Who pays for repairs: common property or lot owner?
Short answer
Generally the owners corporation maintains common property and the owner maintains their own lot. The boundary is set by your strata plan and by-laws, so items like balconies, windows and pipes depend on where the boundary sits in your building.
Steps for your committee
- Find where the item sits on the registered strata plan.
- Check by-laws for any agreement that moves responsibility to an owner.
- If the cause was damage by an owner or occupant, consider whether costs can be recovered.
- Record the decision so similar issues are handled the same way.
Rules in your state
Details such as notice periods and voting thresholds are set by each state's legislation.
| State | Legislation | Disputes go to |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 | NSW Fair Trading mediation, then NCAT |
| VIC | Owners Corporations Act 2006 | Internal grievance process, Consumer Affairs Victoria, then VCAT |
| QLD | Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (and its regulation modules) | Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management |
| WA | Strata Titles Act 1985 | State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) |
| SA | Strata Titles Act 1988 / Community Titles Act 1996 | South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) |
| TAS | Strata Titles Act 1998 | Recorder of Titles / Magistrates Court |
| ACT | Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 | ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) |
| NT | Unit Title Schemes Act 2009 | NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) |
When to get professional advice
Boundary questions on balconies, windows and waterproofing often need a surveyor or strata lawyer.
Track every maintenance request from report to completion in Flex Strata.
Next steps
Related guides
Last reviewed 2026-10-08. General information only — not legal advice.