When you are the resident of an apartment building or a townhouse then it will have a strata, a group of people in charge of ensuring repairs, maintenance and such are taken care of. The plumbing system in your part of the building is a part of the whole system in that property. It is not as simple as being a homeowner and calling a plumber when something goes wrong. Certain issues are the responsibility of the resident, some the manager or strata who rely on strata plumbing services Sydney and some the property owner. With it being against the law to handle your own plumbing issues here is a look at who is responsible for what and tips for maintaining your strata plumbing system.

Responsibility guidelines

Even when you have regular maintenance and people take care of their part of the system things happen. As a lot owner, someone who owns a part of the building, ie an apartment, it is a good idea to report any plumbing damage or issues as soon as possible, even when it turns out to be something you have to manage with a plumber. In general smaller issues are the lot owner’s job and larger are the strata or owner’s job. Some general rules include;

1. Common areas of the property are the strata corporation’s job to handle, clogged drains, burst pipes and so on.
2. If damage from one lot spreads to another or to a common area then the strata can claim in insurance and might claim something from the lot owner responsible.
3. If there is any damage to property to a lot or common property then any costs should be covered by the strata’s insurance.
4. If there is a plumbing emergency after hours or during holidays it will be acted upon calling professional plumbers who are experienced with strata plumbing Sydney.

Common plumbing problems a strata faces

Leaks coming from balconies

On a strata property that has balconies leaks from the one above can be a problem. The strata decide on who is responsible depending on how the leak happened. If it was from a burst pipe in the area then it is theirs, if it was the neighbour upstairs overwatering plants or leaving a hose on there, then it is theirs.

Burst pipes

This depends on where the pipe is and on what the strata have set in the rules for the building. Sometimes any burst pipe is covered by them and sometimes a rule might state that if the pipe is under the floor it is their responsibility and if it is not, then it is the lot owner’s job. Pipes that service more than one area tend to be the strata’s responsibility too.

Clogged and blocked drains

One of the most common plumbing issues in any property are clogged and blocked drains. A sink or toilet that gets blocked tends to be the responsibility of the lot owner and then anything blocked in the common areas will be the strata. Interestingly since most shower drains have pipes that connect from one lot to another this would be the strata’s job to call strata plumbing services Sydney, not the lot owner.

Fixtures that are leaking

Leaking fixtures like shower heads and taps tend to nearly always end up being the responsibility of the low owner, they tend to be as a result of things wearing out. Changing a showerhead is something you can do easily, but changing the whole thing requires a professional.

Strata is responsible for regular maintenance

It is very important that you and the strata do not only respond when there are repairs to be made, but also take proper care of the plumbing by calling in people you can trust for strata plumbing Sydney maintenance and servicing.

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