Thinking Of Renovating Your Apartment? Understanding Strata Approval Requirements

Renovating within a strata scheme is rarely just a matter between a lot owner and their builder or contractor. Even works carried out entirely within a lot can affect common property – sometimes in ways that are not immediately apparent. For this reason, the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) (SSMA) establishes a structured approval regime designed to balance a lot owner’s right to renovate with the Owners Corporation’s responsibility to protect other lots, the common property, and the scheme as a whole.

In practice, many renovation disputes arise because the approval process is misunderstood or underestimated. We regularly see lot owners commence renovations, only to discover, often after work has begun, that the wrong approval pathway was followed, or that approval was required but not obtained. Taking the time to understand the correct process before any works begin can help avoid delays, disputes and unnecessary cost.