It’s also an unfortunate reality that water leaks can be time consuming, costly issues to deal with, especially as the responsibility for fixing them in a strata community depends on finding the source.

Here’s a quick word to the wise on water leaks…

Find the source

If you have mysterious water in your unit, the first task is to find the source, and that may involve working with other parties like your body corporate manager and other unit owners.

If the leak is within your unit, the responsibility is clearly yours or your landlord’s to rectify, but if it’s coming from an external source then the lines begin to blur. Here’s why…

Whose responsibility?

Generally in strata living the airspace and items within the four boundary walls of your unit are your responsibility.

This means items like the cavities that adjoin the properties above, beneath and each side are common property falling under the responsibility of the body corporate. Common pipes within these spaces may also be in their care, along with membranes between properties. However if the pipe is within your property, it’s your problem.

In some cases your property extends beyond standard boundaries to decks, patios, verandas and courtyards, so it’s critical to know what’s yours and what’s not.  

Who to call

If the water is coming from outside your unit, contact your body corporate manager. It may be as simple as the resident above leaving a bath to overflow, but the cause could be more complex, like an identified leak within the building, which needs further investigation.

If the leak is caused by the unit holder above, they may be liable for any damage caused to you, but the body corporate is the best placed authority to start sorting through the issue

A quick tip

On this note as a unit owner it’s critical to be mindful of the plumbing products you use and how well they’re maintained as their effect could extend well beyond your property.

For example, in recent years stainless steel, braided pipes have gained popularity in bathroom and kitchen sinks and basins, as well as for toilet cisterns and dishwashers.

These flexible little numbers make connecting the water supply to taps easier for plumbers, and also make changing taps in the future a more viable proposition than if fixed copper lines are used. However, they can eventually split and leak, often in a sudden and dramatic way with disastrous results.

This is especially problematic if you’re away at the time and no one has access to your unit. The water runs out through the broken pipe continuously, filling the unit and damaging cabinets, flooring, skirting boards and often occupiers belongings as well.

Importantly this has the potential to damage units below.

The thing to remember is that all pipes and especially flexible ones have a service life, and don’t last forever. The quality of the pipe will ultimately determine the service lifespan. Some plumbers recommend changing them as often as every five years to be safe as there are some low-quality flex pipes on the market.

The final word

Unit living is a shared responsibility where your actions, renovations or maintenance has the potential to impact others. That means considering this when installing fixtures, features and items like plumbing, and tending to them on a regular basis. This is not just the responsibility of the body corporate who oversees a building, but each unit owner within it.

The post A word to the wise on water leaks appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.

Permission

Any fixed air conditioner is going to require a compressor and pipes to be fitted to the exterior of your building, which means you will need permission from the body corporate before you go ahead.

The best time to talk to your body corporate is before you even examine air-conditioning options as they may have guidelines for whether they allow air-conditioners to be fitted and, if so, what type, where and by whom.

These guidelines will generally fall under your body corporate by-laws, and if you don’t adhere to their requirements you may be forced to remove your air-conditioner and pay for any damage caused by installation, so it pays to touch base about your plans first.

Depending on the total cost of the installation you may have to wait for approval at a general meeting, which would most often be the next AGM. If your AGM has just passed that means you could be waiting another 12 months before you have the necessary permission to go ahead and install your air conditioner. Talk to your body corporate manager as soon as you decide that you want to install an air conditioner.

The look

Regardless of whether you’re in a high-rise building, townhouses that sit side-by-side or a low rise apartment block, your air-conditioner will require an exterior unit to be fitted somewhere.

This means you need to consider the look, and the body corporate will require input into where that unit will be located. Some will allow air-con compressors on the balcony, some may not. You may have to go to the expense of fitting the exterior unit on the roof of the building, or have it attached at height to the rear wall.

You may also have to ensure the unit is a certain size or look to guarantee uniformity on the building’s exterior, and carefully consider exactly where any pipes will be located. All these factors may incur extra expense that you should investigate early.

The noise

Compressors make noise, some more than others, and this will need to be factored in for the comfort of other unit holders. This will also affect the type of air-conditioner you should be considering and where it needs to be positioned.

Installation access

Once you’ve obtained body corporate permission, ascertained the best position and selected your air-conditioning unit, you will need to think about access. Chances are your installer will need to use common property or other people’s property to access the installation site for your air-conditioner, and you will need to notify those unit holders and seek permission first.

That notice may need to be a prescribed period in advance, such as 14 days prior. You will also need to let them know how long works will take, and the type of impact they will have.

The final word

It’s worth remembering that while it’s your unit, any improvements that alter the exterior impact other investors. So talk to your body corporate about plans such as installing air-conditioning to ensure the best outcome for all involved.

The post Installing an air-conditioner in your unit? What you need to consider appeared first on Select Body Corporate Managers.