Allowing a strata property to deteriorate can lead to major repairs, budget pressure, disruption and owner dissatisfaction. Proactive maintenance gives your body corporate a practical way to manage upkeep, identify problems early and plan work based on the property’s condition.
Regular maintenance can reduce the scale and cost of some repairs, although it cannot prevent every issue. A clear approach can also help committees, lot owners and body corporate managers make better decisions before urgent work is needed.
What is proactive strata building maintenance?
Proactive maintenance means planning inspections, repairs and upkeep before a problem becomes urgent. This can include checking exterior surfaces, looking for water damage, assessing rust, inspecting timber and addressing mould or mildew.
Painting and surface cleaning can form part of a maintenance program. The right work depends on the material, location, access and condition of each area. An appropriately qualified contractor should assess difficult or elevated work.
Maintenance painting should be based on the condition of the surface, supported by planned inspections and realistic budget forecasting. A maintenance program does not need to cover every possible task on an automatic timetable.
Different building elevations may deteriorate at different rates. The committee should assess each area rather than assume the whole building needs the same work at the same time.
Why does proactive maintenance matter for a body corporate?
Reactive maintenance can create difficult choices. A body corporate may need to respond quickly to water damage, surface decay, rust or timber cracks while also managing available funds and disruption to residents.
Regular inspections can identify water damage or rust before problems become more extensive. Timber cracks should also be assessed and repaired promptly because moisture can enter damaged areas and contribute to deterioration. Mould and mildew should be addressed promptly, particularly where the cause may relate to a maintenance issue.
Cleaning mould may require qualified or specialist assistance when it is extensive, recurring or difficult to access. Avoid using an unsupported cleaning formula to treat a maintenance issue. The safest approach is to identify the cause, assess the affected material and obtain suitable professional advice where needed.
A schedule can reduce the need for reactive decisions. It gives the committee a record of what has been inspected, what needs attention and which work can be planned for later.
Smaller jobs may also be less disruptive for residents than major reactive works. Regular maintenance can support a better resident experience, although the level of disruption will depend on the work involved.
For more practical information, see our body corporate maintenance factsheet.
Who is responsible for maintaining each part of a body corporate property?
In Queensland, the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997, known as the BCCM Act, provides the framework for maintenance responsibilities in a community titles scheme. The body corporate and lot owners can both have maintenance obligations.
A body corporate must maintain common property in a good and structurally sound condition. A lot owner must maintain their lot in good condition. Maintenance can include work needed to prevent damage, such as taking steps to prevent termite damage to a lot or common property. A lot owner may be liable if poor maintenance of their lot causes damage to another lot or common property. A body corporate may also be liable if poor maintenance of common property causes damage to a lot.
The boundary between a lot and common property is not always obvious. Responsibility depends on the registered survey plan, the type of plan of subdivision and the regulation module applying to the scheme. Exclusive-use arrangements and other scheme documents may also need to be checked.
Before approving work, identify:
- whether the affected area is part of a lot or common property
- whether the work relates to an exclusive-use area
- which plan of subdivision applies
- which regulation module applies
- whether the work is maintenance or an improvement.
The Queensland Government explains that the survey plan shows the boundaries of lots and common property, while the community management statement identifies the regulation module. These documents help determine which maintenance obligations apply.
Maintenance decisions should also distinguish repairs from improvements. Most day-to-day work is maintenance, but replacing an item with something materially different may be an improvement. For example, replacing a wooden fence with a similar wooden fence may be maintenance, while replacing it with a Colorbond fence may be an improvement.
Our guide to caretakers and maintenance responsibilities can help explain how maintenance duties may fit with service arrangements at your scheme.
How can a body corporate plan and budget for maintenance?
A body corporate should plan ahead for maintenance and budget for unexpected work. A sinking fund is intended to support major or one-off capital items, such as painting or structural repairs to common property, and the replacement of major items such as common property fences or carpets.
For schemes covered by the relevant regulation modules, the body corporate must prepare administrative and sinking fund budgets each financial year. The sinking fund budget must provide for necessary and reasonable spending in the financial year and reserve an amount for likely spending for at least 9 years after the current financial year. This includes likely capital or non-recurrent spending, such as painting, and the replacement of major capital items.
A large unplanned withdrawal can make body corporate budgeting more difficult. Spreading suitable maintenance work into smaller jobs may help manage cash flow, but this must be balanced against the condition of the property and the need to complete work properly.
The committee prepares proposed budgets for owners to consider at the annual general meeting. A budget can be approved by ordinary resolution. Owners can also propose an alternative budget by submitting a motion for consideration.
A body corporate may ask a professional to prepare a sinking fund forecast, but it is not required to do so. The committee or an owner can estimate likely spending requirements.
When estimating future costs, consider:
- inspection findings and reports
- the likely condition of major building elements
- quotes or indicative pricing
- the timing of planned work
- current sinking fund contributions
- other expected capital expenses.
Several quotes can help owners and the committee assess likely spending. However, placing an item in a budget does not itself authorise the body corporate to spend the money. Spending must be authorised by the body corporate at a general meeting or by the committee within its spending limit.
What should a proactive body corporate maintenance plan include?
A useful maintenance plan should be clear enough for the committee and body corporate manager to follow. It should include:
- the areas and assets to be inspected
- the current condition of each area
- priority levels for identified work
- the person responsible for follow-up
- expected costs and funding source
- proposed timeframes
- approval or resolution requirements
- the contractor or specialist involved
- a date to review completed work.
The body corporate should keep maintenance records and relevant documents. Required records can include invoices, correspondence, meeting minutes, contracts, reports, tenders and records relating to major repairs and installations to common property.
Keep inspection reports, quotes, approvals and completion records together where possible. This gives future committees useful background and makes it easier to see whether a recurring issue has been resolved.
A maintenance schedule should be reviewed when inspections identify a change in condition. It should also be considered when preparing the sinking fund budget, assessing insurance matters or deciding whether work can be staged.
Older buildings usually need more maintenance, but age alone should not determine the priority. The condition, construction, exposure, use and history of the property should all be considered.
When should a body corporate engage a contractor?
A body corporate should engage a contractor when the work requires specialist knowledge, equipment, access or an assessment beyond the committee’s experience. A trusted contractor should be appropriately qualified for the work and able to provide a clear written scope.
The scope should identify:
- the areas to be worked on
- the materials and proposed method
- access requirements
- expected disruption
- the price and payment terms
- exclusions and assumptions
- any warranty or follow-up arrangements.
Using the same contractor can help them become familiar with the property. That familiarity may make future planning easier, but it should not replace comparing quotes or reviewing performance. Keep documented scopes and use competitive procurement where appropriate.
Before accepting a quote, check whether the work is maintenance or an improvement and confirm what approval is needed. For common-property improvements under the Standard, Accommodation and Small Schemes Modules, the approval required depends on the cost. The committee, an ordinary resolution or a special resolution may be required, depending on the relevant improvement limit.
If the work is maintenance, spending authority still needs to be confirmed. A budget forecast is not enough by itself, and the committee should check its spending limit and any applicable meeting resolution requirements.
A proactive maintenance approach helps a body corporate identify problems early, plan work around the property’s condition and budget for major expenses. If you need help reviewing your scheme’s maintenance responsibilities or planning process, contact StrataCare at reception@stratacare.com.au.
