Sometimes urgent problems happen in your building that pose a serious and immediate risk to people or property. These are considered emergency repairs. Examples include:
- Burst or blocked water or sewerage pipes
- Damage from storms, fire, or other natural disasters
- Unexpected electrical or security system failures
- Broken glass affecting security or causing internal damage
- Gas leaks
- Serious roof leaks
- Blocked or broken toilets
- Failures of essential services such as hot water, heating, cooling, or cooking
- Faults or damage that make the building unsafe or insecure
- Appliances, fittings, or fixtures that cause substantial water wastage
What you should do:
- Notify your strata manager or committee member as soon as possible so they are aware of the issue.
- If an urgent repair is required immediately, arrange for a qualified tradesperson to fix the problem.
- Document the problem: take photos and ask the tradesperson for a brief written explanation of the issue and the work carried out.
- Seek reimbursement from the owners corporation if the repair was necessary due to the corporation’s responsibility (for example, plumbing in a boundary wall).
Following these steps helps ensure that urgent issues are handled safely and promptly, while giving you the opportunity to recover costs if the emergency is the owners corporation’s responsibility.
