Responsibilities of Owners and Body Corporates

I do a fair amount of inspections in sectional title schemes. Often, owners ask me if body corporates will pay for repairs inside their units. Obviously, their concern is about damage caused by external factors such as rainstorms, burst geysers, and so on.

Each case is usually based on its merits. Usually, the trustees use their discretion in deciding how to allocate repair and replacement costs. However, there are many grey areas and differences between the owner’s and body corporate’s responsibilities and liabilities.

The Body Corporate’s obligations

Body corporates are responsible for the repairs, maintenance, and upkeep of the common properties.

Furthermore, the body corporate maintains all pipes, ducts, wiring, etc., for the common property and services to more than one unit.

Your obligations as an owner of a section

You must maintain your particular section. Moreover, you must also keep any part of the common property to which you have the right neat and tidy. These are exclusive-use areas such as gardens, patios, balconies, and parking areas.