Tribunal case -on getting approval of Installing Window Grills

Hi there,

I would really appreciate your comment and advice especially if you have experienced the same/similar issue before, please kindly share your advice…

We moved into a villa recently, the block has only 3 units. We are the only unit facing the street, with all bedrooms windows facing the street, and the common driveway. We have elderly people and young children (4 and 6 yo). Both the other units are behind our unit, and can not been seen from the street. And according to strata, they don’t want to have any fences and hedges to set up in the front either.

This villa block is also at the bottom of the hill, people can easily walk down the hill from the street, and step  into our rooms through windows (they don’t even need to jump).

As we only moved in, we already heard unit 3 got intruder broke-in a couple of years ago. And streets next to us are experiencing at least 1 case per month on the break-in and theft etc. Neighbourhood Watch had a newsletter reported these incidents and warning everyone.  We decided to install the window grills to enhance the security of the property, more to the kids’ safety when they are sleeping on their own over the night. Plus there are other properties having window grills or even roller shutters to their windows along this street.

We have chosen white painted window grills on top of the existing white window frames and white curtains, it’s all in consistent style with current windows.

However, the Strata (the other two owners) declined our application, based on that the change to the Common Property will change the consistent outlook of the whole building block.

We found they are unfair and logged a case with fair trading tribunal.

We wanted to know how much possibility we can win in this case and how would tribunal decide this case, from someone who is familiar with this issue, or has experienced this matter… anything to help us understand where we are standing on this matter.

To us, it is for the safety of our family; to them, they are concerned the outlook consistency..

PS – for the background of the other two owners, they refused to change the “No Pet allowed (strictly)” by-law, we challenged them with the introducing of new by-law model, one of the owner who is the dominant decision maker, an old lady who’s been there for over 10 years, told us she simply doesn’t want any pet. She doesn’t mind pets, but just doesn’t allow any pet in this block.