Hi all, My partner's parents purchased an IP unit about 6 months ago and are (largely) happy with the purchase. They have a issue with a Safety Cut-off Switch intermittently tripping. As you would expect the tenants are not only a bit annoyed, but we're all getting a little worried from a "duty of care" point of view with an electrical problem. An electrician has already confirmed that it's not the switch itself or due to any appliance or overloading of a particular circuit due to the tenants and has suggested the issue may lie a little deeper (read.... behind a wall somewhere!) Where does the responsibility and associated cost for the repairs lie? I've trawled the net and come up with basically nothing and we don't want to get railroaded by an Owners Corp. My IP's are in Queensland and are houses so I'm really not used to Strata, Any help or suggestions where to turn would be greatly appreciated?
I'm not an expert in strata - but my understanding is that anything from the walls out is a body corporate responsibility (eg plumbing, electricity and other services that come into the apartment from the common areas). I could be wrong on the details there. I'll try and find someone with expertise to point you in the right direction.
My suggestion to your "in-laws" is call your owners corporation representative and raise it as an urgent safety issue. You will need to get your electrician to reduce his advice to writing i.e. "not safety switch or tenant's fault - fault is possibly with building wiring". Follow up with an urgent fax to the owners corporation rep. Make it their issue to investigate urgently but be prepared to put forward the evidence that you've checked it's not your issue. Keep nagging them...your partner's parents are owners and shouldn't be fobbed. If they are fobbed then a good documentary trail, diary notes of calls to follow up etc are important. Good luck Cheers N
When you buy into a strata scheme, you're basically purchasing the airspace within the walls of your specific lot. Electrical wiring in any common property (or servicing more than one lot) qualifies as common property, and is thus serviced as such by the Owners Corporation. Wiring within walls would be covered in this scenario, as plumbing piping does as well. Have a read of this for futher clarification: Strata Guide Best of luck with it all and let us know how you go.
