Strata Maintenance Common Property. What's Lot Owner responsibility?

What’s mine and what’s common property?
What is the Owners Corporation required to maintain?

Check your states tab for the latest information about Strata Maintenance and Common Areas. New information and links are added regularly. Be sure to check back to be kept up-to-date.

According to Strata Community Association (NSW), here is the definition of Common Property:

Areas of a strata building or community which do not form part of a lot and that every occupier or owner shares. Common property may include gardens, fences, driveways and visitor parking.

If you have enjoyed this topic page, discover more great information in our other Strata Topics covered.

Feature Article

NSW: Q&A Steps to Sell Off or Purchase Common Property

Emma Smythies, Bugden Allen Lawyers
Question: I want to purchase the roof space above my apartment to build another bedroom and the committee has agreed. What happens now and how do we work out the appropriate price to pay?

Most Recent Strata Maintenance and Common Areas Articles

NSW: Authorising works to the common property and the resolution is required - Why does work to the common property have to be authorised? It is because when the strata plan is registered, the effect of section 24 of the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 is that the registration creates the Owners Corporation and makes the Owners Corporation the owner of the common property in the plan.
NSW: Owners corporation wins a tricky case to get a tree removed - Recently, Bannermans Lawyers has successfully represented an owners corporation to obtain orders from the Land and Environment Court (LEC) to remove a tree on the land adjacent to the owners corporation’s land which has been causing damage to the owners corporation’s garage wall, The Owners – Strata Plan No 58036 v The Estate of William Hutchinson [2025] NSWLEC 1625.

Our articles and Q&As about maintenance and common areas have been arranged by State

Strata Maintenance and Common Property Useful Links - State by State

National

Asbestos Awareness
A national site to increase people’s awareness of the risks of asbestos exposure when renovating.

New South Wales

Fire safety and external wall cladding
NSW Fair Trading. The NSW Government is working to address the fire safety risks associated with external wall cladding in high-rise buildings and has developed and started implementing a co-ordinated, whole of government policy response.
Neighbours and the law
by Nadine Behan. Published by the Legal Information Access Centre (LIAC), State Library of New South Wales, 2012. An easy to understand guide to the different areas of law that are involved in neighbourhood issues and disputes. Covers areas that commonly cause problems between neighbours including dividing fences, common property, retaining walls, overhanging branches, animals and noise.
Register your pool and spa
NSW Government: Swimming Pool Register – From 29 October 2013, authorised officers may fine pool owners if their pool is not registered on the NSW Swimming Pool Register. Avoid a fine.

Queensland

Body Corporate and Community Management Fact Sheet: Storm damage
Developed by QLD: Department of Justice and Attorney-General.
The storm that hit Brisbane and South-East Queensland on 27 November (and others like it) has caused a loss, damage and inconvenience to many people. We extend our sympathy to those in community titles schemes who are experiencing difficulties because of the storm.
We encourage lot owners and anyone involved in a body corporate to work together and to recognise that many people may be under stress at this difficult time.
We have put this information together to help people in community title schemes deal with problems caused by the storm. This information is relevant to all schemes in Queensland.
Safer Buildings: understanding the combustible cladding legislation
Developed by Office of the Commissioner for BCCM and the QBCC.
The Queensland Government recently amended legislation relating to cladding and, in particular, requirements for certain buildings to be assessed for potentially combustible cladding. To assist bodies corporate in understanding the new legislative requirements this information has been prepared.
Maintenance of common property and lots
Queensland Building and Construction Commission The purpose of these guidelines is to assist pool owners (including bodies corporate) and property agents to understand their pool safety responsibilities under the Building Act 1975 (BA).
Guidelines for pool owners and property agents
Oct 2015: Body Corporate and Community Management (BCCM) provide information on what is common property and what is required to be maintained by whom.

Victoria

Property maintenance – owners corporations
Consumer Affairs Victoria
Including information concerning maintaining common property, renovating individual lots and maintenance plan.