Question: As a potential buyer, what information can a strata inspection report provide me about the history of concrete issues in the building?
Answer: There might be information in the strata records about the existence of concrete issues.
A strata inspection report is prepared following a search of the records for the strata plan. It is not an inspection of the building itself. The strata records inspector will not have been to the building. Nonetheless, if there are past or current concrete issues in the building, there might be information in the strata records about these issues. Some examples of the types of information include:
- Comments in meeting minutes or correspondence expressing concern about the deterioration of concrete in the building.
- Decisions by owners shown in meeting minutes to arrange for an expert to inspect the building to assess any concrete issues.
- Engineering or other expert reports prepared following an inspection of the building, setting out the extent of issues discovered.
- Tender of similar documents providing quotes for remediation works.
- Expenditure shown in the financial accounts for the building for consultants or concrete remedial works.
In some cases, concrete issues may initially be isolated, and an inspection might be limited to the issues visible. Over time, these issues might become evident in other areas of the building. As a result, past remediation works might not mean the problem is completely solved.
If the records don’t provide a clear, up-to-date picture, it’s important that the search agent follows up with the strata manager to find out the status of any current or recent concrete issues.
If you have specific concerns about a particular building, please let the strata inspection business know about your concerns so they can focus on this issue while searching the strata records. If a strata inspection report is already available for the property you are interested in, please contact the business that searched the records to ask about any issues that concern you. You may believe there are potential concrete issues in the building based on what you have seen during a property inspection. If the strata inspection report doesn’t provide any documents showing issues, it might be worthwhile to have a qualified building inspector visually assess the building.
This post appears in the June 2025 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
Michael Ferrier
EYEON Property Inspections
E: michael.ferrier@eyeon.com.au
P: 02 9260 5510
Can we request a strata report from the vendor or agent handling the sale?
In NSW. I have a Strata Report from the Vendor that I’ve purchased. Should I also get my own Strata inspection done?
Hi Bron. It depends on the source of the report and your ability to get quality follow up support. If you’d like some more detailed information on this issue please don’t hesitate to call us on 1300 798 274. Michael Ferrier MD, EYEON Property Inspections.
I am from Queensland but have been involved in purchases of strata type property in NSW. I am astounded that a Body Corporate report is not offered as part of the sales documents free of charge. The information should is available to the vendor free so I see no reason why it cannot be passed on to prospective buyers free. It seems to me a simple scheme that is obviously a great money spinner for those involved.
I agree Diane. The strata report should ALWAYS be available free of charge to potential buyers.
Being the biggest purchase the average person makes in their lifetime (by a significant margin), it is astounding that free & full disclosure of a strata property isn’t mandatory in NSW.
I am amazed that a full strata report is not supplied in NSW. Here in SA, we receive, free of charge, financials and minutes from the last 2 or 3 years, so there is full disclosure of all future and past repairs. I was even provided with the age of my water heater. I would not feel confident buying a strata unit without all this information and feel it should be free or for a minimum fee .