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Hi Flat Chats
Throwing out a question for sorting……
At recent Body Corporate meeting the Treasurer/Secretary justified an Electricians Fee of $5,500. charged to Body Corporate as the Upgrade/Rewiring undertaken in her Unit was under floor boards and a fire hazard therefore Body Corporate’s responsibility.
Some history to the building ( Block of 4 Units)….
Roughly 14 years ago 3 of the 4 Units were fully renovated at each Owner’s expense including wiring. The Treasurers/Secretary’s Unit was not part of the renovation barr wiring connected to a new metering System to the back of the building.
Is this a Body Corporate expense other owners need to wear?
Regards,
CAJ
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Replies
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Just to unpack this question:
1. The chair had her apartment rewired without prior consultation with the other owners.
2. The other owners had previously done this at their own expense
3. The chair says the wiring was a fire hazard.
In the absence of independent corroboration of item 3, is it reasonable to assume that the wiring was unsafe?
Even if this was the case, the lot owner changed common property without Owners Corp knowledge or approval. Worst-case scenario, she could have had a cheap job done and it might be even less safe than before.
I think you have two options here:
1. You tell the chair that she has to pay for this herself – she has interfered with common property without permission – and accept a by-law that she and subsequent owners of her lot take responsibility for the wiring.
or
2. In a spirit of friendly cooperation, she agrees to pay one quarter of the cost of everyone else’s rewiring.
I would certainly take this to a tribunal, if need be, since she is basically using her position to line her own pockets. Typically, chairs in small unit blocks feel entitled to do this because of “all the work I do for the building”.
She isn’t.
Finally, you need to get the other owners onside. The sooner you have an EC meeting, declare the chair vacant and elect someone else, the better. Just be ready for frosty looks in the stairwell.
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