A new year and new legislation has come into effect for strata buildings in NSW, with mandatory window locks, and a building bond and inspection scheme among the changes currently impacting the sector.
In legislation that will affect multi-storey strata buildings throughout the state, Fair Trading NSW has set a March 13 deadline for the installation of window safety devices in strata accommodation.
Under the reforms, openable windows that are less than 1.7m above the floor, and more than 2m above the surface outside must be fitted with safety locks.
The laws are designed to prevent children falling from windows and are relevant to people who live in, own or manage a townhouse or unit block. Legislation applies to both individual apartments and the common areas of buildings including stair landings.
Fair Trading notes if the laws are not met by March 13, 2018, owners corporations may face fines.
“Owners corporations are not required to monitor or enforce the use of window safety devices but must ensure they are installed by the 13 March deadline.”
Fair Trading further states the devices must:
- enable the maximum opening to be less than 12.5cm (a device that allows the window to be fully opened, fully closed and limited to less than 12.5cm is compliant), and
- be able to withstand a force of 250 newtons (which is equal to 25 kilograms of force).
Complying safety devices include devices attached to a window frame or robust bars (as long as the opening can be limited to less than 12.5cm and can withstand a force of 250 newtons).
Complying devices must also be installed on applicable windows in all common access areas, such as stair landings.
“Residents with safety devices installed can still fully open their windows if they wish to do so, but it is strongly recommended that devices be engaged whenever children are present, to prevent falls.”
More information about window safety device requirements is available on the NSW Fair Trading website.
Meanwhile, January 1 saw the introduction of the new strata building bond and inspections scheme.
Under the scheme, developers must lodge a building bond with NSW Fair Trading equal to two per cent of the contract price for residential and mixed-use high-rise strata buildings, before an occupation certificate is issued.
The building bond can then be used to pay the costs of rectifying any defective building work identified in a final inspection report. If there are no defects, the bond is released in full to the developer.
The scheme applies to construction contracts signed (or where there is no contract and building work commences) from January 1, 2018.
More information on the scheme and the requirements is available at the NSW Fair Trading website.