Renting a Strata-Titled Property

If you are renting a strata-titled property, including a unit, apartment, townhouse or duplex, there are some extra things that you need to be aware of. These include the by-laws of the complex and areas of common property or exclusive use.

Common property

Within the strata complex there will be areas of common property that the Property Manager would have pointed out to you when you inspected the home. There are several standard by-laws that relate to common property that all new tenants need to be aware of:

• In some circumstances you can't transport furniture through a common property area unless you have first given the strata council sufficient notice of your intention to do so.
• You are not permitted to use any part of an area of common property for your own purposes as a garden.
• You must not obstruct any person’s lawful use of common property.
• You cannot permit any child of whom you have control to play on any area of common property or to remain in an area of common property that could be dangerous to children (such as a laundry or car parking area) unless they are accompanied by an adult.

Parking

If your apartment or unit has one or more allocated parking bays, you must ensure that you only use the bay(s) assigned to you. You cannot park a vehicle on any area of common property, or use a visitor car parking bay on a regular basis.

Your visitors

It is your responsibility to ensure that your visitors comply with the by-laws, including parking and their behaviour within common property areas, including excessive noise when walking to and from your rented property at late hours.

Noise and disturbance

In the close-living situation of a strata complex, it is the right of every occupant to be able to use and enjoy their properties and areas of common property. Therefore excessive noise and inappropriate or offensive behaviour that causes a disturbance to other occupants is prohibited under the by-laws of the complex. All occupants must be adequately clothed when upon common property and are not permitted to dispose of rubbish, dirt or other material in an area of common property.