those times when most by-laws prohibit loud noise. Especially be quiet on balconies at night. (Please check your by-laws to determine the documented time for your scheme).

5. Discuss problems with your neighbours. 
   • If you would like someone to change a particular behaviour, the best place to start is to discuss it with him or her. 

6. Approach confrontation calmly and rationally.
   • If you are not feeling calm and rational, wait until you have some perspective. 

7. Calmly listen when confronted with issues.
   • Be the bigger person.   

8. Accept that you are going to have to share.
   • Bodies corporate are about sharing: investment, responsibility and space.  

9. Let the committee know if you spot an issue.
   • If you notice a maintenance issue on common property within the scheme report the matter to your committee.  If a problem has not been addressed for a long period it could be because the committee do not know about it. 

10. Observe the by-laws even if others do not.
    • “Everyone’s doing it” is not permission for others to behave badly as well. Set an example and do the right thing. 

11. Refrain from bullying, or worse, helping others bully.
    • Disagreements happen in shared environments. A robust discussion on issues will help everyone. Never resort to bullying, discrimination, intimidation and threats to get your way. More importantly, do not support those who engage in those behaviours. This is everyone’s home and all have a right to feel safe and supported in this environment. 

Conclusion

Respectful, considerate, and mature body corporate residents make the best neighbours.