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[Jerryman]

Hi,

I have been quoted ( by 2 separate plumbers) over $1000 to replace x 2 Internal laundry taps.  This is because they state that the Pipes within the wall are buried 12 cms within the wall and they have to drill in and bring these pipes forward. (Extenders have been ruled out as they would need to use 2 of these and this is not considered a robust enough approach).
I gave the quote to strata who state that it is an internal tap and therefore is my responsibility to pay for.
I am concerned as we have to drill into the wall.  Is this not a strata responsibility?

The plumbers feel it is a strata job.

 

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[Jerryman]

I need to undertake some maintenance to internal Laundry taps.

This maintenance requires drilling into the wall because the original taps were poorly installed. The pipes are sitting 12 cm inside the wall. Extenders have been ruled out as this is not considered a robust enough solution.

Strata told me that this is my responsibility because the taps are on an internal wall.

However, due to the need to drill into the wall I am concerned.

Does anyone know who’s responsibility this might be?

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[Jimmy-T]

How old is the building? If it’s less that six years old you might be able to get it fixed by the builder/developer as a defect.

Otherwise, it’s a question of whether or not this is a common property wall.  The Fair Trading Common Property Memorandum says the pipes within a common property wall are the responsibility of the owners corporation but pipes downstream from the stopcock, that service only that lot and are in a lot property (not common property) wall are the lot owner’s responsibility.

What’s a common property wall? External walls separating your unit from another unit or from common property (e.g. hallways or the exterior of the building). I’m not sure if an internal supporting wall that’s part of the building’s structure is common property or not.  But if the wall concerned is external then the piping is the owners corp responsibility even if, as they say, the taps are yours.

By the way, the Common Property memorandum is supposed to have been adopted as a by-law for it to be truly effective but you can bet Tribunals will use it as a guide if it hasn’t.

 

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