This article discusses whether the developer is responsible for construction phase water costs and cleaning charges, and how the committee can seek repayment.
Question: We have been charged over $4000 for water bills and pre-settlement cleaning during the construction phase of our new building.
Our strata committee was formed in October 2024 at the Annual General Meeting for our new building. Strata was set up in July 2024 by the developer when he held an extra ordinary general meeting. As treasurer, I noticed we’ve been charged over $3000 for water from June to September. This would have been during the construction phase. We have also been billed $1000 for Pre-settlement cleaning of common areas. Should these charges be the responsibility of the developer?
Answer: The committee should write to the developer and ask for a reimbursement.
The committee should write to the developer and ask for a reimbursement, or payment, of those costs incurred prior to the registration of the scheme. If that is not complied with, the committee could consider obtaining legal advice for a more formal demand to be prepared (and advice around any other rights or entitlements the body corporate may have in the early stages of the scheme’s creation).
This post appears in the February 2025 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine.
Todd Garsden
Mahoneys
E: tgarsden@mahoneys.com.au
P: 07 3007 3753
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