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Hi All
Before I embark on installing insulation into my ceiling I thought it best to seek comment first.
I own and live on the 3rd floor which is the top and have access to the ceiling cavity above my unit – common property. There is sarking attached to the rafters behind the tiles however the ceiling cavity gets very hot and this comes through to the dwelling.
I also have air condition and the electricity bill shock has prompted action.
The plan is to install the insulation batts myself purchased from Bunnings.
Do I need to seek executive committee approval to do this?
Is it possible the cost could be covered by a strata fund? Long shot…
Many thanks
Alex
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As it is common property you would need to get approval from the owners by resolution at a general meeting.
However – I had the same issue – I live in a 1930s block on the top floor and there was no insulation. There were times when it became very uncomfortable for me and my neighbour, to the extent that I got heatstroke on a day when it was 40+ degrees. We put it to the EC that the OC should install insulation as this was in accordance with current BCA requirements. And that is what they did, and the OC paid. They also vacuumed out the roof cavity which was knee-deep in dust, which was probably not very good for one’s health.
We don’t have any sarking in the roof either and that is next on the list.
I don’t think it is a long shot, I think it is the OC’s responsibility.
I don’t think it is an OC responsibility. There is no requirement for a building to be kept up to date with the BCA. So that reasoning is wrong.
But an OC can, of course, decide to do it anyway.
In Victoria, an OC can fund improvements (not repairs/maintenance) to Common Property from the owners that benefit. That seems the fair approach to me. We have a similar situation re the top floor in our building (that meets the BCA 1996) and it is the approach we took. We’ll allow owners to install the insulation above their apartments, but because they are in reality the only beneficiary, they have to pay for it.
I think the OC is right to insist that the work on common property comply with standards. They would be negligent if they didn’t. If you are the only owner to benefit you should pay for the work. It would not be reasonable to refuse to allow the insulation to be installed.
I agree with Austman and PeterC:
1) The OC is not obliged to bring an old building up to current BCA standards.
2) But I can’t see any valid reason for refusing permission, as long as the lot owner pays.
3) The work should be done by a professional. Do you really want to electrocute yourself, or burn the whole building down a few months later?
Scotty,
a) How much did the roof void vacuuming cost?
b) Wouldn’t the sarking exercise be more costly than the batt insulation? To do it properly, they would have to remove all tiles, lay sarking, probably with all new battens, then replace tiles.
I’m not sure now how much the roof work cost now, it was a few years ago. As for the sarking, we are looking at that now, the roof is in a bad state, I have two, possibly three ceilings that have to be replaced and my neighbour’s light fitting fell out of her ceiling because the roof leaks.
I am not saying it is the OC’s responsibility to bring the building up to BCA standards, but I believe in certain circumstances it should. Fortunately the owners agreed.
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