@kiwipaul said:
How were fixtures and fitting denoted on the older style plans as common property because I must admit I’d be very unhappy if I had to contribute for a new fitted bathroom for an owner who asked for the strata to replace it. No way would I accept the owners quote I’d get the cheapest quote possible and give the owner a take it or leave it option.
The Strata Management Statement that accompanied the strata plan would often describe the bathroom and all its fittings as common property. This was, I believe, a precaution against owners failing to maintain their sinks, pipes, baths and WCs which could then cause considerable damage to other lots and common property if they failed.
I have lived in older buildings where a number of owners replaced cracked WCs and sinks at the Owners Corp’s expense.
The idea of buying the cheapest possible bathroom isn’t terribly community spirited. If the OC has a legal obligation to repair or replace common property, surely a negotiated settlement whereby the OC can offer a contribution based on the minimum reasonable cost of replacement and the lot owner can then install the bathroom they want (with the proviso that they assume responsibility thereafter) would be the kind of compromise that makes strata run smoothly.