I know JT always says that strata is different, but I think there are two somewhat analogous situations that you should consider before you push a wheelbarrow full of banknotes into a lawyer’s office.
Note – Concrete cancer isn’t covered by the typical strata defined event insurance, and given the length of time it takes to develop, probably not by home warranty (defects) insurance either. So, there’s no insurer to claim against for relocation expenses.
1) What if you were living in your unit? Would you temporarily relocate or would you just put up with the inconvenience and noise for the duration? What if all residents had to move out? The OC would have to pay compensation to all owners. Basically, each owner would be paying their own relocation expenses, just funneled through the OC via a special levy. The only case you might have is if, as JT says, the inconvenience fell unequally upon owners.
2) What if you owned a torrens title house which you leased out but needed extensive repair? You’d probably do it between leases, losing rent money for the period. After having to organise and supervise the repairs yourself !
Why does everyone think that living in Strata is about always having someone else to blame or shove the cost onto?
As Forrest Gump said “Sh*t happens”.
As I say, sometimes even to tenants.
Your unit has not been declared uninhabitable, so if the tenants left before their lease expired, sue them.
If anyone has a moral right to compensation, it is probably the EC members who had to spend their valuable voluntary time to organise the rectification and will probably also supervise it to ensure all owners get value for money, while all the absentee landlords sit on their couches with their feet on the ottoman counting their rent money.