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It’s part of life, when it comes to strata living, the best of building management & strata management companies can fall out of favour, it is what happens next that defines that company.

For most of us, our ethics are everything and largely none of us would even consider proxy farming to retain a contract, so why do some companies proxy farm and what is it?

Unfortunately, I have been the sympathetic ear for two separate staff members of a company forced by their employers to fraudulently pretend they were lot owners and gain proxy votes to save the company’s contract when owners are considering on not renewing a contract for services.  This is proxy farming and only the worst kind of companies do it.

So as an industry how do we stop this unimaginable behaviour? Well, this kind of behaviour is illegal and these companies should be looking over their shoulders with good reason, as the memories of this behaviour stays with the industry for a long time and the strata industry votes with its feet.

We say to these companies, join the rest of the industry in maintaining higher ethical decisions and solutions, even if you lose a building or two along the way.

For strata committees and residents who feel their contractors may be proxy farming, the industry is listening and there is help, contacting Fair Trading NSW or ACCC is a great place to start.