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[david2708]

We live in a building built in 1965 will a fuse board of that era. Non compliant by today’s standard when a circuit needs replacing.

Consequently, some lot owners have replaced their lot fuses in separate units attached away from the main fuse board. The main fuse board has asbestos in it, hence why some have set up boxes to the side of the main board.

With that, the meter room is a rather  mishmash of both.

At some stage the whole board will need replacing but who is responsible? The OC or the individual lot owner.

I ask this as some lot owners have already replaced theirs at their own cost.

If it is the OC, then I can see those that did theirs kick up a stink of having to foot the bill of others.

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[Jimmy-T]

Did the owners who replaced their fuse board have permission? If not, they may have to cop it sweet.

However, one way round this may be for the switchboard to be replaced by the Owners Corp which then “buys” the new fuse boxes off the owners.

However, if you can’t get enough votes to get a special resolution through to enable that, then the owners who jumped the gun (and, by the way, acted improperly) could be compelled to pay their share of a new board.

The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.

[david2708]

The owners likely did not get permission.

It was previously  a do what you like building from what I can gather and see for myself.

Buying the fuse boxes from the owners may work but they may not suit the new board? Who knows.

I guess they have to most likely cop it sweet,

[Small strata wiz]

Jimmy, I was interested in your response. Going back a decade or so, I called an electrician to deal with a faulty room light. He was surprised to see old-style fuse blocks in the 1990s building, and suggested I upgrade with circuit breakers and ELDs. (He showed me the the burnt and melted wiring around the light.)

The then SM agent advised me that although it was common property, it was my responsibility and cost to fix, and I could do so if I wished.  I saw it as a safety issue, so fixed it at my cost, then gave all the new certification documents to the SMA. (These days I know a bit more about strata matters.)

So I don’t believe I acted improperly. I wonder if the residents at David2708’s property had similar experiences to mine?

It also begs the question as to why, if there was a central meter box for David2708’s property, why its inadequacies hadn’t been raised in a routine electrical inspection?

Thanks

[Jimmy-T]

I don’t think you acted improperly but I do think you were badly advised.  A good strata manager (perhaps one  less concerned about scaring the exec committee with the cost of a major outlay) would have seen this as a sign that the whole board needed to be replaced, as the situation was more likely to deteriorate than miraculously improve.

I’m sure there are many examples of this around the traps – piecemeal repairs when a entire refit was the better long-term option.  But I’d like to think this wouldn’t happen so much these days with better informed strata managers and, indeed, owners.

The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.

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