This article discusses leaking bathroom previous owner liability by explaining that a new owner may be responsible for damage caused by a past renovation and should confirm approvals and cause of the leak.
Question: My bathroom tiles are leaking due to bad renovation by the previous owner. If there is damage in the apartment downstairs, am I responsible?
My bathroom tiles are leaking due to bad renovation by the previous owner, resulting in wall damage in the hallway and terrible mould in the bedroom wardrobe.
I’m not sure if they got strata permission…
If there is damage in the apartment downstairs, am I responsible?
Answer: When a new owner purchases a property they purchase is subject to all the works undertaken.
If the works were renovation by-law works, depending on the nature of the work, if it was major a by-law approval would have been required. This would be registered in the strata scheme’s by-laws. When a new owner purchases a property they purchase is subject to all the works undertaken. This is usually a condition in the contract.
A report could be obtained to determine the cause and liability concerns.
This post appears in Strata News #517.
Pierrette Khoury
Khoury Lawyers
E: pierrette@khourylawyers.com.au
P: 0415 459 486

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