The stress to settle Buying and selling property can be a stressful exercise for even the most experienced property mogul. As time is of the essence in standard property transactions throughout Queensland, it is a requirement that contractual deadlines be met as they fall due. Perhaps the most stressful deadline is being in a position to settle on the settlement date, as there may be severe consequences for failing to do so. This stress can be further compounded when you are unable to settle in time as a result of various problems arising which are out of your control. This… Continue Reading
What does off-the-plan mean? So, you are thinking of buying a property ‘off-the-plan’. It could be that you are looking at buying a duplex, townhouse or unit where the building is yet to be constructed (or is under construction). It may be that a large block of land is yet to be subdivided into smaller blocks, including the block you are looking at buying. In either instance, the title to the lot being purchased will not have been created at the time you enter into the contract. In other words, buying ‘off-the-plan’ means the lot (or property) you intend to… Continue Reading
It is quite common for us to be consulted regarding disputes involving defamation in a body corporate context. The ingredients for conflict that are present in community title schemes – strangers living together in close proximity, the sharing of facilities, members of the body corporate having different priorities in respect of the management of the body corporate, competition for committee positions, and so on – coupled with the ease of communication facilitated by email and social media, create an environment conducive to the publishing of insulting, and even defamatory, comments. Many people may be of the view that defamation is… Continue Reading
It is common for any industry, including the legal industry, to be the subject of myths believed by the general population. This is not helped by the fact that the laws and regulations which govern our society are many and not always easy to understand, and that popular culture tends to provide more entertaining representations of actual roles. For example, popular legal dramas such as Suits, Boston Legal, The Good Wife, Rake, Law & Order and so on have provided audiences with memorable moments of witty legal humour and unforgettable characters and catch-phrases. As a result, audiences can have unrealistic… Continue Reading
Amendments were made to the form of the Enduring Power of Attorney in November 2020 in an effort to address some of the community concerns regarding financial elder abuse. These changes have introduced additional transparency measures designed to minimise the risk of an Attorney abusing the trust which has been placed in them.
Australia’s border is reopening to both outbound and inbound travellers. Although vaccination requirements and quarantine measures remain in force and subject to change, the opportunity to travel abroad is once again a possibility for Australian families. However, if you wish to travel with your child overseas – without the other parent – there is more you need to know.
From sparkling beaches to tropical rainforests, outback adventures to exciting cities, the opportunities for travel within Australia are endless. Needless to say, pandemic-induced state border closures over the past two years have tended to make travel feel like a distant pastime. However, with the recent easing of Covid-related restrictions across many Australian states and territories, is it ok to seize the opportunity to travel with your child, without the knowledge or consent of the other parent? Before booking your next family holiday, it is important to consider the following.
If you are looking to start renting out your property on Airbnb (or other similar platform) there are a few things to consider – namely whether or not you are actually entitled to set up a short term rental. As we have discussed in previous posts, the Council regulates short term rentals quite strictly and it is often not as simple of a process to organise as you might think. Have a look here to read an overview of the by-laws and regulations that surround short term rentals on the Gold Coast. WHAT IS THE COUNCIL APPROVALS PROCESS? In the… Continue Reading
Given the remote location of many Australian mines, including offshore oil and gas wells, Fly-In-Fly-Out (“FIFO”) employment is commonplace within the mining industry. There can be no question that FIFO employment impacts upon family relationships differently to more traditional employment. The effect of the FIFO lifestyle upon the mental health and wellbeing of the workers and their families can be considerable. In addition to the physical distance between the FIFO worker and their family, couples may feel emotionally isolated from one another and resentful of the responsibilities each feel they must undertake to sustain their family unit – physically, emotionally and… Continue Reading
ASIC has launched a new requirement for company directors to verify their identity in the form of a director identification number. The unique identifier number will be 15 digits, beginning with 036 (the 3-digit country code for Australia under International Standard ISO 3166). Directors will need to apply for their own director ID, but they will apply once and keep the same ID forever. Even if you were to change companies or your name, stop being a director or move overseas or interstate, you will retain the same director ID. All directors of a company, registered Australian body, registered foreign… Continue Reading
