Re: Renovations

JimmyT said:

Kerrie

This is what happens when an Executive Committee doesn't enforce its own rules and/or treats tenants like second-class citizens. Contact your landlord or estate immediately and demand that they either do something about this or give you a rent reduction for the duration of the work. 7 am may be a reasonable time to start on a building site or a free-standing home but it is definitely not OK in an apartment block. Any EC that's on-the ball would have made a more civilised starting time a condition of their approval of the work and access to common property for builders etc. You might also check the building's by-laws to see if they are being breached by this – again, take it to the landlord/agent. It's their responsibility to make sure you get what you've paid for.

Jimmy – If this is minor works carried out under a new NSW policy then legally they did not have to notify anyone. I’ve used it, it’s called exempt development. You just need the approval of the body corporate. The 7am start time on a weekday is standard industry practice, and is included as the standard condition of consent from a variety of councils. If it was a DA then they would have been required to give more notice to the body corporate and post up the notice during the advertising period. If it’s just internal works then legally they are only required to get the approval of the body corporate and not notify anyone prior to works commencing. So, it is actually legal to do so. Good neighbour actions? Nope.