Question: I live by myself and do not ever have small children in my townhouse. Why do I have to have child-proof window locks on my windows?
Answer: The regulation is designed to eliminate risk proactively, rather than react after an incident.
This is a really common question, and it’s completely understandable.
In NSW, window safety requirements come from the Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 (NSW), which requires owners corporations to ensure that certain windows in strata lots are fitted with compliant safety devices (such as restrictors or locks).
These devices must limit the opening to no more than 125mm and be robust enough to prevent a fall. Most compliant devices are designed to be over-rideable, allowing occupants to fully open the window when it is safe to do so, while still maintaining compliance when engaged.
Importantly, this obligation applies to the lot itself, not the current occupant. So even if you don’t have children living in or visiting your townhouse, the requirement still applies.
The reason behind this is safety and liability:
- Apartments and townhouses change occupants over time (future owners, tenants, visitors, etc.)
- A child visiting the property, even temporarily, could be exposed to a fall risk.
- If a compliant device is not installed and an incident occurs, there can be serious legal and financial consequences for both the owner and the owners corporation.
A simple example:
If a future tenant moves in with young children, or a visitor brings a child into the home, and a fall occurs from a non-compliant window, the absence of a safety device could expose all parties to liability claims. The regulation is designed to eliminate that risk proactively, rather than react after an incident.
In short, it’s not about your current living situation. It’s about ensuring every lot is consistently safe, now and into the future.
This post appears in the May 2026 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
Anthony Shakar
ASQB
E: info@asqb.com.au
P: 02 9785 7893
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