QUESTION: The balcony on my (rented) unit needs to be ripped up, re-waterproofed and retiled. There are a lot of very heavy and large pot plants and outdoor furniture on the balcony (some were there when we moved in) and they all need to be moved. – Sarah_1 via Flat Chat Forum.
The strata manager has given us permission to store these things on the common roof terrace during the repairs, but there is a lot to move, most of it heavy and awkward, and we are considering getting removalists to help.
My question is, who should be responsible for the costs of moving all this stuff? It seems unfair that we should have to bear the cost and inconvenience of all this.
ANSWER: You are responsible for your stuff and the landlords are responsible for theirs. The owners corporation is entitled to ask you and/or the lot owner to remove planter and furniture from common property so they can carry out repairs.
However, you are entitled to ask the landlord for some sort of compensation to cover the inconvenience and disruption. In fact, asking the landlord to arrange to pay for your stuff to be removed when theirs is being shifted might just about do it.
You can joinin the sometimes heated discussion about this one HERE.