Graffiti can make a body corporate building look neglected, affect how people view the property and raise safety concerns. Acting promptly can limit the visual impact, help prevent repeat damage and clarify responsibility and funding.
How do you deal with graffiti in a body corporate?
Start by recording the damage with clear photographs, including any tags or identifying marks. This can help with reporting, obtaining quotations, making insurance enquiries and deciding whether the damage is on common property or within a lot.
Remove unwanted graffiti as soon as reasonably possible. Paint, chemical removal products and high-pressure water blasting may be used. Consider the affected surface, the age of the graffiti and the type of paint or pen before choosing a method.
Professional cleaners may be appropriate where the area is large, the surface is delicate or chemicals and pressure-washing are required. Ask for a method suitable for the surface and follow product safety instructions. Keep chemicals and run-off away from children, animals, stormwater and waterways.
If the graffiti is offensive, hateful, racist, politically offensive, insulting, defamatory or otherwise inappropriate, prioritise covering or removing it. In Brisbane, Council may issue a Removal Notice requiring graffiti to be removed or covered within 14 days.
You can read more about related obligations in our body corporate maintenance factsheet.
Who is responsible for graffiti on common property?
The body corporate is generally responsible for arranging maintenance of affected common property. Queensland Government guidance states that a body corporate must maintain common property in good and structurally sound condition, while a lot owner must maintain their own lot.
The first step is to confirm whether the graffiti is on a common-property wall, fence, entry area, car park or other body corporate asset, or inside an individual lot.
If graffiti on a lot has caused damage to common property, or poor maintenance has allowed damage to spread, responsibility may need closer consideration. The body corporate and lot owner may need to work together to establish what happened and what repairs are required.
Check the scheme’s plan of subdivision and community management statement if responsibility is unclear. The community management statement identifies the regulation module that applies to the scheme, which helps determine maintenance responsibility. A body corporate manager can help organise records, obtain quotations and refer the issue for the appropriate decision.
How should a body corporate pay for graffiti removal?
The correct funding source depends on the work required and the financial rules applying to the scheme.
The administrative fund can pay for expenditure that is not required to come from the sinking fund, including regular maintenance of common property.
The sinking fund can pay for big or one-off items, painting or structural repairs to common property, and replacement of major common-property items. A larger graffiti repair involving repainting or replacement may therefore need to be considered against the sinking fund plan.
Money cannot be transferred between the administrative and sinking funds. The committee should check the applicable regulation module and the nature of the work before committing funds.
If the expected cost is not covered by the existing budget, the body corporate may need an additional levy, known as a special contribution. A special contribution is used for unexpected costs or costs that were not fully allowed for in the budget, and requires an ordinary resolution.
Annual levies are decided at the annual general meeting through the administrative and sinking fund budgets. The body corporate works out the amount each lot must pay based on those budgets and the applicable contribution arrangements.
Before approving work, obtain a suitable quotation and confirm the spending authority available under the applicable regulation module and existing approvals. This helps avoid committing the body corporate to work without the required authority.
What are practical ways to prevent graffiti?
Removing graffiti fixes the visible damage. Prevention usually involves several small changes.
Consider the following options:
- Use lighting to improve visibility around vulnerable walls, fences, entries and other dark areas.
- Relocate bins and other items that could provide climbing opportunities or concealment.
- Keep views to the property as clear as possible while still meeting privacy, safety and landscaping needs.
- Consider planting dense vegetation in front of vulnerable walls or fences to reduce access.
- Avoid gaps between vegetation and walls, as these can provide concealment.
- Keep planting maintained so it does not create trip hazards, block lighting or increase other maintenance problems.
- Consider darker colours, as graffiti may be less visually prominent than it would be on a light surface.
- Consider rough or uneven finishes where appropriate, but do not change a wall surface solely for graffiti prevention without considering durability and maintenance.
- Ask a professional about an anti-graffiti coating that is suitable for the surface, warranty and future cleaning method.
- Use signs, landscaping, fencing or surface changes to make property boundaries clear.
Council guidance also recommends lighting, controlling access to natural ladders such as bins and trees, and replacing continuous blank surfaces with murals or legal art.
A body corporate may also consider commissioning an approved mural or other artwork to cover a blank wall. Assess this against the budget, appearance of the property, maintenance requirements and any approvals that may apply. It should not be treated as a promise that graffiti will not return.
When should you report graffiti to the council or police?
Report graffiti through your local council’s current website or reporting service. Reporting processes can change, so do not rely on old links or contact details.
For example, Brisbane City Council provides reporting options for graffiti on private property and Council property. It also advises reporting graffiti as soon as possible and provides guidance on suitable removal methods.
For a non-urgent incident, contact Policelink on 13 14 44. For an emergency, or where police attendance is urgently required, call Triple Zero (000).
Avoid approaching or confronting someone who may be vandalising the property. Record what you can safely, including the location, time, description and photographs where appropriate.
What can a body corporate manager help with?
A body corporate manager can be a practical point of contact when graffiti affects common property. They may help the committee or body corporate to:
- record the report and identify the affected area
- check whether the damage appears to be on common property
- arrange quotations from suitable contractors
- coordinate access to the building
- provide information about available administrative or sinking fund balances
- place the matter before the appropriate decision-maker
- keep records of reports, approvals, invoices and completed work
- help organise follow-up prevention measures.
Prompt removal, clear responsibility, suitable funding and practical prevention measures can help your body corporate respond to graffiti effectively. If you need help coordinating common-property repairs, contact StrataCare at reception@stratacare.com.au.
