Who is responsible for investigating and repairing storm water damage from balcony leaks in a strata unit?

By admin,

Our 8 year old complex has 10 units. After the Boxing Day storm, water entered a unit through a large gap between the balcony skirting tiles and the balcony wall and through multiple long cracks on both the balcony wall ledges' interior and exterior sides. The unit now has water stains in the downstairs bedroom. Is the investigation and rectification of the water damage the responsibility of the lot owner or body corporate?

Who is responsible for cleaning exclusive use car park spaces versus common property in strata buildings

By admin,

The December 2023 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine includes an article by Will Marquand about cleaning garages. The Q&A indicates that the body corporate is responsible for the cleaning. In my present building, it's assumed that since the parking spaces are assigned to units and numbered accordingly, they are part of the unit's exclusive use area. As such, owners are responsible for cleaning their parking space, and the body corporate cleans the rest of the common area. Is this correct?

Who covers flooring, electricity costs and temporary accommodation after fire hydrant water damage in apartments?

By admin,

In our apartment building, a faulty fire hydrant burst and caused water damage to apartments across multiple floors. Apartments have a mix of hybrid flooring and carpet tiles. Our corporate body has arranged for specialists to remove moisture from the building structure. Dehumidifiers and fans are running 24 hrs around the building and within units.

Can owners force body corporate maintenance action after six months of inaction and seek adjudication for delays

By admin,

Our complex is under the Building Format Plan.

Late last year, the committee engaged a licensed building inspector to assess and report on the building maintenance requirements of our 13 units. The committees had the report since the end of last year. Six months later, owners are waiting for maintenance to be carried out on their units.

Can a body corporate recover repair costs from a caretaker for failing to inspect sewage pipes after a costly blockage

By admin,

We recently had a sewage blockage in our complex. The sewage backup caused the flooding of a unit and over $10,000 in damages. Our strata insurance claim for building repairs was rejected because the cost was under the excess. Flooring replacement was not covered in the policy and the owner did not have content insurance. The body corporate is now obligated to pay for the building repairs and flooring replacement.

Has the body corporate met its duty to maintain gutters despite ongoing overflow complaints in a Brisbane townhouse complex

By admin,

A lot owner in a 2-story townhouse complex under a building format plan in Brisbane has long complained about overflowing gutters during heavy rain.

The body corporate (BC) has twice upgraded to larger gutters, installed gutter guards, removed nearby trees, added an extra downpipe, and extended the stormwater drain to lead water away from this lot. The guttering and retrofits comply with all relevant standards. We clean the gutters annually.

Who organises repair quotes for internal unit damage caused by roof leaks in a building format plan property

By admin,

My unit, located in a Building Format Plan (BFP), has experienced roof water ingress twice this year due to storm damage and lack of roof maintenance. The strata committee has approved fixing the roof leak. They asked me to arrange quotes for the internal damage within my unit and submit them for their consideration regarding payment or an insurance claim. Who is responsible for organising quotes for damage in my lot?

Who pays for defective sprinklers in a 2-year-old building?

By admin,

We live in a 2-year-old high-rise apartment building. During the build, a sprinkler system was installed in the common areas and lots. A sprinkler in one of the common area walkways is leaking and needs to be repaired or replaced.

The company that installed the system will not repair the leak as the work is outside their 2-year warranty period. Our building manager is organising quotes. Would this be covered by the builder's guarantee period? Is the body corporate responsible for repairing the sprinkler? If the sprinkler unit needs replacing, who is responsible?

Can owners take action against a caretaker and committee for failing to address ongoing water ingress in a strata scheme

By admin,

We have had a repeated water ingress issue through a fire exit door from the basement. The caretaker failed to address the issues for the past three months despite being given the correct actions.

After Cyclone Alfred caused a third ingress and damage to resident’s goods in the nearby storage cage, the advice was finally actioned.

The body corporate committee was aware of these issues but did not ensure that the caretaker acted to address the problem before the third ingress and damage. What can we do about the failure of both parties to ensure due diligence?