Over the last three years dripping air-conditioners have stained the tiles/pavers on my courtyard and etched my sliding glass doors – by splashing from some of the six floors above me… I am intending to re-do my courtyard as they are quite unsightly now. I don’t want my brand-new courtyard damaged. Can you recommend how I should approach this? Or possible documentation to support my request to permanently fix their dripping air-conditioners? – Pearl, QLD

Q: I have lived in “my” building for 23 years and my unit is on the ground floor. Over the last three years dripping air-conditioners have stained the tiles/pavers on my courtyard and etched my sliding glass doors – by splashing from some of the six floors above me. The Manager, when notified will empty the trays.

I am intending to re-do my courtyard as they are quite unsightly now. Since this is an expensive endeavour, I want to know what to do to remedy this situation. I don’t want my brand-new courtyard damaged. It was my understanding in our by-laws that each apartment owner needed to have their air-conditioners connected to the internal plumbing in their unit.

Can you recommend how I should approach this? Or possible documentation to support my request to permanently fix their dripping air-conditioners?

 

A: It may be best to contact your body corporate manager and committee to let them know of your wishes to re-do your courtyard, especially since this will require tailored by-laws to be made to cover the works planned.

During these discussions, you may be able to raise your concerns about air-conditioner drip issues. It may be best to work out a sustainable and realistic way to fix all the air-conditioning units in your body corporate property, especially if it is mentioned in your by-laws. For example, it may be brought up during a general meeting as a reminder to other owners.

Another option is possibly raising the issue as a special resolution at your next general meeting. You may bring this to the attention of your committee’s secretary, or body corporate manager. State that you’d like to include a special resolution to have all air-conditioning units fixed so that there isn’t an issue with dripping. This special resolution can then be voted on at the meeting. If passed (i.e. no more than 25% of votes cast against the decision) your committee can begin looking into rectifying the issue.

It is worth noting however that because the air-conditioning units are owner responsibility, it may be more difficult to regulate and enforce repairs/maintenance. Alternatively, you may wish to bring the issue up with owners whose air-conditioning units affect you directly. This will mean having to only deal with the owners who directly affect you instead of all owners in the property.