Remedial Works, the DBP Act
and Planning Approvals
Planning approvals & the D&BP Act for strata remedial works In a recent interview with Helen Kowal, Partner at Swaab, we discussed the implications of the recent legislative and regulatory reforms in the construction industry of New South Wales. These reforms, while widely acknowledged as necessary for enhancing the quality of construction work in both […]
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Unraveling the Responsibility for Upstairs Water Leaks
It is not always clear whether water ingress results from defective common property, or whether it is originating from another lot, usually being the lot directly above. Generally, where water ingress is being caused by another lot owner, it is due to renovation works being carried out in that other lot. For a lot owner […]
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Show me the money – funding major remedial work and renovations
Time marches on in strata, as in life. Our strata buildings are ageing and increasingly in need of some serious attention to maintain the quality of life for residents. As the 2022 UNSW strata insights report pointed out, the number of schemes in NSW more than 20 years old has exceeded the 50,000 mark. Every […]
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Smoking and Strata
Can you ban smoking in strata without a by-law? In a series of NCAT cases, several owners corporations succeeded in obtaining orders to prohibit or restrict smoking in strata buildings. These cases all shared a common element: the smoke from cigarettes or tobacco products was deemed a nuisance interfering with a residents’ amenity, contrary to […]
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Fire safety for strata owners
Fire safety in strata Fire safety is a core responsibility of owners corporations and strata committees. It is not simply a matter of compliance with regulations. It is one area where a “she’ll be right” attitude or “near enough is good enough” can be a fatal error. As a recent fire in Rome illustrated, one […]
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We like to know our homes are secure from intruders and most strata properties rate highly on that score. Apart from some smaller, older blocks it is rare to find a property where access to individual lots or shared areas like foyers, lifts, stairwells and even garages is not protected both physically end electronically with […]
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Embedded networks in strata
Benefits and considerations of embedded networks A key element of the shared infrastructure in strata is the distribution of basic utilities like electricity, gas, water, and fibre optic cable to individual units. In most smaller schemes the shared infrastructure simply connects individual residents to the retail networks enjoyed by most other households. But increasingly, and […]
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Lift Maintenance and Registration
Lifts in strata Lifts are critical infrastructure for strata schemes. Any outage will create serious difficulties for residents, particularly those with mobility challenges, and the responsibility for repairing and maintaining lifts is a key one for owners corporations. Repairs and maintenance First and foremost, the annual levies budget should provide adequately for both regular and […]
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