Common Property is a term that you will hear a lot if you are living in an Owners Corporation. 

If you are unfamiliar with the term, let’s take a look at what it means.  

The Common Property for your scheme is stated on the plan of subdivision. The Common Property may include gardens, passages, walls, stairwells, driveways, lifts, foyers and fences. The Owners Corporation is responsible for the Common Property and must manage, administer, repair and maintain the Common Property.

Can the Owners Corporation make alterations to Common Property? 

According to Consumer Affairs Victoria, an Owners Corporation can only make signification alterations to the use or appearance of the Common Property if the alterations are: 

• listed in the maintenance plan or 
• approved by special resolution or 
• composed of works for the upgrading, renovating or improving of the Common Property, and 
• the estimated total cost is not double annual total fees, or 
• the works require a planning building permit.

Upgrading Common Property  

The Owners Corporations Act 2006 – s.53 states: 

1) An Owners Corporation may by special resolution approve the carrying out of upgrading works for the Common Property and the levying of fees on Lot Owners for that purpose.  

2) In this section “upgrading works” means building works for the upgrading, renovation or improvement of the Common Property where –  

(a) the total cost of the works is estimated to be more than twice the total amount of the current annual fees; or 

(b) the works require a planning permit or a building permit before they can be carried out –  

But does not include works that are provided for in an approved maintenance plan or works referred to in section 4 (b).   

Common Facilities – Live Work Play

The Live, Work, Play model satisfies the communities needs by providing the most effective features to support these three pillars of comfortable living, better working experiences and favorable amenities/common facilities. The model’s concept is deeply rooted in the idea that people are happier living in a community that provides services to support their everyday needs.

Strata living offers many benefits and common facilities is just one. By investing into a strata community residents often have access to a variety of facilities that they would likely not be able to achieve in a standalone house.

To the left you can see some of the facilities that you may have access to in your strata community.

If you have any questions specific to your scheme, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your SSKB Owners Corporation Manager. If you would like to contact SSKB, please click here.