Strata renovation rules

Cosmetic work doesn't need approval.

Cosmetic work includes any changes that don’t affect the structure or outside of your apartment, duplex or strata property and don’t require waterproofing.

Some examples of cosmetic work include:

• installing or replacing hooks, nails, screws, handrails, blinds, curtains or built-in wardrobes
• painting the interior
• filling minor holes and cracks in internal walls
• laying carpet.

Your strata scheme can choose to add more types of work to the list of cosmetic work; check your by-laws to see what applies in your scheme. 

Minor renovations need approval. 

To do minor renovations, you will need to contact the owners corporation, strata committee or strata managing agent and request permission.

If you do not get permission for minor renovations, you may need to pay money to put the property back to how it was before you renovated it. 

Owners corporations are required to keep a record of any minor renovation approved for a period of 10 years.

What is a minor renovation?

Minor renovations include kitchen renovations (for example, installing or removing cupboards), changes to internal walls or changes to recessed light fittings. They also include installing or replacing:

• wood, tile or other hard flooring, including removing carpets
• wiring, cabling, power, or access points
• a rainwater tank
• a clothesline
• a reverse cycle air conditioner
• double or triple glazed windows
• a heat pump
• ceiling insulation.

Your strata scheme can choose to add more types of work to the list of minor renovations; check your by-laws to see what applies in your scheme. 

Minor renovations cannot change the outside or structure of your apartment, duplex or strata property or require waterproofing. 

What do I need to do?

You will need to show the owners corporation, strata committee or strata managing agent:

• plans of the work, including dates and times of when the work will be done
• the qualifications and details of the tradespeople who will do the work
• if you’re installing flooring, an acoustic certificate to show sound insulation.

They will ask you to submit your changes to a vote at a strata meeting. You’ll need more than 50% of the votes cast in favour of the work at the meeting.

Can the strata committee approve my minor renovation?

If allowed under a by-law, a strata committee may consider minor renovation applications. If a strata committee refuses to approve a minor renovation, it must give written reasons for the refusal within three months of receiving the request.

If the strata committee does not refuse the application within three months, then the application is taken to be approved by the strata committee.

Only the owners corporation can approve major renovations.

Major renovations need a special resolution vote at an annual general meeting (AGM) or other general meeting of the owners corporation. This means no more than 25% of the value of the votes cast are against the work.

The special resolution must state who has responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of the common property – the owners corporation or lot owner.

If your work will change the structure of your property (for example, removing a wall), you must also give the owners corporation 14 days’ written notice before the work starts. This notice should describe how your renovations will change the property structure.

Find out more about how to raise a matter for discussion at a meeting.

Major renovations include: 

• Changes that affect the outside or structure of your apartment, duplex or strata property
• Changes that require waterproofing
• Changes to the ceiling
• Work that needs approval under other laws (for example, council approval). 

Some examples include moving a structural internal wall, bathroom renovations, installing an access ramp or installing a false ceiling.

If you're using a building contractor or tradesperson, make sure that they have a valid contractor licence.

If you do not get permission for major renovations, you may need to pay money to put the property back to how it was before you renovated it.

Make a proposal to others in your scheme. Your proposal should consider:

• installation and maintenance costs
• who will pay
• how it will be installed
• who will benefit
• any changes to by-laws needed.

Write to the secretary or your strata manager to put forward a motion for your proposal, which can be decided on at the next strata meeting. 

Put the proposal to the vote through an accessibility infrastructure resolution.

The vote must consider:

• the cost of installing and maintaining the upgrade
• who will own, install and maintain the upgrade
• who can use the upgrade – one lot owner or other lot owners
• the potential detriment if the upgrade is not installed on the person requesting the upgrade
• whether the building can support the upgrade.

Confirm the outcome of the vote. There needs to be at least 50% of votes in favour for the accessible infrastructure resolution to pass. For two-lot schemes, this means that only one owner has to agree to the resolution.

An accessibility infrastructure resolution can also be used to:

• propose financing changes to common property to improve access for one or more people with a disability . For example, installing a ramp to the building which the owners corporation has agreed to pay for from the capital works fund.
• change by-laws for the purpose of changing and/or using common property to improve access for persons with a disability.