What do I need to know before moving into Precinct?
All move-ins must be booked with the building manager, regardless of which floor you’re moving to. Moving in or out of an apartment can cause disruption, so proper coordination is essential. If a lift needs to be isolated for your move, this will be arranged as part of your booking.
The building manager’s phone number and email address can be found on the Contact page.
It’s important to familiarise yourself with your utility providers, details are outlined at Understanding Utilities. You’re encouraged to contact the building manager with any questions prior to moving in.
If you’re renting, your rental provider may also assist with information. If you’re an owner-occupier, both the building manager and the owners corporation manager are your main points of contact.
I’d like to speak with the Chairperson or Committee. How can I do that?
If you’re an owner, you can contact the owners corporation manager to request communication with the Chairperson or Committee. As the Chairperson volunteers significant time to support Precinct, any direct discussions need to be scheduled in advance and at a mutually convenient time.
In many cases, the owners corporation manager may be able to assist you directly or provide an answer on behalf of the Chairperson or Committee. If needed, they can pass on your enquiry, and you’ll receive a response when time permits.
To ensure the Chairperson's time is respected and used effectively, all communication is managed through the owners corporation manager. This process helps ensure that enquiries are handled efficiently and fairly for all owners.
Why can't I add a screen or tinting to my apartment / balcony for privacy?
A simple question, but the answer is more complex.
In a strata property, individual lot owners or occupiers are not permitted to alter the external appearance of their lot, including adding screens, tinting, or other privacy measures visible from the outside without written approval from the Owners Corporation. This includes external blinds and the colour of internal blinds, where the outward-facing side must comply with the building’s approved colour scheme. These restrictions are in place to preserve the building’s overall look, maintain uniformity, and comply with planning regulations and design guidelines.
Fire safety regulations also govern what can and cannot be installed on balconies, both under current rules and any proposed amendments.
Privacy in an apartment is not so different from that in a house. Many councils require low front fencing for houses, meaning people can see in from the street, and there's no law preventing that. A homeowner can respond by closing blinds, adding tint (not effective at night when lights are on), installing an external blind, or planting hedges. All of these reduce visibility but also reduce natural light.
In apartments, you're generally limited to two of these options: blinds and potted plants. Tinting windows or adding external blinds is not allowed without formal Owners Corporation approval.
Here’s why: external windows and balcony doors are considered common property, even though they may be used exclusively by one lot. Common property includes anything outside your apartment or carpark, such as hallway doors, windows, and façades. While a lot owner may be responsible for the upkeep of their exclusive-use common property, they cannot make changes without approval.
There’s also a legal obligation on the Owners Corporation to manage and maintain the common property to a high standard. If they fail to do so, or if unauthorised changes negatively impact the building, other owners may have legal grounds to claim compensation for loss of rental income or depreciation in property value.
For example, you cannot attach anything to your hallway door, drill into it, or change it in any way, it is a fire-rated door and must remain unaltered. The same applies to external windows and balconies: any visible change, including the colour of blinds, alters the building’s façade and requires prior approval.
Can I install a split system or induction cooktop in my apartment?
No – and here’s why.
Precinct has reached its maximum safe electrical capacity.
Each building at Precinct operates on a shared electrical infrastructure that was designed and installed when the development was first built. This infrastructure was engineered to handle a specific electrical load, with a small allowance for future expansion as permitted by regulations.
Over the years, several owners have sought and received approval to install split systems, gradually using up the available electrical headroom. As a result, there is now no remaining capacity to support additional high-load appliances, such as new split systems or induction cooktops. Any further strain on the system could lead to blackouts on individual floors, across entire buildings or worse, fire.
Looking ahead, an upgrade to the electrical infrastructure may be considered, but this would involve significant cost to owners and coordination with the energy provider, as the supply feeding Precinct itself would also require a major upgrade.