Body corporate repairs and maintenance are easier to manage when responsibilities, funding and decision-making processes are clear. Delays can turn small problems into more expensive defects and increase safety risks for residents.
This guide explains who is generally responsible for maintenance, how to identify common property, how to budget for repairs and what owners and committees can do when work is delayed.
What repairs and maintenance is a body corporate responsible for?
In Queensland, the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997, commonly called the BCCM Act, sets the framework for community titles schemes. The body corporate and lot owners share responsibility for maintaining the scheme. The exact responsibility depends on the registered survey plan, the boundaries of the lots and common property, and the regulation module that applies.
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 steps to prevent termite damage to a lot or common property. An owner or body corporate may be liable when a failure to maintain their area causes damage elsewhere.
Start by identifying which part of the building or scheme is affected. A familiar item, such as a roof, pipe, wall or garden, is not always the body corporate’s responsibility. The answer can change according to the scheme’s plan, boundaries and any exclusive-use arrangements.
You can read more in our body corporate maintenance factsheet.
Responsibility may also depend on whether the proposed work is maintenance or an improvement. Maintenance keeps property in its existing condition or prevents damage. An improvement may add something new or change the existing property, and may require a different decision-making process. Read more about maintenance and improvements.
How do you tell whether an issue is common property or part of a lot?
The registered survey plan shows the boundaries of the lots and common property. Queensland schemes commonly use building format plans or standard format plans, and the boundaries can differ under each type of plan.
You should also check the community management statement, which identifies the regulation module that applies to the scheme. After checking the survey plan, community management statement and relevant maintenance provisions, you can work out whether the body corporate or an individual lot owner should arrange the work.
When an issue is reported, gather enough information to identify its location and likely cause. For example, record:
- the affected lot, common area or building element
- when the problem was first noticed
- whether it is getting worse
- any visible damage, leaks, rust or cracking
- whether anyone is at immediate risk
- photographs, reports or correspondence from contractors.
A written report helps the committee understand what needs attention. It also gives the body corporate a useful record when it seeks advice or quotes, and helps separate a maintenance issue from damage caused by an individual lot or an improvement.
If the responsibility is unclear, the body corporate can obtain advice from a suitably qualified professional. Owners can also obtain a copy of the registered survey plan and community management statement from Titles Queensland. The Commissioner’s information on building format plan maintenance may help you understand the relevant boundaries.
How should a body corporate plan and fund maintenance?
Short-term and recurring maintenance is generally paid from the administrative fund. This fund can cover regular maintenance of common property, insurance and other recurring administrative costs. The administrative fund budget must estimate the necessary and reasonable expenditure for the financial year, including the cost of maintaining common property and body corporate assets.
Major repairs, replacement of major items and other capital or non-recurrent expenditure are generally paid from the sinking fund. Examples include painting common property, structural repairs and replacing major common property items. Money cannot be transferred between the administrative fund and sinking fund.
For schemes covered by the Standard, Accommodation, Commercial or Small Schemes modules, the body corporate must prepare administrative and sinking fund budgets each financial year. The sinking fund budget must allow for necessary and reasonable spending in the current financial year and reserve an appropriate amount for anticipated capital expenditure over at least the next 9 years. A professional sinking fund forecast may help, but the body corporate does not have to engage a professional to prepare one.
Check the applicable regulation module before relying on a particular financial requirement. For example, the Standard Module requires the body corporate to adopt administrative and sinking fund budgets by ordinary resolution each financial year. The proposed budgets are provided with the annual general meeting notice, but including an item in a budget does not itself authorise the body corporate to spend the money.
A committee or general meeting must authorise expenditure through the correct process. The committee is responsible for administrative and day-to-day decisions, but committee spending is restricted and money must be available in the budget. If there is not enough money, the committee may need to call a general meeting to amend the budget or raise a special levy.
For significant work, obtain clear information about the problem, proposed scope, expected cost and likely timing. Several quotes may be useful, particularly where the work is complex or the cost is substantial. In some circumstances, the regulation module requires quotes for major spending before a motion is considered. For a Standard Module scheme, check the relevant spending limits and quotation requirements before the work is approved.
Good financial planning cannot predict every repair exactly. It can help the body corporate identify likely future works, allow for them in the relevant fund and explain levy requirements to owners. When a liability is not adequately covered by the budget, the body corporate may need to consider a special contribution through the required resolution process.
What routine maintenance should a body corporate schedule?
A body corporate should inspect common property, keep useful records and schedule maintenance before problems become urgent. The timing will depend on the building, materials, exposure, age and advice from qualified contractors.
Practical maintenance checks may include:
- cleaning gutters and valleys to help prevent water ingress
- arranging roof inspections to identify cracked tiles or loose flashings
- checking for water damage, rust, cracking or deterioration
- discussing pipe and drainage concerns with a qualified contractor
- reviewing common property assets and their expected maintenance needs
- checking whether contractors are suitably licensed, qualified and insured for the work they are undertaking.
These actions do not replace checking the scheme’s legal responsibilities or obtaining technical advice. Pressure testing pipes, for example, may be appropriate in some buildings but not others. A qualified contractor can advise on the right inspection or testing method.
A maintenance schedule supports budget planning and gives the committee a clearer view of upcoming work. It can also provide early warning of water damage or rust before the problem becomes more serious. Regular maintenance may reduce the risk of accidents and safety hazards, although it cannot prevent every defect or unexpected repair.
The schedule should distinguish between recurring operating costs and major capital works. Regular cleaning or minor servicing may belong in the administrative fund, while replacing a major item or undertaking significant structural work may need to be planned through the sinking fund.
The body corporate does not need to wait until an annual general meeting to consider every maintenance matter. Where a decision is within the committee’s authority, the committee can deal with it through a committee meeting or an out-of-session vote. Matters that require a general meeting or a particular resolution must follow that process instead.
What should you do when repairs are being delayed?
Maintenance delays can result from limited knowledge, poor communication, disagreement about the right solution or concerns about cost. Committees can also become inactive or fail to act quickly. Owners may be reluctant to support work they consider unnecessary when there is no immediate danger.
If you notice an unresolved issue, write to the committee or body corporate manager with a clear description of the problem. Include photographs, dates, reports and any information about the impact on residents or property. Ask what action is proposed and whether a contractor or qualified expert needs to inspect the issue.
Keep your communication factual and focused on the work required. A clear request is more useful than a general complaint. You can ask for the matter to be considered through the appropriate committee or general meeting process, but do not assume that every item of correspondence must be discussed at the next meeting.
If the problem affects common property, explain why you believe the body corporate is responsible and identify the plan or information you have relied on. If the responsibility is uncertain, ask for the survey plan and community management statement to be checked before a decision is made.
Owners can also contribute by joining the committee, sharing relevant skills or suggesting suitable contractors. Any recommendation should be considered alongside quotes, qualifications, insurance, conflicts of interest and the body’s legal decision-making requirements.
Where work is urgent, explain the risk clearly and obtain professional advice where necessary. The committee should not treat urgency as a reason to skip required approvals, but the applicable legislation may provide processes for emergency spending or work required by an order or notice.
A body corporate manager can help identify repair and maintenance options, arrange information and suggest suitable contractors. The manager does not automatically approve expenditure or replace the body corporate’s decision-making responsibilities. The body corporate must still authorise spending through the correct process.
How can committees make maintenance decisions more effectively?
An effective committee gives maintenance issues a clear path from identification to action. Start by confirming the responsibility, describing the problem, obtaining appropriate advice and identifying how the work could be funded.
For each significant issue, the committee should consider:
- what has happened and whether the issue is worsening
- whether the work is maintenance, repair, replacement or an improvement
- who is responsible under the plan and regulation module
- whether an inspection or report is needed
- which fund should meet the cost
- whether the committee has authority to approve the spending
- whether quotes or a general meeting decision are required
- how the proposed work and cost will be explained to owners.
The committee should avoid splitting one project into smaller proposals simply to fit within a spending limit. For the Standard Module, a series of proposals forming one project is treated according to the cost of the project as a whole for relevant spending and quotation requirements.
Clear communication can reduce disagreement. Owners are more likely to understand a levy or repair proposal when they receive a plain explanation of the defect, the consequences of delay, the recommended scope, available quotes and the proposed funding source.
The committee should also review whether the current budget reflects known maintenance needs. Budgets are forecasts, not automatic spending authority, so approval for the work must still be obtained.
A practical maintenance schedule helps a body corporate identify future works, plan levies and respond before minor problems become major repairs. It also gives owners a clearer way to report concerns and participate in decisions.
Timely repairs, accurate responsibility checks and realistic fund planning help your body corporate protect common property and keep residents safer. If you need help identifying repair and maintenance options, contact our team at reception@stratacare.com.au.
