We’ve all heard the horror stories the bathroom refit that turned into a full plumbing overhaul, the “quiet” painting job that somehow needed a jackhammer. In strata living, long or noisy renovations can push even the friendliest neighbour relationships to the brink……

It’s the ultimate home upgrade the promise of sleek benchtops, whisper-quiet drawers, and maybe even a super fancy tap that does fizzy as well as boiling water on command. But in a strata scheme, it’s also the fastest way to send your committee members scurrying for their by-law binders.

In simple terms, common property is everything in your strata building or complex that’s not part of your individual lot. It’s owned collectively by all owners and managed by the owners corporation (or body corporate in some states). 

If you own a strata property, you’ve probably thought, “Hmm, I’ll just freshen things up a bit.” But in strata, “freshening up” can mean anything from a lick of paint to a full-blown, dust-everywhere, jackhammers at 50 paces, council-approval required makeover. The trick is knowing whether your project is either cosmetic, minor, or major because the rules (and the paperwork) are very different.