› Flat Chat Strata Forum › Common Property › Is installing CCTV a ‘significant alteration’? › Current Page
Installing security cameras would be a significant alteration because it would involve attaching cameras to the walls, plus the wiring, plus having an impact or the OC’s duty to inform tradespeople that they might be being filmed while working in the building, plus having a potential impact on residents’ sense of privacy.
I’m guessing that the schemes cited by Austman (above) that decided it wasn’t a significant alteration never had that proposition tested at VCAT. Like parking on common property because you can’t be bothered to open your garage door, just because nobody complains doesn’t make it right.
The Consumer Affairs Victoria web page on this says:
Your owners corporation (formerly body corporate) can only make significant alterations to the use or appearance of its common property if the alterations are:
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listed in the maintenance plan or
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approved by special resolution at a general meeting or
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composed of works for the upgrading, renovating or improving of the common property, and
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the estimated total cost is double annual total fees, or
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the works require a planning building permit, and
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a special resolution is passed.
Note it says “use or appearance” – CCTV cameras would tick both of those boxes.
As for Victoria, this web page has an interesting take on it.
But if your committee is planning to install CCTV without a special resolution, take the issue to CAV or VCAT and see what they say – that is how strata law is defined and distilled.
Legally, the term “significant alteration” appears in Victoria’s strata laws but not in NSW, which only refers to changes in and additions to common property in Section 108:
(1) Procedure for authorising changes to common property
An owners corporation or an owner of a lot in a strata scheme may add to the common property, alter the common property or erect a new structure on common property for the purpose of improving or enhancing the common property.
(2) Any such action may be taken by the owners corporation or owner only if a special resolution has first been passed by the owners corporation that specifically authorises the taking of the particular action proposed.