This article and Q&As are about the delivery of parcels and boxes for apartment residents in NSW owners corporations.
Table of Contents:
- QUESTION: Our owners corporation passed a by-law stating that owners are responsible for the locks and upkeep of the individual lot letterboxes. Should the strata plan be updated to reflect that the letterboxes are now the property of the lot owner?
- QUESTION: Do you know of any secure letterboxes, or do you have any tips to thwart vandals? Our cluster letterboxes are regularly vandalised, with the doors pried open and mail stolen.
- QUESTION: My building management has put up a sign advising post/couriers that they cannot leave any parcels or boxes near the entrance for the apartment building complex.
Question: Our owners corporation passed a by-law stating that owners are responsible for the locks and upkeep of the individual lot letterboxes. Should the strata plan be updated to reflect that the letterboxes are now the property of the lot owner?
Answer: I have never seen a strata scheme update their strata plan to reflect this change.
I have seen many strata schemes pass special resolutions not to maintain common property under Section 106 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 through their by-laws. I always recommend strata schemes seek legal advice with any new by-law they want to incorporate into their strata by-laws.
I have never seen a strata scheme change their strata plan to reflect this change. If you have concerns, I suggest you speak to a lawyer to ensure you are not required to change your strata plan.
Rod Smith
The Strata Collective
E: rsmith@thestratacollective.com.au
P: 02 9879 3547
This post appears in the September 2024 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
Question: Do you know of any secure letterboxes, or do you have any tips to thwart vandals? Our cluster letterboxes are regularly vandalised, with the doors pried open and mail stolen.
We continue to have our cluster letterboxes vandalised, with the doors pried open and mail stolen. I am searching for stronger, impenetrable letterboxes. Do you know of any secure letterboxes, or do you have any tips to thwart vandals?
Answer: The most secure locker placement is within an access-protected building where solutions allow for courier/postman building access with full track and trace functionality.
From conversations with prospective customers, we find that the vast majority of vandalism occurs to mailboxes outside of a building. When we are implementing parcel and mail solutions, the placement of lockers is a key consideration. We advise that the most secure locker placement is within an access-protected building where solutions allow for courier/postman building access with full track and trace functionality.
Seb Gallery
Groundfloor Parcel Lockers
E: sebastian.gallery@groundfloordelivery.com
P: 0409 121 120
This post appears in Strata News #626.
Question: My building management has put up a sign advising post/couriers that they cannot leave any parcels or boxes near the entrance for the apartment building complex.
My building management has put up a sign advising post/couriers that they cannot leave any parcels or boxes near the entrance for the apartment building complex, implying that they will throw out any parcel that is left on the entrance.
This is making me feel unsafe and uncertain of what will happen to my parcel or boxes, especially deliveries like hello fresh that are simply always left at the door.
Is this legal?
Answer: Legally yes, apartment building managers can inform couriers that parcel are not to be left at the entrance or in the foyer.
Legally yes, building managers can inform couriers (deliveries) that that parcels and boxes are not to be left at the entrance or in the foyer. Advising such does not imply that packages will be disposed of. Food parcels that are not collected can present a health risk if left for long periods. If these are not collected after a reasonable time, they could be disposed of not to attract pests or flies, which is a greater risk to the residents’ residents.
Deliveries of packages in multi-story residential or commercial buildings do present some issues; it is the recipient’s responsibility to give clear instructions when placing an order and ensure where possible to collect the packages promptly, preferably to take receipt of the package at the time of delivery.
Hello Fresh, Muscle Me and other food deliveries do not necessarily contact the recipient on the arrival of their packages. This may be due to unclear direction or instructions when the recipient places their online order. Multi-residential or commercial buildings that receive many packages from these types of services put Building Managers into a predicament as to what to do with parcels being left in the front of the building for lengthy periods. It is preferable that if the recipient is not home to take delivery, they should arrange alternatives with neighbours or have them delivered to a workplace.
As managers, we are not the intended recipient and, legally, therefore, cannot accept or sign on behalf of the recipient for a parcel. This includes parcels or packages from Australia Post.
The same rule applies to food deliveries as they have been treated the same as courier delivered products; fresh food items can present a health issue. The building should implement specific rules to minimise the risk of contamination or parcel theft.
Dino Biordi
LUNA – The Building Management Company
E. dino@luna.management
P: 1800 00 LUNA (5862)
This post appears in the June 2021 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
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If strata have now locked common doors to the property (which were not originally locked) without communication to the residence – is that acceptable? the only comms we got was that we needed to collect keys – one resident who rents was going to return his key to where he found it, in case someone had lost it. now in addition to this the residence have now been impacted with how we receive deliveries, as the doors are locks drivers can’t deliver so they are sent to the post office requiring people to take time off work to get tot he post office, posties don’t always leave cards so we don’t always know when something is waiting for collection, strata wants us to be home to receive all deliveries, also the utilities cant come in and read the meters as only a few people have the key to the meter room which is also now locked with the common doors, and so strata expects us to be home for meter readings also. strata is significantly impacting how residents have to manage their time – and there was no communication around this. just come collect your keys. and strata is telling us that its not their legal obligation to provide a solution to deliveries – even though they have taken away the ability to easily receive them.
Hi Jane
The following response has been provided by Leanne Habib, Premium Strata:
An Owners Corporation can introduce additional security measures, such as locking common doors, if the intention is to improve safety and protect residents and property.
However, doing so is not simply an operational decision. Locking previously unlocked common doors is considered an addition or alteration to common property. As such, the Owners Corporation should formally approved this change by passing a special resolution at a general meeting.
In addition, access must not be unreasonably restricted. All owners and occupiers should be provided with appropriate keys, fobs, or access devices to allow entry to all areas of common property that are not formally restricted. If certain areas are to be restricted, this should be supported by a valid resolution.
While the intention to improve security is likely reasonable, the process should be comprehensive and not limited to simply communicating the change. It should include consultation with the owners and discussion at a general meeting.
Restricted access to essential areas such as meter rooms, and disruption to deliveries, raise practical concerns that should be considered before implementing any changes to common property access.
Why this issue matters
Changes to access arrangements can have a significant impact on day-to-day living. While security is important, it must be balanced with reasonable access, convenience, and the practical functioning of the building.
Understanding that improvements to common property require both proper approval and practical implementation helps ensure decisions are fair, transparent, and workable.
What your next practical steps should be
If your scheme has introduced access changes without clear communication or planning, there are several steps you can take.
1. Request clarification from the strata manager or committee. Ask on what authority the decision was made and whether a special resolution was passed.
2. Raise the operational issues formally. This includes delivery access, meter readings, and any limitations on movement within the building. These are reasonable concerns that should be addressed.
3. Ensure access is properly provided. All residents and occupiers should have appropriate access devices. No one should be effectively locked out of common property.
4. Consider practical solutions. This may include installing intercom systems, delivery zones, secure parcel lockers, or providing controlled access for service providers.
5. Request better communication going forward. Any changes affecting access or daily living should be clearly communicated in advance, Owners should be consulted and given an opportunity to provide feedback, including discussions at a General meeting of the Owners Corporation.
A well-managed scheme balances security with usability.
Improvements to common property should not come at the expense of residents’ ability to live, receive services, and access their building without unnecessary disruption.