11 min read
If you own a unit, townhouse, or villa in a strata complex, you don’t individually own the roof over your head - the body corporate does. That means roof maintenance, repairs, and restoration are a collective responsibility, managed through the strata scheme and funded from levies or the reserve (sinking) fund.
This arrangement makes practical sense - the roof is shared infrastructure that protects every lot in the scheme. But it also means that getting roof work done involves a process. You can’t just call a roofer and get it fixed the way you would with a freestanding home. Understanding how strata roof maintenance works, who is responsible for what, and how to navigate the decision-making process saves frustration and helps ensure the work actually gets done properly.
Who Is Responsible for the Roof?
Under the Western Australian Strata Titles Act 1985 (and the updated Community Titles legislation), the body corporate (also called the strata company or owners’ corporation) is responsible for maintaining, repairing, and renewing all common property. The roof is common property in virtually every strata scheme.
This means:
- Individual lot owners are not responsible for the roof, even if the leak is directly above their unit
- The body corporate must maintain the roof in a reasonable state of repair
- Strata council members (elected by lot owners) make day-to-day decisions about maintenance on behalf of the body corporate
- The strata manager (if appointed) administers the scheme but doesn’t make decisions independently - they act on instructions from the council or general meetings
There are exceptions in some schemes where the strata plan allocates certain maintenance responsibilities to individual lot owners, but this is uncommon for roofing. If you’re unsure, your scheme’s by-laws and strata plan will clarify.
What Happens When an Individual Owner Reports a Leak
If you notice a leak in your unit, you should report it to the strata manager or strata council in writing. The body corporate is obligated to investigate and address the issue because it involves common property (the roof).
If the body corporate fails to act on a legitimate roof maintenance issue, individual owners have recourse through the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), which can order the body corporate to carry out necessary repairs. This is a last resort - most issues are resolved through communication and the normal meeting process.
Legal Obligations
The Strata Titles Act imposes a duty on the body corporate to maintain common property. This isn’t optional. A body corporate that neglects roof maintenance is breaching its legal obligations and exposing itself to potential liability.
Key legal considerations:
- Duty of care - the body corporate must maintain common property so that it doesn’t cause damage to individual lots. A leaking roof that damages an owner’s ceiling, flooring, or belongings is the body corporate’s liability.
- Insurance obligations - the body corporate must insure the building, including the roof. Insurers may reduce or deny claims if the roof wasn’t properly maintained (the maintenance exclusion).
- Building standards - any repair or restoration work must comply with the National Construction Code and relevant Australian Standards. This applies whether you’re replacing a few tiles or doing a full restoration.
- Work health and safety - the body corporate, as the entity commissioning the work, has WHS obligations. Contractors must be properly licensed and insured.
Planning a Restoration Through the Body Corporate Process
Getting a roof restoration approved and executed in a strata scheme involves several steps. Here’s the typical process for a Perth strata complex.
Step 1: Identify the Need
The need for roof work usually becomes apparent through:
- Leak reports from individual owners
- Observations during routine property inspections
- Recommendations from a strata maintenance plan (10-year plan)
- Visible deterioration of the roof surface
- An independent roof inspection commissioned by the council
A professional roof inspection is the best starting point. It provides an objective assessment of the roof’s condition and identifies specific issues - deteriorated pointing, cracked tiles, damaged flashings, biological growth, coating failure. This report becomes the basis for planning the work.
Step 2: Get Multiple Quotes
The strata council should obtain at least three written quotes from licensed roofing contractors. Each quote should cover the same scope of work so that comparisons are meaningful.
For the quotes to be useful, they should specify:
- Detailed scope - exactly what work will be performed (cleaning, repairs, repointing, coating, etc.)
- Materials - specific products to be used, not just generic descriptions
- Warranties - product warranties and workmanship warranties
- Timeline - estimated duration and any staging requirements
- Access requirements - scaffolding, parking access, resident notifications
- Insurance - confirmation of public liability insurance (minimum $10 million for strata work is common) and workers’ compensation
- Licences - relevant building contractor licence
Step 3: Present at a General Meeting
The level of approval required depends on the cost and your scheme’s by-laws:
Day-to-day maintenance (minor repairs, emergency leak fixes) can usually be authorised by the strata council without a general meeting, provided it falls within the council’s delegated spending authority.
Major maintenance and restoration typically requires approval at a general meeting - either an Annual General Meeting (AGM) or a Special General Meeting (SGM) called for the purpose. The threshold varies by scheme but significant expenditure generally requires a resolution of the body corporate.
Special resolutions may be required for very large projects that materially affect the scheme’s finances or alter common property. A special resolution requires 75% approval by value of lot entitlements, not just a simple majority of those present.
When presenting the proposal, include:
- The roof inspection report
- All quotes received
- A recommendation from the council (usually the quote they believe offers best value)
- Proposed funding mechanism (sinking fund, special levy, or loan)
- Consequences of deferring the work
Step 4: Fund the Work
Strata roof restoration can be funded through several mechanisms:
Reserve (sinking) fund - the preferred option. Well-managed schemes set aside funds each year specifically for major maintenance items like roof restoration. The 10-year maintenance plan should include a forecast for roof work and corresponding sinking fund contributions.
Special levy - if the sinking fund is insufficient, the body corporate can raise a special levy on all lot owners. The levy is apportioned according to unit entitlements (not equally per lot). Special levies are unpopular but sometimes necessary if the sinking fund has been undercontributed.
Loan - the body corporate can borrow funds, with repayments made from levies. This spreads the cost but adds interest. Some specialist strata finance providers offer loans specifically for body corporate maintenance projects.
Step 5: Coordinate Access and Notifications
Multi-unit roof restoration requires coordination that single-home projects don’t:
- Resident notification - all owners and tenants need advance notice of the work, including dates, expected disruption (noise, dust, water shutoffs), and any access restrictions
- Vehicle access - roofers need space for equipment and material staging. This may mean temporary restrictions on resident parking
- Scaffolding - scaffold erection may affect common area access and individual lot balconies or courtyards
- Water and power - pressure cleaning requires water supply and may involve temporary disruption
- Security - scaffolding on multi-storey buildings creates security concerns. The contractor should address how they’ll manage access to scaffolding after hours
- Tenant coordination - if lots are tenanted, owners need to coordinate with their property managers to ensure tenants are informed
Typical Costs for Multi-Unit Buildings
Roof restoration costs for strata properties vary significantly based on size, complexity, access difficulty, and condition. As a rough guide for Perth strata complexes:
Small villa complexes (4-8 units, single storey): These are essentially equivalent to a large residential roof and pricing is similar per square metre. Total cost might range from $15,000 to $40,000 depending on roof size and condition.
Medium townhouse complexes (10-20 units, two storey): The larger roof area and height increase costs. Scaffolding becomes a significant line item. Total costs might range from $40,000 to $100,000.
Larger apartment buildings (20+ units, three or more storeys): Access costs (scaffolding, elevated work platforms) can represent a significant portion of the total cost. Complex roof geometry with multiple levels, flat sections, and numerous penetrations adds to the scope. Total costs can range from $80,000 to $250,000 or more.
Per-lot costs are the figure that matters to individual owners. A $60,000 restoration on a 12-unit complex with equal entitlements is $5,000 per lot. On a 30-unit complex, the same total cost is $2,000 per lot. Larger schemes benefit from economies of scale - the per-lot cost is typically lower.
Insurance Requirements for Contractors
Strata work has stricter insurance requirements than residential work. The strata manager or council should verify:
Public liability insurance - minimum $10 million is standard for strata work. Some schemes require $20 million. The certificate of currency should name the body corporate as an interested party.
Workers’ compensation - mandatory in WA for any business with employees. The contractor must provide a current certificate of currency.
Contract works insurance - covers damage to the work in progress. Important for larger projects where partially completed work is vulnerable to weather damage.
Professional indemnity - relevant if the contractor is providing design or specification services rather than just following a provided scope.
Request copies of all insurance certificates before work commences and verify they cover the full duration of the project. Your strata manager should handle this as part of their administration role.
Common Issues Specific to Strata Roofs
Strata roofs often have characteristics that don’t appear on standalone residential roofs:
Flat Sections
Many strata complexes include flat or near-flat roof sections over carports, common areas, or walkways. Flat roofs require different maintenance than pitched tile roofs - membrane inspections, drainage checks, and different coating systems. They’re also more prone to ponding water and resultant leaks.
Shared Guttering
Gutter systems on strata buildings are often more complex than residential homes, with long runs, multiple downpipes, and connections between different roof sections. Blocked gutters on a strata building can cause more extensive damage because the water volumes are larger and the drainage systems are more interconnected.
Multiple Penetrations
Strata buildings have numerous roof penetrations - individual unit exhaust fans, multiple plumbing vents, communal antenna systems, air conditioning units, solar panels (individual and communal), and access hatches. Each penetration is a potential leak point, and maintaining the flashings and seals around dozens of penetrations is a bigger task than on a single home.
Different Roof Sections at Different Ages
Buildings that have been extended or modified may have roof sections of different ages and types. Original tiles alongside newer metal roofing, or different tile profiles where additions were made, create maintenance complexity and potential compatibility issues with coating systems.
Access Difficulties
Upper-storey roofs on strata buildings often require scaffolding, elevated work platforms, or rope access for maintenance. This adds cost and complexity to every maintenance intervention, which is why proactive planned maintenance is more cost-effective than reactive repairs - you’re paying for access regardless, so doing comprehensive work each time is more efficient.
Why Proactive Maintenance Saves Money
The financial case for proactive roof maintenance in strata is even stronger than for individual homes, because the cost of reactive repairs is amplified by access costs and the administrative overhead of the strata process.
Consider this comparison:
Reactive approach: Wait until leaks appear, then pay for emergency repairs including scaffolding access for each separate issue, plus potential damage claims from affected lot owners, plus urgency premiums because the work is emergency, plus multiple call-out fees over time.
Proactive approach: Schedule comprehensive maintenance every 3-5 years, combining cleaning, inspection, minor repairs, and repointing into a single project with a single mobilisation and scaffold hire.
The proactive approach typically costs 30-50% less over a 10-year period because you’re eliminating emergency call-outs, reducing scaffold hire frequency, preventing damage that creates liability, and maintaining the building’s condition and value.
A well-structured 10-year maintenance plan, reviewed annually and funded through adequate sinking fund contributions, is the foundation of cost-effective strata building management.
Getting Started
If you’re on a strata council and the roof hasn’t been professionally inspected in the last 5 years, that’s the logical first step. An inspection report gives you:
- An objective assessment of current condition
- Identification of specific issues that need addressing
- A priority ranking (what’s urgent vs what can wait)
- An estimated cost range for recommended work
- Evidence to present to lot owners at a general meeting
If you’re a lot owner concerned about the roof condition and the council isn’t acting, raise it in writing with the strata manager and request it be placed on the agenda for the next general meeting. If that doesn’t produce results, SAT is available as a dispute resolution mechanism.
The Bottom Line
Roof maintenance in strata properties is the body corporate’s responsibility, and it’s a legal obligation - not optional. The process of getting work approved and funded involves more steps than a standalone home, but the principles are the same: identify the issue, get professional quotes, make informed decisions, and maintain the roof proactively rather than reactively.
Well-managed strata schemes treat roof maintenance as a planned expense, budget for it through the sinking fund, and avoid the cost blowouts that come with emergency repairs. Poorly managed schemes defer maintenance until leaks force action, then face large special levies and damage claims from frustrated lot owners.
If your strata complex’s roof is showing signs of age - cracked pointing, biological growth, coating failure, or recurring leaks - now is the time to start the conversation with your strata council. The sooner the process begins, the more options you have for funding and scheduling the work. For multi-unit and commercial roofing projects, you can request a quote to get the process moving.
Licensed 
Fast Response
