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Forward Planning Avoids Tomorrow’s Crisis

In this article we discuss in general common repairs and maintenance problems confronted both in strata schemes and company title schemes.

Maintenance and Repairs

Major issues relating to maintenance and repairs include:

  • water ingress;
  • water leaks in internal wet areas;
  • failure of services;
  • outdated balcony balustrades;
  • blocked guttering; electrical faults; and
  • concrete cancer.

 

Urgent Repairs

Urgent repairs mainly centre around water ingress, and plumbing problems.

 

Building Defects

Building defects works, also include:

  • water ingress;
  • water leaks in internal areas;
  • defective services (e.g. broken lifts or air-conditioning units);
  • defective or design faults of balconies or balustrades;
  • guttering faults; electrical faults;
  • building movement;
  • cracking to internal and external structures;
  • tiling problems;
  • defects caused by inappropriate building materials; and
  • poor fire and safety compliance.

The owners corporation is both legally and financially responsible for the management of common property repairs and maintenance in their strata scheme.

Owners are financially responsible to contribute if there are insufficient:-

  • funds;
  • insurance cover; or
  • compensation awarded.

 

The Strata Manager’s Role

A strata managing agent has a duty to ensure that the actions, omissions and statements they make do not injure or cause harm or loss to another. If they are negligent in their duties, they may be liable for damages.

 

Qualified Contractors

The owners corporation should ensure appropriately qualified people are engaged to carry out the major repairs and maintenance on their property. We have found the engagement of properly qualified project managers and consultants to be valuable for major capital works such as lift replacement and fire orders.

 

Financial Liability

The owners corporation and by extension, the strata committee may be financially liable if they do not engage properly qualified contractors and experts and this can include any injury experienced by a contractor on site.

 

Funding

The source of funding for maintenance and repairs are the administrative fund; the capital works fund; special levies and loans if required.  We have found that a combination of loans and capital fund levies have also been used by strata and company title schemes.

 

Capital Works Funding

Capital works funds are important and involve forward planning for future spending. Specialist consultants should be engaged to prepare these forecasts.

Though apartments are one of the largest asset one owns, it is not uncommon for owners to be unable or unwilling to pay higher levies or contributions. This reluctance often results in special levies having to be raised.

 

Budget Planning

Schemes and companies that do not plan and budget effectively often find themselves “putting out fires”. Long term planning reduces the need for crisis management and the angst that comes with that.

 

Proper Planning and Costs

Good capital works plans alleviate or reduce the backlash that often follows the raising of special levies.

Funding to meet the costs of rectification works can be covered by the administrative or capital works fund or through a special levy (or loan), the builder or developer.

Some payments will be covered under home warranty insurance; or by litigation mostly involving the builder or developer and suing for breach of contract or negligence. Litigation is a dangerous and uncertain path to go down. Remember one side wins and the other loses. Always mediate before litigation. Mediation has a greater success rate. Sometimes litigation is unavoidable but it is always costly.

 

Safety Concerns

Safety concerns can flow from poorly maintained common property.

 

The Benefits of Regular Maintenance

Regular and managed maintenance leads to a growth of confidence in the strata committee, strata managers and/or building managers. Sound financial management can avoid or minimise raising special levies.

 

Proper Communications

When carrying out even routine maintenance, regular reporting avoids misunderstandings and complaints.

 

Managing Capital Works

The way major capital works are managed is important.  Common concerns include inadequate assessments of the nature and costs of required works, insufficient funds available to cover these costs, poor standard of work and lengthy delays.

How to deal with capital works includes:

  • Effective budget planning resulting in sufficient funds available to cover major capital works;
  • An active strata committee, including
  • A good relationship with your strata managing agent and/or building manager; and
  • Expert advice is sought and followed.

 

Emergency Major Repair

Emergency major repairs and concerns arising from these include:

  • the of time taken to undertake repairs;
  • a lack of information provided to owners;
  • a lack of consultation with owners;
  • the effectiveness of both the strata manager and the strata committee; and
  • the poor standard of repairs.

 

Stakeholders

Stakeholders include:

  • builders;
  • developers;
  • real estate agents;
  • (resident and investor) owners;
  • the owners corporation/company and
  • its strata committee/board of directors;
  • tenants;
  • strata managing agents;
  • building managers/caretakers;
  • contractors; and
  • professional consultants (such as quantity surveyors, engineers, lawyers).

 

Information

When undertaking maintenance, repairs and capital works, the provision of information and communication as the work progresses is important. Insufficient information can and does lead to complaints.

Another source of complaint is dissatisfaction because of the time taken to reach an agreement, including non-essential spending.

Disputes and Disagreements

Disputes between individual owners and the owners corporation related to the management of major repairs and maintenance are common.

Concerns, disputes, and allegations include:

  • the failure of the strata committee to meet its obligations about documentation communication, obtaining quotes for needed works;
  • failure to properly oversee of repair works;
  • interfering with hired contractors;
  • attempting to claim moneys to improve individual lots;
  • threats of legal action against each other and/or against the strata committee;
  • concern about the lack of action; and
  • suggestions that the repairs or maintenance projects were not necessary or benefitted some owners or strata committee members.

Disagreements in themselves can lead to delay and further damage.

 

Respect Different Points of View

The views of an owner-occupier may differ from investors; newer and older owners; shorter term and longer-term owners all who have conflicting interests.

 

Keep Proper Records

Maintain a paper trail of communications, site visits, photos/videos, and expenditure. Record keeping helps temper complaints and increases confidence in the strata committee, strata and building managers.

Summary

To summarise, whether dealing with maintenance, repairs or defects the optimal approach is for:

  1. the owners corporation, and by extension owners to accept that they are the legal and beneficial owners of common property;
  2. the strata committee and (where applicable) strata managing agent to work cooperatively in the best interests of the owners corporation;
  3. there to be a reasonable relationship (and flow of information) between the strata committee, managing agent (where applicable), building manager (where applicable), owners and tenants regarding plans for major repairs and maintenance;
  4. a regular maintenance schedule and a plan for major capital works, created by experts ;
  5. effective budget planning so there are enough funds to fund works as when they arise;
  6. repairs and maintenance works to be carried out properly, including proper funding, and several quotes from contractors or experts before one is chosen;
  7. effective management based on strong relationships between owners, between owners and the strata committee, the original owner (the builder or developer where appropriate), strata managers and building managers.

Other stakeholders who may be involved in the management of strata properties and company title properties (e.g. lawyers, engineers, the NSW Office of Fair Trading and the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal) may also play a part in improving and or maintaining the quality the property.

We hope this general discussion on maintenance, repair and capital works has been of some assistance.

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