I just don't believe this is all Australia going nuts or just the minority.

[margomeoz]

My stall fees at Paddy's market have just gone up again to $2600 per month

Included in this amount is $800 for advertising which is great if they use it well and get us some people shopping there.

But their latest is to give all stall holders a bunch of Muslim Calendars to be given to our customers when they buy something.

Dumb idea either way because those shoppers that get them are already in Paddy's we need to attract new custom.

But what is wrong with a normal Australian calendar with pic's of our animals or the Opera House.

My preference is to save the $800 a month because whatever they are doing with our money is not working. X-(

[margomeoz]

I commiserate with you, Margo. But isn't this rent charge just business as usual?. Charge what the market will bear?

I hate this penny-pinching-make-a-dollar-at-any-cost-as-long-as-it's-to-somone-else attitude, but what you gonna do? Everyone does it, it seems.

It is business as usual in todays market but it was not always like that the management used to care but that was when it was government owned.

I have taken up petitions from stall holders to at least get rid of advertising that no one wants anyway, but there are not many English speaking people down there and most of them are afraid of rocking the boat.

There are a lot of people, not sure how many who don't pay their stall fees at all and said they will clear them when they sell the stalls, I have thought of doing this myself in the winter months at least but I am afraid they could take my house if things don't ever get back to the stage of being able to sell the stalls.

Somehow I think these days you are better off with a job where someone pays you to do as little as possible.

[freddie*rooster]

Am 3 yes but I dont know where the nuts are from LOL.

Look at it this way Margo has kept a lot of families in work and food on their table.

Yes, and lots of ladies looking soxy. B-)

[beach_and_home]

Margo, it sounds like you need to get organized to create a Body Corporate for the markets, similar to the ones they have for blocks of apartments etc. If you can own your own stall it must be recognized as a property? Therefore, you should have a Body Corporate. If you did, you would be able to vote on things such as how much monthly fees are and how much is spent on advertising or anything else. If you and other people there have paid $200,000 or more for your "property" it is ridiculous that you don't get to vote on things. That is a big investment you have put in without getting a say. I'd look into it if I was you.

[green.fields]

Geez Margo since I have known that you have a stall there I have been there about 3 or 4 times as an interstate visitor but never seen you.

I've had my last visit there, as you say all the stalls sell similar imported, generally rubbish you can buy elsewhere. Same as the Queen Victoria markets in Melbourne and a number of other places around Australia.

At the rent you are paying I'd be inclined to try a shop front somewhere, however I may be out of touch with rents on those.

[margomeoz]

Beach there is a corporate body but they are just people on the take that you see once every couple of years when they want your vote again.

Most of the non English speaking people don't vote and just let them have a proxy vote when they call round.

Hi roserobin sorry I have never run into you I don't go down much myself because I am well and truly over the place, as soon as I can sell I will, but I don't like shops any better I enjoy doing ebay but I have to admit when I do go down there myself I do take money, just wish someone else could.

Not sure if you can buy and sell space or at least the rights to occupy space in the Queen Vic market but in Paddy's what is happening is the young new Australians are buying their old folk jobs so they can also come here, the old way was the best way and much fairer to people wanting to have a go eventually you got to the top of the waiting list and got a stall.

Now like everything else it is all about money.

[beach_and_home]

Margo a Body Corporate is made up of owners. ie: every owner is a member and every owner has the right to put forward ideas and to vote on things. Out of all the owners you can form a Committee which is a small number of owners who can vote on certain things ie: if a toilet needs to be fixed they can call the plumber etc. No-one on the Body Corporate or Committee gets paid. So if you're saying these guys are "on the take" then it doesn't sound like that kind of set up. It sounds like you do not have a proper Body Corporate. If it was me, and I had the kind of money invested in this, that you do, I would be finding out a bit more. I find it hard to believe that you can't have a say in how things are run.

[margomeoz]

Beach I am not really sure just how it works but when the Government got out it was somehow listed on the stock exchange and each stall holder got 1 share for each stall they owned but you don't get dividends so I don't know what sort of a company that is.

Like the stall owners own it but it is not run by them it is run by the same people who worked there when it was not on the stock exchange and we have just as little say now as we did then.

A few people get nominated to be on the committee which is a paying job and the same ones have been on this committee as long as I can remember, occasionally an honest person tries to get voted on just because they really want to help but they never manage to get the votes.

Maybe it is more than time I at least tried to make a stir for everyone's benefit.

[beach_and_home]

Hi Margo, I can't find it on the ASX so it might not be a typical Public Company. But it sounds similar. All I'm saying is that you have a lot of money invested in it and you have no control. If you can afford to kiss that money goodbye then don't worry about it. But it sounds like you can't do that. Don't be afraid to get involved and find out what is happening with your own investment, you have the right to do that.

[newstart2380]

Well, you have stopped me wanting to visit Paddy's when in Sydney, what a shame as it is seen as an Aussie institution same as the Opera House and Bridge.

[cherry*135]

If it wasn't originally set up as Strata titles with a Body Corporate (Owner's Corp) then I can't see it being changed to one now.

Are Strata titles only for accommodation (apartment blocks, villa's) anyway?

Are there some other titles like that for businesses?