Lift registration can be easy to overlook when responsibility is shared between a body corporate, its manager and a lift contractor. This guide explains what your body corporate can check, which records it must keep, and how to manage related maintenance and insurance responsibilities.
How do you register a lift for a body corporate in Queensland?
The available Queensland guidance for this article does not confirm the current application process, registration period, renewal deadline or information required for lift registration. It also does not establish whether the body corporate, lift owner, manager or another party completes the registration.
Before submitting an application or assuming a registration is current, confirm the requirements with the current Queensland workplace safety regulator or your body corporate manager. Keep a copy of any application, approval, certificate or correspondence received.
Treat registration status as a compliance matter. Do not assume it from the lift contractor’s service arrangements. If there is any uncertainty, ask for the current registration details and check that they relate to the correct building and equipment.
Who is responsible for registering and maintaining a body corporate lift?
The source material does not establish a lift-specific rule identifying who must register the lift. Your body corporate should confirm the responsible party and record that information with its other building and service records.
Maintenance responsibility depends on the boundaries of the common property and the scheme’s plan of subdivision. The relevant regulation module is set out in the community management statement. The survey plan and regulation module help determine whether the body corporate or an individual lot owner is responsible for particular maintenance.
If the lift forms part of the common property, the body corporate must maintain the common property in good and structurally sound condition. Maintenance can include work needed to prevent damage.
For more information, see our body corporate maintenance factsheet.
What lift records should a body corporate keep?
Queensland guidance requires a body corporate to keep records including contracts with a body corporate manager or service contractor, reports given by a body corporate manager, insurance policies, correspondence, meeting material and asset registers. A body corporate can also choose to keep other records.
This guidance does not create a lift-specific list of certificates or registration documents. As a practical measure, keep documents that help show the lift’s history and current status, including:
- registration correspondence or certificates
- service contracts and maintenance reports
- invoices and records of repairs
- inspection or safety documents received from contractors
- relevant plans, warranties and asset information
- committee or general meeting decisions about the lift.
The original owner must provide the body corporate with an asset register, development approval where applicable, building plans and warranty documents for common property plant, equipment and assets.
Some records can be disposed of after 6 years, while others can be disposed of after 2 years, unless they are still current. The body corporate should check the record category before disposing of anything connected with the lift.
How should a body corporate manage lift maintenance and safety?
Start by confirming whether the lift is common property and identifying the body corporate’s maintenance obligations under the survey plan and regulation module. Ask the contractor for clear information about completed work, outstanding defects and recommended repairs.
A committee should document maintenance decisions properly. This may include keeping contractor reports, approving necessary work, recording decisions in meeting minutes and following up unresolved issues.
If a lift problem could affect residents, visitors or workers, act promptly and obtain suitable technical advice. A general service arrangement may not address an issue that has been specifically identified as unsafe or in need of repair.
Our body corporate compliance factsheet may help your committee organise its broader compliance records and actions.
What insurance does a body corporate need for common property?
A body corporate must have insurance for common property, body corporate assets, public risk and, in most cases, every building containing a lot.
Public risk insurance must cover amounts the body corporate could be liable to pay for death, illness, injury and property damage. The policy must provide at least $10 million for a single event and at least $10 million for the period covered by the policy.
The body corporate must also insure common property and body corporate assets for their full replacement value.
Review the policy with your insurance adviser to confirm that the building, common property and relevant assets are appropriately covered. You can also read our body corporate insurance factsheet.
What should a committee check with its lift contractor and manager?
A committee can ask:
- Is the lift’s current registration status confirmed?
- Who is responsible for any registration or renewal action?
- What service and inspection records are available?
- Are there outstanding repairs, defects or safety recommendations?
- Is the contractor’s scope of work clear?
- Are the relevant records stored with the body corporate’s documents?
- Does the insurance policy cover the common property and body corporate assets as required?
Review lift registration, maintenance, records and insurance together so important information is not left with one contractor or committee member. If you are unsure about the registration position, contact your body corporate manager at reception@stratacare.com.au.
Keeping clear records and confirming responsibilities will help your body corporate manage its lift and respond to issues with greater confidence.
