Current Page

[villageidiot]

Our building of eight lots was built in 1964.

Sometime in the past, (I believe around 20 years ago), two previous owners installed those ugly external window mounted AC units of that era often seen throughout Asia and other developing countries.

As they are installed on the windows can I assume they are on common property?

A search of the strata records shows no mention at all, let alone of approval being granted, for these AC units to be installed as they are.

Newer owners to the building including myself have commented on how unattractive they are and we would like to see them removed and or replaced with the newer less intrusive split system type. We have mentioned this to the current owners of the lots concerned but they say as they were there before they bought their lots they should not have to pay to remove/replace them.

How can we resolve this situation? Given that there are no strata records showing they were approved to be installed on the common property in the first place, can we request the lot owners to remove them at their expense? Or is the body corporate responsible for the costs of removing them and/or replacing them with the newer type AC units given that they are already installed on common property?

Basically, in any strata situation, are the current lot owners responsible for making good alterations and additions carried out by previous owners when those additions and alterations were not approved by the Executive Committee and/or documented in the strata records?

Topic