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Our building recently (about 12 months ago now) got issued with a Fire Safety Upgrade Order. The time has come now for all the front doors to be replaced in the complex and an issue has come up whereby some owners have fly screen doors that will need to be removed, which is apparently a condition of the Order. The EC have advised that the Owner Corp will not arrange the removal of the fly screen doors, however they will be taken off the hinges and placed next to the unit when the main doors are replaced. It will then be up to the owner to physically remove the screen doors from the property.
The OC believe that as the screen doors do not belong to them, they are not responsible for removing them off the property. I was not the owner of the unit when the screen doors were erected but there are about 14 or so other units with screen doors. All the screen doors are hinged onto common property.
My question is this: Are the OC correct in that they are not responsible for the removal of the screen doors? Even if they are not, should the OC not provide a suitable solution for disposal of the screen doors ie pay the contractor who is installing the new front doors to take away the screen doors with the old main doors? My concern is that once the doors are removed from the property, they will end up in a big pile on the nature strip. The only advice that the strata manager could give me is that each individual owner can contact council to arrange for them to come and collect the screen door. It just seems a bit idiotic and not thought out…
Your advice is greatly appreciated!!
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If you know which day the contractor is removing the doors, just arrange for council to pick up as soon as possible after. If the EC won’t do that – have no idea why a simple phone call to council would be a hassle – then one of the residents can do so.
Have no idea who is responsible, but it doesn’t sound like a huge problem to solve. You may wind up with a big pile of doors on the nature strip temporarily – which may disappear before the council get to pick them up.
Assuming their is no Special Bylaw relating to these screen doors then if you inherited them when you bought the lot the responsibility for the doors has transferred to the EC and they are perfectly within their rights to remove and dispose of said doors.
The safest solution is to remove the door yourself and reattach when the fire doors have been replaced.
If you had installed them yourself you would remain responsible for the screens and be liable for any costs incurred by the EC for removing them to comply with the fire regs.
Kiwipaul said …. The safest solution is to remove the door yourself and reattach when the fire doors have been replaced.
I think that’s the issue, in that the Fire Control Order requires the insect screen doors to be permanently removed because they can compromise both fire safety and the integrity of the fire-rated doors behind them!
As for the disposal of those, I’m inclined to agree with tharra (post #3). It’s not a big deal as the Owners Corporation has already arranged for its Contractor to remove the insect screen doors, after which time it could put them in a big pile and then contact one of the scrap metal recyclers who will pay it around it $1 per kG if they’re aluminium framed.
The intent of the Fire Order is that the fly screen doors be removed & not reinstalled or replaced with something similar.
Depending upon how it is constructed & installed a fly screen door may:-
1. Reduce the unobstructed width of the doorway to the unit.
2. Act to reduce / obstruct the width of the escape route.
3. Have a locking system that prevents escape without a key (not a good idea in an emergency situation).
I just sold my screen door on a local Facebook page buy/sell&swap. Maybe remove your own door and sell it, might make $10 to $40 per screen door, on selling the ones In good condition…
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