Land, Buildings and Equipment
Legal issues about land, buildings or equipment may include:
- hiring a venue or equipment
- leasing a building or land for your community organisation
- letting or sub-letting a building or land that is owned by your community organisation
- buying or selling property
- being gifted property
- vehicles
- registering property to protect it (eg. the Personal Property and Securities Register (PPS Register)), and
- related insurance and tax issues.
There are a number of websites (not-for-profit and government) that already provide useful information on these issues - we have listed some key resources in the Links section below. If your organisation needs specific legal advice, go to Legal Advice to see if you are eligible for our telephone advice or referral services.
Personal Property Securities Register (PPS Register)
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPS Register) is a new system for lenders, suppliers of some goods, hirers of equipment and others to record and protect the interests they have in assets that are physically held by someone else (like a borrower, purchaser or hirer of goods).
The PPS Register can be hard to understand (even for lawyers) but if your organistion has any valuable equipment (like computer equipment, vehicles, or medical equipment) it is very important to protect that property on the PPS Register.
The Personal Property Securities Act came into effect on 30 January 2012, and replaced a number of State and Commonwealth registers (such as the ASIC register of charges over assets of companies and State based registers of finance owing on cars). There is now just one register for the whole of Australia.
The PPS Act and the PPS Register are complex, and even lawyers can struggle to understand their impact. This information sheet is designed to help you understand the basics about the PPS Register, and steps your organisation may need to take to ensure its interests are properly registered and protected. You should seek expert advice in this specialist area if required.
The following fact sheet explains the new PPS Register, and why it is important for community groups to understand how it works.
Links
Leasing & hiring
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This is a guide for Sport & Active Recreation Clubs, however it is useful for Victorian community organisations generally.
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This page explains the role of the small business commissioner under the Retail Leases Act, including to facilitate retail tenancy disputes.
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Planning
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An easy to understand booklet on all aspects of objecting to planning permits.
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The Land Channel is a Government web site providing integrated access to land, resource and property information and services for the State of Victoria, Australia.