A change can feel entirely private when it is being made inside your own apartment, townhouse or unit. A new lock, different flooring, an air conditioner, a security screen or a refreshed bathroom may seem to concern only the owner paying for it. In a body corporate scheme, however, the legal boundaries of the lot do not always follow the surfaces people see and use each day. A wall can conceal shared services, an entry door can form part of common property, and a courtyard used by one home can remain legally connected to the scheme.
This is why the apparent scale of the work can be misleading. A major internal update may require little body corporate involvement when it stays wholly within the lot, while a small fixture can need written approval because it changes the building’s appearance, attaches to common property, affects fire safety or creates noise, drainage or maintenance issues for other owners.
The first task is to establish exactly what is being changed and who owns or maintains it. The registered survey plan can help identify the boundaries of the lot, while the community management statement and by-laws may regulate external appearance, flooring, screens, air conditioning, structural work and other alterations. Exclusive-use areas also need special attention because a space reserved for one owner can still remain common property.
Approval from the body corporate may be only one requirement. Depending on the work, building, plumbing, electrical, waterproofing, fire safety, planning and contractor licensing rules can also apply. Checking these issues before products are ordered or trades are booked can prevent delays, unnecessary expense and the risk of completed work having to be changed or removed.
The Main Questions To Ask Before Making A Change
An owner should investigate body corporate approval whenever the proposed work affects a surface, structure, fixture or service that may form part of common property. Approval should also be checked where the work will change the visible exterior of a lot, penetrate the building envelope, alter waterproofing, affect acoustic performance or place equipment outside the internal boundaries of the lot.
The practical questions are whether the item belongs to the owner, whether the body corporate maintains it, whether the work reaches common property and whether a by-law regulates the proposed change. Each question addresses a different issue, and ownership alone may not settle the approval requirement.
A townhouse owner may own the external wall or roof under a standard format plan, yet still be subject to a by-law controlling external appearance. An apartment owner may be responsible for maintaining an internal surface, while the supporting structure behind it remains a body corporate responsibility. An exclusive-use courtyard may be used only by one lot while remaining common property.
Owners should also consider the effect of the completed work. A change that creates noise, vibration, water discharge, structural loading or maintenance access problems may require greater scrutiny even where much of the installation sits inside the lot.
Start With The Registered Survey Plan
The registered survey plan establishes the legal boundaries between lots and common property. It also shows whether the scheme uses a building format plan, standard format plan or another form of subdivision.
This distinction matters because the same feature can have a different ownership and maintenance position in two otherwise similar developments. An exterior wall, roof, door, window, balcony or foundation may sit within a townhouse lot under one plan while forming part of common property or a boundary structure in another.
Marketing floorplans, sales brochures and photographs are not reliable substitutes for the registered plan. They may show how rooms and outdoor areas are used, although they generally do not establish legal boundaries or maintenance responsibilities.
A copy of the plan should be examined before work is designed around a boundary wall, balcony edge, courtyard, roof, slab, foundation or utility route. Professional assistance may be appropriate where the plan is difficult to interpret or the location of a boundary could materially affect the project.
Check The Community Management Statement And By-Laws
The community management statement contains the registered by-laws applying to the scheme. It also identifies the regulation module and may include exclusive-use arrangements affecting courtyards, balconies, storage areas, roofs or other parts of common property.
By-laws can regulate changes to external appearance, hard flooring, doors, screens, awnings, air conditioning, solar installations and other visible or potentially disruptive work. They may also establish application requirements, approved specifications or conditions for contractors working within the scheme.
Approval practices used in another building should not be treated as a reliable precedent. Two schemes can have similar architecture while operating under different plans, by-laws, exclusive-use arrangements and previous approval conditions.
The current registered documents should be checked before products are ordered or work begins. An old copy retained by a former owner may not include later changes to the community management statement.
Building Format Plans
Building format plans are common in apartment buildings and other vertically divided developments. Boundaries are often formed by the centre of floors, walls and ceilings, subject to the precise details shown on the registered plan.
The lot owner is generally responsible for many internal finishes and fixtures, including internal paint, floor coverings, cabinetry and fittings serving only the lot. The body corporate can remain responsible for structural elements, common property and utility infrastructure serving more than one lot.
Load-bearing walls and essential supporting framework can remain a body corporate maintenance responsibility even where they are located inside the boundaries of a lot. Structural slabs, foundations, roofing membranes and other building elements may also sit outside the owner’s ordinary maintenance responsibility.
Doors, windows and associated fittings located within a boundary wall between a lot and common property will commonly be maintained by the body corporate. Associated fittings can include locks, hinges, automatic closers, garage door motors and builder-installed screens. Doors and windows located wholly inside the lot boundaries can have a different position.
This means an apartment owner should check before altering an entry door, replacing a window, drilling into a boundary wall, cutting through a slab or attaching equipment to the exterior of the building. The surface may be beside or within the apartment while remaining connected to body corporate property.
Standard Format Plans
Standard format plans are common in townhouse, villa and low-density developments. Lot boundaries are generally surveyed at ground level and extend above and below the land.
The house or townhouse, exterior walls, roof, foundations, doors, windows and private yard will often sit within the owner’s lot. This can give the owner broader maintenance responsibilities than an apartment owner under a building format plan.
Greater ownership responsibility does not remove the need to check the by-laws. A by-law may regulate external paint colours, roofing materials, fencing, screens, awnings, solar panels, air conditioning equipment and other changes visible from outside the lot.
Shared utility infrastructure may also remain a body corporate responsibility even when it passes through private land. Pipes, drains, cables, wires and other infrastructure serving more than one lot should be identified before excavation, demolition or installation work begins.
Exclusive-Use Areas
An exclusive-use area is generally common property allocated for the special use of a particular lot. Courtyards, roof areas, storage spaces and other areas can feel like part of the home while remaining legally separate from the lot.
The exclusive-use by-law should be checked before tiles, decking, screens, shade structures, storage fixtures, lighting, planters or other improvements are installed. The by-law may give the owner a right to make particular changes, impose conditions or require a separate body corporate decision.
Where the by-law does not authorise the proposed improvement, body corporate approval will generally be needed before common property is changed. The owner may also become responsible for maintaining the improvement after installation.
Approval should address access to underlying common property. Decking, tiles, fixed structures and landscaping may need to be removed if the body corporate later requires access to a slab, membrane, pipe, wall or drainage system.
Maintenance, Repairs And Improvements
Before seeking approval, it helps to establish whether the proposed work is maintenance, a repair or an improvement. Maintenance usually involves keeping an existing item in good condition. An improvement can include a structural or non-structural change, an addition, a substitution or a new installation.
Repainting a peeling wall in the existing colour may be maintenance. Changing the colour of a visible external wall can also alter the appearance of the scheme. Replacing a failed air conditioner in the same position may involve maintenance and replacement work, while moving the condenser or changing its drainage route can create a new improvement.
A single project can contain several categories. Repairing a leaking bathroom may require replacement of failed waterproofing, followed by changes to tiles, drainage or the room layout. The repair may be necessary, although the proposed redesign can still require approval.
Responsibility for fixing an item does not automatically include authority to redesign or alter body corporate property. Where the body corporate maintains the original item, the owner should report the problem and establish the approved scope before arranging work.
Failed Locks And Like-For-Like Repairs
A failed lock is a useful example of why the exact scope matters. Replacing a removable lock cylinder or repairing an owner-installed lock may be a relatively limited job. Replacing hardware on a body corporate-maintained entry door, fitting a new digital lock or cutting into a fire-rated door can involve wider approval and safety issues.
In a building format plan, an entry door located in a boundary wall between the lot and common property will commonly fall within the body corporate’s maintenance responsibility. Builder-installed locks, hinges and automatic closers may form part of that responsibility.
An owner-installed lock or later security improvement may remain the owner’s responsibility, even where it is attached to a body corporate-maintained door. The body corporate records may show whether the hardware was original, approved later or installed under particular conditions.
Owners dealing with a failed letterbox lock, storage lock or internal door lock should first identify who owns and maintains the door or box. A simple like-for-like replacement may need no formal motion where the item belongs entirely to the owner, although permission should be checked before common property is drilled, modified or replaced.
Internal Painting And Decorative Changes
Repainting walls and ceilings wholly inside the lot will generally be among the least complicated changes. Changing the colour of a bedroom, living area, study or internal hallway is unlikely to require body corporate approval where common property, structural elements, shared services, fire systems and external appearance remain unaffected.
Replacing cabinet handles, changing loose furniture, installing removable decorative items and replacing freestanding appliances will also generally create few body corporate issues.
The position changes when painting reaches an entry door, balcony wall, garage door, exterior surface, window frame, balustrade or another visible part of the building. The surface may be common property, part of a boundary structure or subject to an external appearance by-law.
Owners should not assume that paying for the work gives them authority to change the colour or finish. Even like-for-like work may need to be coordinated with the body corporate where it maintains the surface.
Doors, Windows And Screens
Doors and windows can sit directly on the legal boundary between a lot and common property. Their position on the registered plan can determine whether the owner or body corporate is responsible for maintenance.
An owner should check before replacing an apartment entry door, garage door, window, balcony door or associated hardware. A replacement can affect appearance, weatherproofing, security, access control, fire resistance and the consistency of the building façade.
Security screens and insect screens can also require approval where they are attached to a body corporate-maintained frame or visible from outside the lot. The scheme may specify the colour, mesh, frame profile, opening direction or installation method.
Fire-rated apartment entry doors require particular care. New locks, viewers, seals, closers, vents and other hardware should not be installed without confirming that the door’s required performance will be preserved.
Custom-made doors and screens should not be ordered until the owner has established responsibility and obtained any required written approval. A product that fits the opening may still be unacceptable because of its appearance, attachment method or effect on a fire-rated assembly.
Hard Flooring
Replacing carpet with timber, tiles, laminate, hybrid flooring, vinyl planks or another hard surface can require approval even though the work occurs inside the lot. The main concern is often the transmission of footsteps, dropped objects and furniture movement into neighbouring apartments.
Some schemes have by-laws requiring approval before hard flooring is installed. The owner may need to provide the flooring product, acoustic underlay, installation method, affected rooms and supporting acoustic information.
A laboratory rating shown in product material does not always predict the finished performance in a particular building. Concrete slab thickness, ceiling construction, room layout, perimeter treatment and installation quality can all affect sound transmission.
The approval should cover the entire flooring system and the rooms in which it will be used. Installing an approved product in additional rooms or substituting a different underlay may move the completed work outside the approved scope.
Owners should obtain written approval before removing existing carpet or ordering flooring. Acoustic rectification after installation can be expensive and may require the finished floor to be lifted.
Air Conditioning
Air conditioning frequently involves both lot property and common property. The indoor unit may be inside the apartment while the condenser, pipework, wiring, brackets or drainage extend through an exterior wall or into a balcony, courtyard, roof or service area.
An application should identify the condenser location, dimensions, appearance, mounting method, pipe route, electrical connection and condensate drainage. Noise information may also be relevant where equipment will be close to bedrooms, balconies or living areas.
Condensate should be directed to a suitable drainage point. Water should not be allowed to drip across the façade, onto another lot or into an area where it may cause staining, deterioration or a slipping hazard.
Replacing an existing unit may still require approval where the new equipment is larger, louder, differently positioned or connected in another way. Existing approval conditions should be checked before the replacement design is finalised.
The owner will commonly remain responsible for maintaining equipment installed for the benefit of their lot, including components placed on common property. Responsibility for repairs, removal and reinstatement should be clear in the written approval.
Kitchen Changes
A basic kitchen refresh can involve new cabinet doors, handles, benchtops and appliances without changing the layout or building services. Approval is less likely where the work remains within the lot and does not affect walls, plumbing, drainage, ventilation, fire systems or common property.
A larger kitchen project may involve moving a sink, changing drainage, relocating electrical circuits, altering gas connections, removing walls or installing a new exhaust route. These elements can bring body corporate property and regulated building work into the project.
Ducted rangehoods require careful planning because the exhaust may need to pass through an exterior wall, ceiling, roof, fire-rated element or common service space. The outlet location can also create appearance, noise, odour and weatherproofing issues.
The body corporate application should identify which services will move, whether walls or ceilings will be opened and where ventilation will discharge. Existing and proposed plans can make the scope easier to assess.
Bathroom And Laundry Changes
Bathrooms and laundries combine plumbing, drainage, waterproofing, electrical work and ventilation. A defective installation can damage the owner’s lot, common property and other lots.
Replacing a tap, vanity or toilet in the same position may involve a limited scope. Removing tiles, rebuilding a shower, moving plumbing fixtures, altering floor wastes or replacing waterproofing requires closer assessment.
The internal finishes may be an owner responsibility while structural slabs, shared pipes and other infrastructure remain under body corporate control. Penetrations through a slab or changes to shared drainage should not proceed without the required technical assessment and approvals.
An application should describe the demolition work, proposed layout, plumbing changes, waterproofing system, ventilation arrangements and contractors. It should also identify which certificates and completion records will be supplied.
Owners should retain waterproofing certificates, plumbing records, plans, photographs, invoices and the body corporate decision. These records can become important if a leak appears or the property is later sold.
Walls And Structural Changes
A wall should not be removed, opened or substantially altered until its function has been assessed. It may contain load-bearing framing, shared pipes, electrical infrastructure, fire-rated construction or required acoustic separation.
An apparently lightweight internal wall can still form part of a fire or sound-control system. Simplified sales floorplans may omit columns, ducts, risers and services concealed within the building.
Structural alterations may require engineering information, building approval, fire safety assessment and body corporate permission. The application should contain enough information to show how common property and the integrity of the building will be protected.
Unexpected pipes, cables, columns or other building elements discovered during demolition should be assessed before work continues. Approval for one design does not automatically extend to a different solution developed on site.
Balconies And Courtyards
Balconies and courtyards can form part of the lot, common property or an exclusive-use area. Their legal position should be established before permanent changes are made.
Tiles, decking, outdoor blinds, privacy screens, fixed planters, storage cupboards, lighting and shade structures can affect drainage, waterproofing, structural loading, external appearance and maintenance access.
Balcony tiling deserves particular care. A new finish can alter surface levels, drainage falls and door clearances. It can also cover a membrane or outlet that the body corporate may need to inspect and repair.
Heavy planters, spas, water features and substantial structures can add weight to a balcony or suspended slab. Structural capacity should be addressed before such items are installed.
The approval should explain who will maintain the improvement and what happens if access to the underlying slab, membrane, wall or service becomes necessary.
Solar Panels And Batteries
Solar panels and battery systems can involve roofing, structural capacity, waterproofing, electrical infrastructure, cable routes, fire safety and common property access.
Ownership of a townhouse roof does not automatically remove the need to check the by-laws. External appearance controls may still apply, and cables or electrical connections may pass through common property or shared infrastructure.
An application should show panel placement, roof fixings, cable routes, inverter location and any changes to common electrical equipment. It should also address access for future roof work and responsibility for leaks or damage associated with the installation.
Battery installations require careful selection of the location. Protection, ventilation, electrical design, emergency access and fire safety may make some walls, garages, corridors or service areas unsuitable.
Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment
An electric vehicle charger may require cabling from a lot meter, alterations to electrical equipment, use of common property routes and assessment of the building’s available electrical capacity.
The body corporate may need technical information showing the charger location, cable path, electrical load, protective equipment and metering arrangements. The installation should also allow for future access to shared services.
Approval conditions should allocate responsibility for installation costs, electricity use, maintenance, damage, removal and reinstatement. A private charger should not interfere with the safe operation of the scheme’s electrical infrastructure.
Awnings, Shutters And External Fixtures
Awnings, outdoor blinds, shutters, antennas, satellite dishes, cameras, external lights and decorative panels commonly require approval when attached to the exterior of a building or visible from common property.
The body corporate may consider colour, dimensions, position, wind loading, attachment method, drainage, glare, privacy and access for building maintenance.
Approval for one fixture is generally limited to the design, position and installation method presented in the application. A later substitution or relocation should be checked before installation.
Security camera applications should identify the mounting point, power connection and field of view. Positioning should minimise unnecessary recording of neighbouring lots and private areas.
Work Less Likely To Need Approval
Body corporate approval is generally less likely for decorative changes wholly inside the lot where common property, shared infrastructure, structure, waterproofing, fire systems, external appearance and acoustic performance remain unaffected.
Examples can include internal painting, loose furniture, removable decorations, cabinet-handle replacement and freestanding appliances. Internal window furnishings may also be straightforward where they comply with any appearance controls.
Like-for-like replacement work can be simpler where the item belongs entirely to the owner and serves only the lot. Fixed doors, windows, walls, pipes and building services should still be checked because their ownership may not be obvious.
Contractors may need to comply with scheme procedures for access, working hours, lift bookings, dust, noise, waste and protection of common areas even where the physical change itself requires no formal approval.
Committee Approval And General Meeting Approval
A body corporate manager may receive the request, prepare documents and communicate the result, although the decision must be made through the authority applying to the scheme.
For many community titles schemes, the committee can approve an owner’s improvement to common property where the total cost is less than $3,000, the improvement does not detract from the appearance of a lot and its use is unlikely to breach the owner’s obligations as an occupier.
If the committee cannot approve the improvement within those criteria, an ordinary resolution at a general meeting will generally be required.
Different processes apply to some schemes, including commercial and specified two-lot schemes. Older developments can also operate under other legislation. Owners should identify the regulation module and legislation applying to their scheme before relying on a particular approval threshold.
What To Include In An Approval Request
A well-prepared request explains exactly what will change, where the work will occur and how the installation will affect the building. A vague request to install a screen, replace a door or renovate a bathroom may not provide enough information for a decision.
The application should describe the existing item, proposed replacement or alteration, dimensions, materials, colour, finish and installation method. Marked photographs, plans, drawings and product specifications can make the proposal easier to understand.
The request should explain any effect on common property, structure, waterproofing, plumbing, drainage, electrical infrastructure, fire safety, ventilation, acoustics and external appearance.
Contractor details, licence information, insurance, work dates, access arrangements, common-area protection and waste removal may also be required. More complex changes can require engineering, acoustic, electrical or waterproofing information.
The application should state who will maintain the completed improvement, repair any damage and reinstate common property if the installation is removed.
Approval Conditions Can Create Continuing Responsibilities
Written approval may contain conditions covering the design, products, location, contractors, work hours, certificates, maintenance, insurance, damage and future removal.
A condition requiring a particular screen colour, flooring system, condenser position or drainage route forms part of the approval. Substituting another product or changing the location can place the completed work outside the approved scope.
An owner who installs an improvement on common property will generally be responsible for maintaining it and complying with the approval conditions. The owner may also be required to provide the body corporate with details of the type and value of the improvement.
If the improvement increases the body corporate’s insurance premium, the owner may have to meet the additional cost. The approval should also explain responsibility for repair, replacement and reinstatement.
These obligations can remain relevant after the property is sold. Approval documents should therefore be kept with plans, certificates, warranties and completion records.
Avoid Starting Work Before Written Approval
Beginning work before receiving approval creates a risk that the installed product, location or method will not be accepted. Retrospective approval may be considered, although it does not guarantee that the completed work can remain unchanged.
The owner may be required to modify or remove unauthorised work. This can be expensive where the change involves custom screens, doors, flooring, air conditioning, waterproofing, balcony structures or penetrations through the building.
Work can also become difficult to verify after it has been concealed. Plumbing, waterproofing, structural fixings, wiring and fire-rated construction should be documented before walls, ceilings or tiles are closed.
Trades should not be booked on the assumption that approval will be immediate. Products involving custom measurements or non-refundable orders should wait until the written decision and conditions are available.
If Approval Is Refused
An owner should ask for the decision and reasons in writing. The reasons can then be considered against the survey plan, community management statement, by-laws, approval criteria and actual effect of the proposed change.
A concern may be resolved by changing the product, colour, location, installation method, drainage arrangement or maintenance conditions. Engineering, acoustic or other technical information may also address an issue that could not be assessed from the original request.
Where disagreement continues, the parties will generally be expected to attempt self resolution before using the formal Queensland body corporate dispute process. Applications, plans, correspondence, motions, meeting records, photographs and specialist reports should be retained.
Keep The Records After The Work Is Finished
The owner should retain the written approval, approved plans, product specifications, contractor invoices, licences, certificates, warranties and photographs of concealed work.
These records can help establish what was authorised, whether conditions were followed and who is responsible for ongoing maintenance. They may also be useful if a defect, insurance issue or disagreement arises later.
Clear records can become important during a sale. A future buyer may need to understand whether flooring, air conditioning, screens, altered doors, courtyard structures or other visible changes were approved and whether continuing obligations apply to the lot.
Check Before Making The Change
The safest approach is to investigate approval before changing any item connected to common property, external appearance, structure, shared services, waterproofing, acoustic performance or fire safety.
Identify the exact scope, check the registered survey plan, read the current community management statement and examine any exclusive-use by-law affecting the area. Ask the body corporate what information and decision process are required before ordering products or commencing work.
Once approval is received, provide the conditions to the contractor and ensure the completed work matches the approved design. Keep all approvals, certificates and completion records with the property documents.
This information is general only and is not legal advice. Boundaries, by-laws, regulation modules, maintenance responsibilities and approval requirements can differ between schemes. Owners should obtain advice from appropriately qualified professionals where a proposed change, approval condition or dispute may materially affect property rights, costs or legal obligations.
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Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, but we make no guarantees regarding its completeness or reliability. The data is presented for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. We are not liable for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from its use. Users should verify details with relevant sources and seek professional advice where appropriate for the most accurate and up-to-date guidance.
