#59778
Austman
Flatchatter

    This pipe services the hot water of my lot alone.

    This is important in VIC (and some other states).  In VIC, s.129 of the Owners Corporations Act 2006 applies:

    129 Care of lots
    A lot owner must—
    (a) …  and
    (b) maintain any service that serves that lot exclusively.

    It doesn’t matter where an issue occurs (on lot or common property), once a service exclusively services a lot, maintenance of it becomes a lot owner responsibility.

    So the repairs are your responsibility. However the OC’s compulsory strata building insurance should help.  As a member of the OC, you have a right to claim on that policy.  It can depend on the policy but exploration costs and consequential damage can be covered.   Sometimes more.  It’s likely however that you would be requested to pay any excess but that’s a decision for the OC.