This article is about how to get body corporate approval for a storage cage upgrade in a strata complex.
Question: How to get body corporate approval for a storage cage upgrade for increased security. What challenges may I face?
I want to upgrade my exclusive use storage cage structure from steel wire to a more secure diamond aluminium grill at my expense. The storage cage is a stand-alone structure between two concrete pillars.
Do I need approval? If so, what is the approval process? What challenges may I face?
Answer: The committee has to consider many factors when assessing an application like this.
Changes to your lot like a storage cage upgrade usually require the approval of the committee or wider body corporate, depending on the cost.
Most schemes or body corporate managers will have an application form and approval process for this. You should contact them about the submission requirements. You could also check your by-laws, as some schemes have laws that define how to get body corporate approval.
You could submit the application with a committee motion if necessary. The committee is obliged to consider your motion within six weeks of receipt. Most schemes should be set up to make approvals quicker than this, but if you need it, that option is there.
Is there any reason to reject the approval? You already have a cage in place, so presuming that was approved, there doesn’t seem to be an obvious reason to reject an application to improve the cage. However, there are always multiple factors to consider when approving a proposal. Perhaps the by-laws outline the type or size of cages that are permitted. Will the cage interfere with body corporate property, access ways or utility services like sprinklers? Will the new cage interfere with other owner’s use of the building?
The committee has to consider all factors like this when assessing an application. As such, we recommend you submit a detailed application that considers the possibilities and tries to answer the potential questions in advance. Generally, committees respond well to applications that provide the information they need to properly consider the application. If that information is missing, the committee is within its rights to reject the application or ask you to resubmit.
William Marquand
Tower Body Corporate
E: willmarquand@towerbodycorporate.com.au
P: 07 5609 4924
This post appears in the February 2025 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine.
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