Privacy Screens

Hi,

Our EC recently approved privacy screens for the terraces of the ground floor apartments. It was a hard fought battle & the original architect was brought in to design the screens – as such the screens had to be metal, of a particular style, height and colour in keeping with all the extensive metal work that exists in our complex. The cost of these screens was quite expensive $4000 for the entire terrace length, but having said that they fit in beautifully and look like they should always have been there. 

So those of us who were willing to pay the $4000, got the screens installed. 

However, over the last two days a ground floor resident has been installing timber planter boxes to their terrace, these planter boxes come with a tall timber trellis attached. this timber trellis is at least one metre taller than the terrace wall and does not fit in with the aesthetic of the building at all, and certainly does not look anywhere near as good as the approved unobtrusive metal screens.

The problem is that most people on the ground floor have not yet got their privacy screens (saving the money) installed, however when they see this timber trellis, most of them will jump at the chance to do the same and for $600 vs $4000 why wouldn’t you? Certainly we would have liked this cheaper option, but were told by the EC & the architect that if we wanted privacy screens we would have to install the approved metal ones and so a few of us did.

The people who have installed the trellis did not ask permission, they have just done it.

I know they will argue that it isn’t permanent, but our By-laws state:

Owners & Occupiers must not:

place or hang any item on their balcony/terrace which is inconsistent with the aesthetics and appearance of the Building.

Which is why we and a few others had to pay $4000 for approved screens.

What can be done about this timber trellis?  personally now that it is there I have the feeling the EC will just say it is ok.  if this does happen are those of us who did the right thing and asked for permission first and were forced to jump through hoops to get an approved design and then had to pay top dollar for it, entitled to compensation from the Owners Corporation or EC, because they were emphatic about the only design that could be installed.

Thanks