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A clear guide to strata maintenance, repair responsibilities, common property issues and how repairs are reported and coordinated.
Strata maintenance refers to the ongoing care, servicing and upkeep of common areas, building systems and scheme assets within a strata property.
It helps keep the building safe, functional and well managed over time.
Strata repairs are needed when something is damaged, leaking, broken, unsafe or no longer working as expected. This can involve common areas, the building fabric, plumbing, roofing, windows, gardens, cleaning, access systems or other shared infrastructure.
The key question is not only what needs to be fixed. It is where the issue sits, what part of the property is affected and whether responsibility belongs to the scheme or an individual lot owner.
Owners, committees and residents often need to know whether an issue is common property and belongs to the Owners Corporation or Body Corporate, or to an individual Lot Owner.
Repair responsibility usually depends on where the issue is located and which part of the property is affected.
As a general rule, the relevant strata body is responsible for common property maintenance. Lot owners are responsible for repairs, upkeep and items inside their own lot.
Common property generally refers to common parts of the building or development used by more than one owner.
Examples can include:
When a repair relates to common areas or building assets, responsibility will generally sit with the owners corporation or body corporate. If a strata manager is appointed, they will usually help coordinate the next steps on behalf of the scheme. This can involve investigation, contractor quotes, committee approval, work orders, communication and follow-up.
Lot property generally refers to areas or items within an individual owner’s lot that are not shared with other owners.
This often covers personal fixtures, internal finishes, appliances, contents and some owner-installed improvements.
For example, if an appliance inside a lot causes a leak, responsibility may sit with the owner, depending on the cause, location and relevant property documents.
Some repair responsibilities are less obvious.
For example:
These situations often need closer review before responsibility is confirmed. The strata plan, by-laws, building records, state legislation and professional advice may all be relevant.
Repair requests generally follow five steps: report, assess, approve, action and document.
The exact process can vary depending on the issue, the building, the urgency and the level of approval required.
An owner, resident, committee member, building manager or managing agent reports the problem. Tenants will usually report issues to their real estate agent or managing agent first, who can then raise the matter with the strata manager if it relates to common property. Useful details include:
Clear information helps the manager, committee or contractor understand the issue faster.
The issue may need to be reviewed to confirm whether it relates to common property, an individual lot, an owner-installed improvement or another cause.
In some cases, the strata plan, by-laws, building records, contractor advice or inspection notes may need to be checked before responsibility is confirmed.
Some repairs can be handled quickly. Others may require committee approval, quotes, a budget review, insurance input or specialist advice before work can proceed.
This step helps confirm who can authorise the work, how it will be funded and whether the issue needs to be escalated.
Where authorised, the strata manager may help arrange contractor attendance, issue work orders, share information with relevant parties and keep the committee or affected owners updated.
For larger or recurring issues, this may also involve contractor reports, access coordination, follow-up inspections or additional recommendations.
Once work is completed, invoices, completion updates, contractor notes and follow-up recommendations should be recorded.
Good documentation helps keep the repair process clear, traceable and easier to review later.
Each type of strata maintenance plays a different role in building care.
Routine maintenance keeps common spaces clean, safe and usable. This often involves cleaning common areas, garden maintenance, lift servicing, lighting checks, pool servicing, waste area upkeep and regular checks of common facilities. These tasks are generally planned as part of an ongoing maintenance program.
Reactive repairs happen when something breaks, leaks, fails or becomes unsafe. Typical examples include plumbing leaks, roof leaks, damaged windows, failed gates, blocked drains, broken common area lighting, pest issues or access problems. The cause, location and responsibility should be checked before action is confirmed.
Preventative maintenance helps reduce the risk of larger repairs later. This may include inspections, servicing programmes, maintenance schedules, capital works planning and early identification of building issues. Preventative work is important because small problems in shared buildings can become more disruptive and expensive if they are not managed early.
Some maintenance issues need faster action because they may create safety, access or property damage risks.
Urgent or emergency repairs may include:
For example, if a pipe bursts in a common wall and water starts entering a corridor, the immediate priority is usually to make the area safe, limit further damage and confirm whether shared infrastructure is involved. The strata manager may then help coordinate contractor attendance, reports, communication and any next steps required by the committee or insurer.
Owners should always use the emergency contact or after-hours process provided for their property where immediate action is required.
Some strata maintenance and repair issues also involve safety or WHS considerations. This is especially relevant where unsafe common areas, contractor access, electrical hazards, fire safety systems, commercial spaces or mixed-use buildings are involved.
The owners corporation or body corporate remains responsible for common property maintenance, while the strata manager helps coordinate contractor information,. attendance and maintenance records.
This may include:
Strata maintenance and common property repairs are usually paid from funds collected through strata levies.
People sometimes refer to these costs as strata maintenance fees, but they are usually part of the broader levy contributions owners pay to maintain the building, common areas and scheme assets.
Routine upkeep is often included in the approved administrative budget. Larger repairs, capital works or unexpected issues may be paid from a long-term maintenance fund, which may be referred to as a capital works fund or sinking fund depending on the state, or through a special levy based on the property and the approved budget structure.
This means owners may not receive a separate bill for every routine common property task. Instead, the cost is shared through levy contributions according to the relevant contribution schedule, lot entitlement or body corporate rules.
For more detail, read our guide to strata levies
Bright & Duggan helps committees and owners understand the repair process, clarify next steps and coordinate information through their strata management team.
Understand the rules that apply inside a strata scheme, including pets, noise, parking, renovations and breaches.
Understand how strata contributions work, what they usually cover and what owners should check on levy notices.
Understand what strata insurance may cover, what owners should check and how claims are coordinated.
Sources and state resources
For state-specific requirements around strata repairs and maintenance, refer to the relevant authority in your state or territory:
