[Frida Kay]

The owner of the unit assumed permission as the other 3 owners did not reply to the email request for permission as it was supposingly to be an agenda’d item at the next meeting. There has been no previous discussion/presentation of the size or intended position of this awning. 

We were away for the weekend when the owner of the unit installed this large encased electric awning high up on the external wall just 6 bricks below our windows. 

The damage indicates the airspace between the double brick wall has been breached. The awning runs from our living room, across the kitchen and to the tub side of our bathroom besides covering a portion of the gas pipe leading into our unit. The gas pipe enters our unit well below the awning. We cannot confirm if the wet floor of the bathroom is damaged. The dishwasher & kitchen cupboards also conceal skirting. Our unit is wired with blue cable & the power points are in the skirting boards-wiring runs behind skirting boards. 

The owner of the unit below has been notified re: the visible damage. Requesting  photos to present to the installers. 

I am astounded the awning would be mounted so high and not below the gas pipe clearly entering our unit indicative of our floor space. 

I cannot fathom where to start rectifying the damage. Would this awning have to be repositioned below gas pipe and floor level?

I shutter to the thought of numerous  tradesmen to remove/ replace skirting boards, wiring checked, wall cracks repaired, painting surfaces,… a nightmare dealing with the owner/ Chairman of this small self managed Strata. The same owner who previously allowed/observed water to leak from a split flexible hose under our sink for 8 hours causing unnecessary extensive water damage to both apartments. 

Such disregard for the integrity of this 100 year old building and clearly to floor space of the unit above.

How do we go about this process of rectifying the damage?

[Frida Kay]

Thank you for your feedback.

This is a small lovely block of 4 units that is poorly managed as the office bearers look after their own interests.

Unfortunately, we may need to apply to the Strata Commissioner to appoint a Strata Manager to get the logistics on track. Also to tackle the unit entitlement changes that has been dragging on to no avail for the past 3 years.

This incident is one of many over the 10 yrs we have lived/owned here.

 

 

[Frida Kay]

Added details to water woes. The Chairperson monitored the water leaking into her guest bedroom for 7+ hours as she didn’t have the sense to shut off the water mains  (1) at knee level in her garden controlling her and the leaky apt upstairs) or (2) water shut off lever exclusive to the leaking apt. which would have required a tradesperson with a ladder to access.

All the quotes for this incident were not included in the submission to Strata Ins?

The Chairperson neglected to collate the quotes and just looked after her repairs totalling under the figure that didn’t require an Insurance assessor to validate claim.

We don’t have a Strata Manager yet. 

 

 

[Frida Kay]

Aaah Yes Water Woes….. the saga continued…. Submissions to Insurance Companies (Strata Insurance and Contents Insurance). In a nutshell, the Chairman request submission of quotes to submit to the Strata Insurance Co.

At the time we had an estimate of repairing the water damaged flooring and scurried around additional floor repair quotes.

 Our quotes for repair were not submitted to the Strata Ins for review as part of this claim. The Chairman submitted quotes to repair her damage only

We expected an Assessor would come to inspect the water damage in both apartments. We contacted the Strata Ins Co (by now they were in the final stages of settling the claim) to clarify we are part of this claim for water damage. We  were informed an Assessor would nothave inspected the site since the claim was under $3500. Note the claim would be well over that amount if the water damage in our apartment was considered.

As is turns out, our Contents Ins has covered the wooden floating floor and Strata is responsible for the fixed to rendered walls skirting boards. All sorted.

My query is: Is the Chairman responsible to submit all claims for this one incident letting the Strata Ins. Co figure out what they will cover??????

Her damage claim was under the radar (by a couple hundred dollars) for assessment and was settled while we haggled for settling our claim between Strata Ins and Contents Ins.

Mind you Chairman now has a fully renovated bathroom and ? repairs for the water leaking into her guest bedroom from our kitchen sink (flexihose). Considering that the Chairman let the water flow for 7+ hours before taking any action.

Scullbuggery?

 

[Frida Kay]

Water Woes.

The water leak came from under my kitchen sink. It seems illogical for my neighbor to let the water flow for 7+ hours after noticing water leaking into her apartment without shutting off the external water lever easily accessible within her yard. This tap would have shut water off to both units. The  lever to shut off water exclusively to my unit is also accessible form her yard but with difficulty requiring a ladder and the agility to climb onto a fixed roofed awning or reached with a pole. I would think the neighbor present has the responsibility to minimise damage. By letting water run for hours without any action is inexplicable. Our contents insurance indicates it will not cover damage without applying for special consideration if Strata Insurance didn’t cover.

The locksmith fees amounted to $400.00 I think forced entry into my apartment was not neccessary since there is a valve and lever to stop the water externally that my neighbor being Chairperson should have considered before entry into my apartment to shut the water off at the leaking source.

I do not know the extent of damage in the neighbors apartment. What course of action should I take to get damage accessed and the locksmith’s bill paid? Thank you for all the feedback

[Author]

Replies