How to report a maintenance issue to your body corporate
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If you discover a plumbing leak, water damage or another maintenance problem, it may not be obvious whether the cause is inside your lot, on common property or connected to shared infrastructure. Report the issue early so it can be assessed before further damage occurs.
You do not need to diagnose the fault or establish who is responsible before reporting it. Water visible inside a lot may be coming from an internal fitting, a pipe in a shared wall, the roof, a balcony or another lot. The first step is to describe what is happening and provide enough information for the appropriate next step to be identified.
For schemes managed by BCsystems, the online maintenance request form provides a clear way to record an issue that may require body corporate involvement. Lot owners can use it to provide the location, evidence and access details. BCsystems can then refer the matter to the committee or clarify what is needed before a contractor is engaged. If the issue clearly relates to an item the owner is responsible for maintaining, the owner may instead need to arrange their own contractor.
What maintenance issues should you report?
Report a problem when its source is unclear, it may affect more than one property, or body corporate involvement may be needed to investigate the issue or arrange access.
Common examples include:
- a plumbing leak where the source is not visible or known
- water entering through a ceiling, wall, window or balcony
- damage that appears to be spreading to another lot or common area
- a blockage or service fault that may affect more than one lot
- damage or deterioration in a shared area
- a recurring problem where previous work has not resolved the cause
- a safety issue that may involve the building or shared infrastructure
What if you don’t know where the problem is coming from?
Report what you can observe rather than guessing at the cause. Note where the damage is visible, when it started, whether it is active or intermittent, and what lies above, below or beside the affected area. Photographs and access details can help the committee or contractor decide whether an inspection is required.
The initial response may involve requesting more information, arranging access, asking the committee to authorise an inspection, or advising you to contact a tradesperson if the issue appears to be confined to your lot.
Responsibility can be addressed once the likely source and location are clear. It does not need to be the focus of the original report.
What to include in a maintenance request
A useful report explains what you have observed and gives the body corporate enough information to assess the issue.
Before submitting the online form, have the following details ready:
- the scheme name, CTS number if known, lot number and property address
- your full name, phone number and email address
- the exact location where the issue or damage is visible
- a factual description of what you can see, hear or smell
- when it began and whether it is active, worsening or recurring
- photographs, video, reports or previous repair information
- whether another lot or shared area appears to be affected
- any immediate risk to people or property
- whether someone will need to provide access to the lot or meet a contractor on-site
Is the issue an emergency?
If there is an immediate threat to life or safety, contact the appropriate emergency service first. A maintenance form is not a substitute for calling emergency services.
An issue may be urgent if leaving it unattended could cause injury, illness or further property damage. This includes active water entry, an exposed electrical hazard, an unsafe building element or a fault affecting an essential shared service.
Where it is safe to do so, take reasonable steps to reduce the immediate risk or prevent further damage, then follow the scheme’s emergency contact process. Keep receipts and records, but do not assume that the body corporate will reimburse costs incurred without prior approval. Non-urgent issues should be submitted through the usual maintenance request process.
What happens after you submit the request?
The first step is usually to assess the request, rather than decide immediately who must pay. Your body corporate manager will review the information, seek clarification and refer the issue to the committee.
Depending on the circumstances, the request may then be:
- checked to confirm that the location, evidence and access details are clear
- referred to the committee for instructions or approval
- assessed by a suitable contractor to locate the source
- coordinated with another lot owner, tenant or site contact where access to more than one area is needed
- progressed as a body corporate work order or quote request once authorised
- referred back to the owner with an explanation if the available information indicates that the repair is within the lot
The body corporate manager will usually help administer the request and carry out decisions made by the body corporate. The committee may first need to authorise an inspection, quote or repair. The appropriate pathway will depend on the urgency of the issue, the likely responsibility, the available information and the expected cost.
Why delays can occur
Submitting a maintenance request does not always lead immediately to a repair. Where the source is unclear, the committee may first need more information or an inspection to determine what work is required and whether body corporate involvement is appropriate. Access to other lots may also need to be arranged.
Once the issue has been assessed, the committee may need to approve an inspection, quote or repair.
The committee can generally approve the expenditure if it is within the committee spending limit and sufficient funds are available in the budget. If the cost exceeds that limit or has not been adequately budgeted for, approval at a general meeting may be required. The timing can also depend on contractor availability and the type and extent of the work.
What if the issue is the owner’s responsibility?
If an inspection indicates that the issue relates to an item the owner is responsible for maintaining, the owner will generally need to arrange the repair. If the reason is not obvious, the response should explain the information used to reach that conclusion.
Clear information helps maintenance move forward
Using the BCsystems online maintenance request form creates a clear record of the issue and gives the committee or contractor a useful starting point.
Describe what is happening, attach relevant evidence, identify any immediate risk and provide access details. You do not need to know at the outset whether the issue is within the lot or on common property. The assessment and investigation process can help identify the appropriate next step.
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