› Flat Chat Strata Forum › Talkin’ ’bout a renovation › Are rogue renovators doing your block? › Current Page
In answer to Blocker’s question, first of all, on the question of using jack hammers in older buildings, I don’t know about that but I do know that you can’t start smashing holes in common property without the written permission of the owners corp. You also can’t remove supporting walls without a council Development Authority.
On the question of the carpets, check your by-laws to see if there is anything there about floor coverings.
Even if there isn’t, you are still covered by strata law that says you can’t interfere with the peaceful enjoyment of another lot.
Overall, your carpet lifting, DIY renovating neighbour is a nightmare and you need to get your owners corp to demand that:
a) He pays for a structural engineer to assess the building work for safety.
b) He pays for any remedial work required
c) He agrees to pay for the upkeep of any common property or lot property affected by the work (under a special resolution by-law)
d) He recover the floorboards with carpet and quality insulation.
If he fails to do any or all of these things, he will be dragged to both NCAT and the council where he will be ordered to reinstate common property to how it was before.
Give him two weeks to agree, after which your owners corp needs to hire a lawyer – which could be another expense for him – and start proceedings.
In fact, I would pay for a specialist strata lawyer to come to the meeting and explain the facts of life to everyone there.