[daveo]

Sorry for confusing you all regarding “balcony” vs “terrace”. I ended up using the terms interchangeably. I tend to call mine a rooftop terrace but all the outside areas that are for unit owner enjoyment are labelled on the strata plan as balconies, regardless of whether they are tiled rooftop terraces or wooden decks that ‘stick out of’ the side of the building.

Regardless, above my 2nd floor living room is one bedroom and, bending around the bedroom in an “L” shape is a flat, tiled outdoor area for my personal use only. The upshot is that water is coming through the membrane under the tiles and coming through the plasterboard in my living room. It’s just a matter of time until the plasterboard comes crashing down.

Thanks again, everyone. You really have helped enormously (although I’m not sure my neighbours will agree, given they’re all likely to be chipping in to fix ‘my’ terrace).

PS The building was only converted to units in June 2002.

[daveo]

Sorry for confusing you all regarding “balcony” vs “terrace”. I ended up using the terms interchangeably. I tend to call mine a rooftop terrace but all the outside areas that are for unit owner enjoyment are labelled on the strata plan as balconies, regardless of whether they are tiled rooftop terraces or wooden decks that ‘stick out of’ the side of the building.

Regardless, above my 2nd floor living room is one bedroom and, bending around the bedroom in an “L” shape is a flat, tiled outdoor area for my personal use only. The upshot is that water is coming through the membrane under the tiles and coming through the plasterboard in my living room. It’s just a matter of time until the plasterboard comes crashing down.

Thanks again, everyone. You really have helped enormously (although I’m not sure my neighbours will agree, given they’re all likely to be chipping in to fix ‘my’ terrace).

[daveo]

Thanks again for your help and advice. I very much appreciate it.

[daveo]

OK, thanks. I’m not 100% sure but it looks to me like the balconies are not CP.

But just to check my understanding:

1. The building insurance could still cover accidental damage to a balcony because the balcony is an original structural feature regardless of whether or not it is CP (In my case, the building insurance has a clause saying that it covers accidental loss or damage to “Lot/Unit Owners Fixtures and Improvements in Residential Lot/Units”).  Because my rooftop terrace (a building fixture) is leaking I may be able to claim under the building insurance.

2. If I can’t claim under the building insurance, then fixing the leaking deck and repairing the damage to my living room ceiling is my responsibility because the balcony is not CP.

3. If I’m wrong about the balconies not being CP, i.e. they are indeed CP, then it would be the Owners Corporation who would lodge the claim or pay for the repairs.

Does that sound right?

[daveo]

Thanks guys, you’ve all been very helpful.

The strata plan shows each of the subdivided plots in the warehouse as Pt 1, Pt 2 etc. It also shows each of our balconies labelled as “BALCONY”. In the plan (top down) view, the balconies are shown separated from the unit interiors by a dotted line. Does this confirm that the balconies are or aren’t CP?

I’m also a little confused about the insurance situation. If the building insurance, taken out by the owners corporation, covers the CP does this (usually) then cover the fixtures of each interior such as plasterboard walls and ceilings? I’m beginning to fear that there might be a gap between owner contents insurance and the building insurance, e.g. if there’s a self-contained fire in my unit, would the reconstruction of the interior of my unit be covered?

Thanks again.

[Author]

Replies