Renovations

Thinking of renovating? We would like to give you some helpful steps to get you started in seeking approval from the Owners Corporation.

If you are considering undertaking building and/or renovation works in your apartment, the necessary approvals need to be considered. Depending on how extensive the building works are, approval may be required from the local Council and the Owners Corporation. Appointing an expert to ensure you have the right approvals in place is always recommended.

Approval by local Council
Depending on how extensive the building works are, the approval of local Council may be required, other considerations such as apartments within a heritage building will have certain conditions imposed. It is always recommended that an expert is consulted to assist with the required approvals as it can be quite complex.

Approval by Owners Corporation
There are a number of levels of approval that may be required from the Owners Corporation. If the building works are minor and don’t impact the common property or change the appearance of the building, then approval from the Strata Committee may only be required. This is usually facilitated by an application for approval through a standard by-law and formally approved at an Strata Committee meeting.

If the building works affect common property, change the appearance of the building or fall within other circumstances then a general meeting and/or a special by-law may be required to be created and approved by the Owners Corporation. This is a complex process and a specialist strata lawyer is recommended to provide you the correct advice.

Always seek advice from your strata manager prior to committing to any building or renovation works, the costs can be extensive if the correct approvals are not obtained prior to carrying out the works, you may be required to remove or put back in place, should the approval be denied by local Council or the Owners Corporation.

Approval requirements for works
Bannermans Lawyers produce a Fact Sheet that explains the necessary approvals required for certain types of renovation works. Please refer to the Fact Sheet here.

Submit your application
Submit your application form to your strata managing agent together with your supporting documents.

The strata managing agent will then review the type of works which are applied for and the approval that is required and advise of the next steps. The strata managing agent does not have the authority to decide on an application.

Disclaimer: The articles and comments in this publication are necessarily brief and general in nature and are not intended to be relied upon by any reader in dealing with a particular problem. Whist all care has been taken in the preparation of this publication the writer and the producers accept no liability for any omission or misguidance.