What exactly IS a strata time vampire…and how do I avoid becoming one of them???
A strata time vampire is someone who sucks time from the Strata Corporation, but doesn’t give anything in return. Much like vampires of old who sucked blood from their victims, time vampires live off something equally important: non-renewable time!!!
Every building unfortunately has one or two of these time vampires. They are those owners who constantly harass the volunteer Strata Council members about frivolous issues, or that are always emailing or calling the Strata Manager about their “concerns” while not following any type of established due process.
While issues concerning the strata corporation can and should be brought to the attention of the Strata Council, the manner in which it is to be done should be as time efficient as possible. Time is an infinite resource, and should not be wasted.
How Should a Strata Corporation deal with a time vampire? Here are a few ideas:
Have them address their concerns in a particular manner. The ease of composing emails, especially with the use of AI can make it very easy to waste a significant amount of time, so perhaps all concerns should be sent via mail? This way will really cut down on anything frivolous, and only important concerns will be pushed through. Another alternative to this is using forms that MUST be completed prior to being addressed. Don’t fall for the common trap that owners may use such as “I don’t have a computer”, or “I don’t have internet access.”
Timelines. Establish a protocol for non-emergency concerns to be addressed only during Council meetings, rather than through email as they come up. Many issues will already resolve themselves if you wait until your next scheduled Council meeting to address them.
Invite to Council. Give the concerned owner a seat at the table! If they feel like no one is listening to them, then give them a voice to get involved so that they can become a productive Strata Owner, and become part of the solution instead of a part of the problem!
Suggestion box- this idea has been around for ages, but is a great way to receive old-school anonymous suggestions. Open the box, and review during each Council meeting. Even those owners who conveniently don’t have a phone, computer, or internet access should be able to figure this out.
These are just a few ideas, but there are many more ways for Strata Corporations to prevent the time being taken away.
Reach out to us here for Strata Management advice!