Who Is Responsible for Windows, Doors and Balconies in NSW Strata?

Common-property responsibility for Sydney and NSW South Coast apartment buildings

The short answer is often the owners corporation—but never approve the invoice from a rule of thumb alone. NSW Government guidance lists balconies, balcony doors, windows and window locks among repairs commonly handled by the owners corporation. The registered strata plan, by-laws, any adopted Common Property Memorandum, original construction and later renovation approvals can change the answer for a particular component.

That distinction matters. A leaking balcony in Coogee may involve a common-property slab or membrane, but damaged tiles installed during an owner renovation may have a different allocation. A sticking sliding door in Batemans Bay may be corroded common-property framing, worn owner-maintained hardware, or an unapproved replacement installed years earlier.

The safest process is to identify the failed part and cause, inspect the scheme documents, trace alteration history, make any immediate hazard safe, and only then allocate repair responsibility and approve a compliant scope.

The governing question

Do not ask only, "Where is the damage?" Ask, "What component failed, where is the legal boundary, was it original or altered, what do the by-laws say, and what caused the failure?"

1. Start with the strata plan—not the apartment doorway

Section 106 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 requires the owners corporation to properly maintain and keep common property in good and serviceable repair. Lot owners maintain lot property. The difficulty is identifying the boundary and the item: glass, sash, frame, lock, closer, threshold, slab, balustrade, tiles, membrane, drain or an owner-added screen may not all have the same responsibility.

Before deciding, collect and compare:

the registered strata plan and any later registered plans affecting the boundary;

the current consolidated by-laws, including any common property rights or renovation by-law;

whether the scheme validly adopted the statutory Common Property Memorandum;

the original building specification, defects and prior repair reports where available;

lot alteration applications, resolutions, conditions, warranties and as-built information; and

an inspection report identifying the exact failed component and cause—not merely the room where damage appeared.

Common Property Memorandum

The memorandum does not automatically apply to every scheme. It must be adopted by by-law. If adopted, check its current statutory wording and any permitted exclusions alongside the strata plan and other registered by-laws.

2. Practical responsibility matrix

The table below is a triage guide, not a substitute for scheme-specific documents or legal advice.

Component, Common starting point, What must be checked:

External/boundary window frame

Often owners corporation

Boundary on strata plan; original construction; adopted memorandum; owner replacement; cause of damage.

Window glass, sash and locks

Often owners corporation

NSW guidance lists windows and window locks; check plan, by-laws, safety-device rules and alterations.

Flyscreen or security screen

Often owner where owner-installed

Who installed it, approval conditions, by-laws, damage to common property and whether it forms part of original building.

Lot entry door, frame and closer

Often owners corporation

Whether door sits in a boundary wall; fire-rating and certification; locks or devices added by an owner.

Internal door inside the lot

Usually owner

Confirm it is wholly within the lot and not a fire, service or common-property element.

Balcony structural slab

Often owners corporation

Strata-plan boundary, structural report, original construction and owner modifications.

Balustrade and fixings

Often owners corporation

Boundary, safety compliance, corrosion, attachments and later replacement approvals.

Balcony waterproofing membrane

Often owners corporation if original common property

Membrane location, plan, cause, age, defects and whether an owner renovation replaced or damaged it.

Tiles, pavers and surface finish

Varies

Original versus owner-installed finish, adopted memorandum, by-law conditions, membrane interface and cause.

Balcony drain and outlet

Varies by location

Whether in slab/boundary, blockage versus failed pipe or waterproofing, owner additions and maintenance history.

3. Windows: separate the frame, glass, hardware and safety device

NSW Government repair guidance commonly places windows and window locks with the owners corporation. That does not mean every blind, flyscreen, security grille, film, child-safety addition or owner-selected replacement is automatically a common-property cost.

A useful window investigation

Record whether the problem is cracked glass, failed seals, a rotten or corroded frame, a loose sash, water entry, lock failure, condensation or an owner-added device.

Inspect the head, sill, jambs, flashings, sealants, surrounding wall and drainage path; replacing glass will not cure water entering above the opening.

Check if the window is original, part of a building-wide replacement, or individually changed by a former owner.

For façade or heritage-visible changes, confirm strata approval and council or certification requirements before ordering a different profile, colour or opening configuration.

For windows above ground level, treat safety-device failures as urgent. NSW guidance says the owners corporation must generally pay to install and repair required window safety locks unless the by-laws lawfully provide otherwise.

Cleaning is a separate question from repair. Accessibility, adopted by-laws and the Common Property Memorandum may affect who cleans interior or exterior glass surfaces. Do not use a cleaning allocation to decide who owns or repairs the frame.

4. Doors: entry, balcony, garage and internal doors are not interchangeable

A front door set into a wall dividing a lot from common property is commonly treated differently from a bedroom door wholly within the lot. Balcony doors are listed in NSW Government guidance among items commonly repaired by the owners corporation, but hardware, screens, owner-installed locks and replacement systems still need document checks.

Door type

Questions before allocating responsibility

Lot entry door

Check door leaf, frame, hinges, closer, locks, intercom hardware and whether fire-rating applies.

Balcony sliding/hinged door

Check frame, rollers, tracks, glass, locks, weather seals, threshold, drainage and any owner replacement.

Garage door

Check whether it serves one lot or common garage, the plan boundary, motor, track, remote and by-law allocation.

Internal lot door

Usually owner-maintained if wholly within the lot, but confirm no fire, access or common-service function.

Security screen/device

Check installation approval, ownership, maintenance covenant, compatibility with fire egress and damage to the original door.

Fire doors require specialist control

Do not allow an ordinary carpenter, locksmith or owner modification to compromise a fire-rated lot entry door, closer, latch, gap or certification. Use appropriately qualified contractors and retain records.

5. Balconies: the visible stain rarely identifies the responsible item

Balconies combine structural, waterproofing, drainage, safety and surface-finish elements. The concrete slab, external wall, balustrade and original membrane are often common property, but plans and by-laws differ. Tiles or pavers may be original, owner-installed, or subject to a renovation by-law that transfers maintenance and repair obligations.

When a balcony leaks

Make unsafe balustrades, loose tiles, falling concrete and active electrical hazards safe immediately.

Photograph the balcony and affected areas below, record rainfall and wind direction, and avoid assuming the water came from directly overhead.

Engage an appropriate building consultant to investigate membrane terminations, door thresholds, wall junctions, cracks, penetrations, drains and overflow paths.

Check renovation history before intrusive testing or demolition. An owner-installed tiled system may sit over or replace original common property.

Separate the cause-removal scope from consequential internal repairs and any insurance claim.

For class 2 buildings, confirm whether regulated remedial work requires registered designs, declarations and NSW Planning Portal lodgement under the Design and Building Practitioners framework.

Exclusive use does not itself mean the balcony is lot property. A common property rights by-law may grant exclusive use while leaving ownership with the owners corporation and allocating maintenance under specific terms. Read the actual registered by-law.

6. Repairs, upgrades and owner alterations are different decisions

Replacing a failed original item like-for-like may be a repair. Changing aluminium profiles, enlarging an opening, installing bi-fold doors, retiling a balcony, enclosing a balcony or fixing a privacy screen can involve alteration of common property, planning controls, structural design, waterproofing, appearance and by-law approval.

Under the Strata Schemes Management Act, changes to common property require the correct owners-corporation authority. The approval should state ownership, maintenance, repair, insurance, access, certification, appearance, waterproofing and reinstatement obligations. Council or certification approval does not replace strata approval, and strata approval does not replace planning or building approval.

Do not inherit an undocumented problem

Before accepting that an owner must repair a window, door or balcony because it "looks renovated", locate the registered by-law and approval conditions. Before the owners corporation funds it, confirm the work was not altered or damaged under an owner covenant.

7. Sydney strata context

Inner West: older masonry, timber sashes and heritage streetscapes

In Marrickville, Newtown, Dulwich Hill, Petersham, Leichhardt and Ashfield, older walk-ups and converted buildings may combine timber sash windows, thick masonry reveals, enclosed balconies and decades of individual alterations. Water can enter through deteriorated putty, flashings, parapets or cracked render—not just the visible frame. Within the Inner West Council area, heritage items and conservation areas can add controls to external window, door and balcony changes, so preserve the profile and obtain planning advice before ordering.

Eastern Suburbs: salt exposure, wind-driven rain and concrete balconies

Around Coogee, Bronte, Randwick, Kingsford, Maroubra and nearby coastal ridges, salt-laden air, strong winds and exposed façades accelerate corrosion of aluminium, steel balustrade fixings and reinforced concrete. A recurring leak may need façade, threshold and membrane investigation together. Randwick City Council advises that unit alterations may be exempt, complying development or require a DA, with extra controls for heritage items and conservation areas.

Lower North Shore: slopes, large glazing and access logistics

Lower North Shore schemes can combine steep sites, multi-level façades, large window walls and difficult scaffold or rope-access conditions. Quotes should separate investigation, access, façade sealing, glazing, structural or waterproofing design and making-good. Coordinating one elevation or building-wide program can be safer and more economical than repeated lot-by-lot call-outs.

8.South Coast strata context

From Nowra and Jervis Bay through Ulladulla, Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma to Bermagui, Tathra, Bega, Merimbula and Eden, coastal strata buildings face salt, wind-driven rain, intense weather changes, seasonal occupancy and longer trade travel. Aluminium tracks, rollers, fixings, sealants, balustrades and exposed concrete need planned inspection before failures become urgent.

Shoalhaven City Council: Nowra, Jervis Bay and Ulladulla

Older brick units, waterfront holiday buildings and townhouse schemes can present very different boundaries and access. For window replacements, balcony changes or structural repairs, Shoalhaven City Council's "Do I need approval?" pathway should be checked to determine whether work is exempt, complying development or needs consent. Build council and certifier lead times into the committee resolution and contractor brief.

Eurobodalla Shire: Batemans Bay, Batehaven, Moruya and Narooma

Salt corrosion, exposed balcony edges and sliding-door track deterioration are common maintenance risks in coastal settings. Eurobodalla Council's development and building guidance should be checked before façade changes, structural repairs, new openings or balcony alterations. Essential Strata can coordinate local building attendance, remote owners, access notices and appropriately licensed regional contractors so the investigation covers the whole failure path.

Bega Valley Shire: Bermagui, Tathra, Bega, Merimbula and Eden

Schemes at the southern end of the coast often need realistic allowances for contractor travel, weather windows and holiday occupancy. Before structural balcony work, changed glazing or major repairs, check Bega Valley Shire Council's building and renovation guidance. Stage access, engineering, waterproofing and certification so temporary works are not left exposed between trades.

9. A defensible committee workflow

Stage

Committee action

1. Report

Log the exact location, component, photographs, weather, safety risk, water path and previous attempts.

2. Make safe

Restrict unsafe balconies or doors, secure openings and arrange urgent professional advice where people or property are at risk.

3. Inspect

Use an appropriately qualified consultant or contractor to identify the failed part, cause, extent and access needs.

4. Check documents

Review plan boundaries, consolidated by-laws, adopted memorandum, alteration approvals, defects and prior scopes.

5. Allocate

Record the evidence supporting owners-corporation, lot-owner or shared/conditional responsibility. Obtain legal advice if genuinely disputed.

6. Approve scope

Separate investigation, design, access, repair, compliance, making-good and warranty. Confirm meeting authority and budget.

7. Obtain approvals

Secure strata, council, certifier and DBP documentation where applicable before regulated work starts.

8. Deliver and verify

Use licensed and insured contractors; inspect completion; retain designs, declarations, certificates, photos, warranties and maintenance dates.

10. Compare quotations by failure path—not just price

A useful proposal should identify:

the inspected component, diagnosis, limitations and any further testing required;

access method, edge protection, resident access, protection and temporary weatherproofing;

materials, profiles, colours, glass, hardware, membrane system, drainage details and compatibility with the existing building;

design, engineering, DBP, council, certifier, fire and other compliance responsibilities;

licences, registrations, insurance, subcontractors and supervision;

exclusions, making-good, consequential damage, warranties, maintenance and completion records; and

whether the price is for one lot, one elevation or a coordinated building-wide program.

ETSM and Essential Strata Management coordinate vetted, appropriately licensed and insured contractors according to the location and work. For remote South Coast schemes, the brief should also confirm travel, weather delays and return visits; for dense Sydney sites, include access, parking, scaffold, neighbour and noise constraints.

11. Four illustrative local scenarios

Important

These scenarios are illustrative and do not describe named ETSM or Essential Strata clients. Replace them only with verified facts and permission.

Illustrative setting

How the decision should be handled

Marrickville sash window

A rotten timber sash is reported inside a heritage-era walk-up. The committee checks the boundary, original profile, prior replacements and Inner West planning controls before deciding whether to repair one sash or scope an elevation-wide program.

Coogee balcony leak

Water appears on the ceiling below after southerly rain. Testing includes membrane upturns, door threshold, wall junctions, drainage and wind path; responsibility is not allocated merely because the stain sits below the upstairs balcony.

Batemans Bay sliding door

A corroded track and failed rollers prevent safe operation. Records reveal a previous owner replacement. The approval conditions, door system, coastal exposure and threshold drainage are checked before allocating the work.

Merimbula balcony tiles

Loose owner-selected tiles sit over an older waterproofing system. The scheme reviews the renovation by-law and commissions a combined tile/membrane investigation before demolition, budgeting for regional access and weather.

12. Preventive inspection calendar

Timing

Preventive action

After major storms

Log wind direction and water entry; inspect drains, thresholds, sealants and loose components; make hazards safe.

Six-monthly coastal check

Inspect corrosion, balustrade fixings, door tracks, rollers, locks, sealant and concrete cracking at exposed schemes.

Annually

Review window safety devices, façade openings, balcony drainage, fire doors and unresolved repair reports.

Before repainting/façade works

Coordinate frame, sealant, flashing, concrete and balustrade investigation so defects are not concealed.

Before any owner renovation

Require drawings, waterproofing details, licences, approvals, insurance, access and a clear maintenance covenant.

Capital works planning

Forecast window systems, door sets, balcony membranes, balustrades, access systems, design and compliance—not just finish replacement.

Clear records make repair decisions faster

Responsibility disputes usually become expensive when the failed component, boundary, alteration history and approval pathway are unclear. A disciplined investigation protects safety, gives contractors a better scope and helps committees explain why a cost belongs to the owners corporation or a lot owner.

Sydney — ask ETSM

For schemes across the Inner West, Eastern Suburbs and Lower North Shore, ETSM can coordinate inspections, committee decisions, compliant contractors and repair follow-up. Send us your latest AGM agenda and management agreement for a tailored, confidential proposal.

South Coast — talk to Essential Strata Management

For schemes from Nowra and Ulladulla through Batemans Bay and Narooma to Bega, Merimbula and Eden, Essential Strata provides local building visits, regional contractor coordination and practical committee support. Contact us for a confidential management review.

Frequently asked questions

Are windows always common property in NSW strata?

NSW guidance commonly places windows and window locks with the owners corporation, but the registered strata plan, by-laws, adopted Common Property Memorandum and owner alteration history must be checked for the specific component.

Who pays for broken window glass?

Often the owners corporation where the window is common property, but cause and scheme documents matter. Owner damage, an owner-installed replacement or a relevant by-law may affect recovery or responsibility.

Who repairs a strata unit's front door?

A lot entry door set in a boundary wall is commonly an owners-corporation item. Check the frame, leaf, locks, closer, fire-rating, plan and any owner-installed devices before deciding.

Are balcony doors common property?

NSW Government guidance lists balcony doors among items commonly repaired by the owners corporation. Confirm the boundary, original system, hardware and any later owner replacement.

Who pays for balcony waterproofing?

The owners corporation often repairs an original common-property membrane. Responsibility may differ where an owner renovation replaced, damaged or assumed maintenance of it under a valid by-law.

Are balcony tiles the owner's responsibility?

It varies. Original tiles, later owner-installed finishes and the membrane beneath can have different allocations. Check the plan, adopted memorandum, renovation approval and cause of failure.

Does exclusive use make a balcony owner property?

No. Exclusive use may be granted over common property. The registered by-law should state use, maintenance and repair obligations; ownership and responsibility cannot be inferred from access alone.

Who is responsible when balcony water damages the lot below?

First identify the source and failed component. The location of the stain does not prove responsibility. Common-property repair, an owner alteration, consequential damage and insurance may each need separate decisions.

Can an owner replace windows without strata approval?

Do not assume so. Window replacement may alter common property or the external appearance and may need strata approval plus council, heritage or certification approval.

Who repairs window safety locks?

NSW guidance says the owners corporation must generally pay to install and repair required window safety locks unless responsibility is lawfully addressed otherwise in the scheme's by-laws.

Do class 2 balcony repairs require registered practitioners?

Some remedial building work on class 2 buildings is regulated under the Design and Building Practitioners framework. Obtain project-specific advice before starting waterproofing, structural or other regulated work.

What records should the scheme keep?

Retain plans, consolidated by-laws, alteration approvals, reports, photographs, meeting resolutions, designs, declarations, council/certifier approvals, licences, insurance, contracts, warranties and completion records.

Authoritative references

1. NSW Government — Strata repairs and maintenance https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/strata/living/repairs-and-maintenance

2. NSW Government — Safety rules for strata common property https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/strata/serving-on-a-committee/safety

3. NSW Government — Strata renovation rules https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/strata/living/renovations

4. NSW Legislation — Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/act-2015-050

5. NSW Legislation — Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2016-501

6. Building Commission NSW — Remedial building work in regulated buildings https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/professionals-working-on-regulated-buildings/design-and-building-practitioners/remedial-building-work

7. Building Commission NSW — Design practitioner obligations https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/professionals-working-on-regulated-buildings/design-and-building-practitioners/design-obligations

8. NSW Government — Window, deck and balcony safety in rental property https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/rules/window-deck-balcony-safety-rental-property

9. Randwick City Council — Alterations to units https://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/planning-and-building/do-i-need-approval/choose-your-development/residential/alterations-to-units

10. Shoalhaven City Council — Do I need approval? https://www.shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au/Development-and-business/Approvals-and-applications/Do-I-need-approval

11. Eurobodalla Shire Council — Development approval and compliance https://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/property/development/development-approval-compliance-and-enforcement

12. Bega Valley Shire Council — Safety when renovating https://www.begavalley.nsw.gov.au/Plan-and-build/Building-and-certification/Safety-when-renovating

General information disclaimer

This content is general educational and marketing information. It is not legal, strata-boundary, building, structural, waterproofing, fire-safety, planning, certification, insurance or other professional advice. Plans, by-laws, alterations, causes and approvals differ between schemes. Check current official guidance and obtain advice appropriate to the property before allocating responsibility or starting work.