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19 Oct 2023

Spring Clean your Strata Property: Tips for Maintenance and Defect Management

Prevention is key to maintaining your strata property's value and functionality. Spring has sprung and now is the perfect time strata managers to encourage strata committees and owners’ corporations to embark on a spring clean and health check of their strata property.

During the winter months, heavy use of heating systems, closed windows, coupled with neglected gardens and underused common areas, can increase the risk of long-term damage or major issues arising. It's time for strata committees to revisit their maintenance plans, ensuring the cleanliness, functionality, and overall value of the property while mitigating the risk of future issues.

Plan for an inspection and know what you are dealing with in terms of defects:

Consider scheduling an annual inspection to prevent your building from deteriorating. Identifying and addressing minor defects early can save you from major problems down the line.

What to look out for:

  • Efflorescence, peeling paint, and minor settlement cracking.
  • Cladding issues: Ensure compliant cladding has been used, and schedule rectification if non-compliant materials are present.
  • Waterproofing problems: Check for leaks from roofs, mould, blistering paint, rising damp, and cracked walls.
  • Plumbing and drainage concerns: Address blocked drains, leaking pipes, and sewage backups.
  • Electrical issues: Inspect for faulty wiring, damage, or outdated wiring.

Focus on Common Areas and Garden Maintenance:

Common areas make a lasting impression on residents and visitors. Devote special attention to these spaces to maintain your complex's appeal. Collaborate with residents to pool resources for tasks like window cleaning and appliance servicing, which may be more cost-effective when done collectively. Remove debris, fallen leaves, and branches from the grounds, trim overgrown vegetation, and clear gutters. If applicable, clean and inspect shared outdoor amenities, such as barbeque areas, swimming pools, or playgrounds, to ensure they are safe and ready for use.

Declutter:

Organise a council clean-up for the entire apartment block to clear storage areas and prevent unwanted furniture from being dumped outside.

Waste Management:

Consider adopting a more efficient and eco-friendly waste management system. Innovations in waste management offer better ways to reuse, recycle, compost, and contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable living environment.

By proactively managing maintenance and defects in your strata property, you can create a sustainable, welcoming environment for residents while maintaining a safe and structurally sound complex.

To understand more about maintenance and defect management, owners’ corporations should work together with their maintenance and strata managers, insurance brokers and insurers to ensure the best outcome for their property.

Review your strata insurance policy:

Flex Insurance offers you the choice and flexibility of cover. Choose comprehensive cover or tailor the cover to best fit your personal circumstances. Make sure your sum insured on your policy has been updated and accurately valued, so that if the unexpected should occur, you will be accurately covered for the total replacement value.

At Flex, we try to keep it simple when it comes to strata insurance, and keeping your building well maintained, addressing defects early and effectively communicating with your strata manager or your insurer are all important steps you can take to adequately protect your home or investment.

Get a quote for your flexible strata insurance, or contact us for more information.

CHUiSAVER Underwriting Agency Pty Ltd (ABN 85 613 645 239, AFSL 491113) trading as Flex Insurance acts under a binding authority as agent of the insurer: QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited (ABN 78 003 191 035, AFSL 239545).

Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply to the products referred to above. Any advice on this website is general advice only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision to acquire any product(s) or to continue to hold any product we recommend that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (‘PDS’), Financial Services Guide (‘FSG’), and the Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) which can be viewed on this website or obtained by contacting Flex Insurance directly.

Flex Insurance is a wholly owned subsidiary of CHU Underwriting Agencies Pty Ltd (ABN 18 001 580 070, AFS Licence No: 243261) (CHU). CHU is a wholly owned subsidiary of Steadfast Group Ltd (ABN 98 073 659 677) (‘SGL’). SGL may receive a professional services fee (PSF) from insurers, premium funders and underwriting agencies such as Flex Insurance and CHU (Partner) for access to regulatory and compliance support; marketing and communications; data insights; and access to technology platforms. The PSF is an agreed amount between SGL and the relevant Partner, usually annually. The PSF is not determined by the volume of the business that the Steadfast Network brokers place, nor is the amount of the PSF known to the Steadfast Network Brokers, so it is not able to influence recommendations to their clients. Flex Insurance may have access to shared services from SGL, including: compliance tools; procedures; manuals and training; legal; HR banking; and group purchasing arrangements. These services are funded by SGL, subsidised by SGL or SGL receives a fee for them. SGL’s FSG is available at www.steadfast.com.au or on request by telephoning SGL’s Company Secretary on +61 2 9495 6500.

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