Changes to strata title laws affecting single tier units come into effect

20/1/97

Changes to strata title laws affecting single tier strata schemes officially come into effect from today.

Lands and Fair Trading Minister Doug Shave said the changes would streamline and clarify legal provisions relating to ownership and insurance of properties such as duplexes, triplexes, villas and townhouses.

The changes were contained in amendments to the Strata Titles Act passed by State Parliament late last year and proclaimed today.

Mr Shave said one of the biggest concerns people had had about strata titles was that in many cases they did not individually own the building they occupied. In effect, they owned only the space within their units, with walls, floor and roof deemed to be common property owned jointly with the other unit owners.

The new laws provided owners of properties in strata schemes containing two to five units (where no unit was above another) with options to convert buildings and previously common property to individual ownership, if so desired. This would permit individual ownership of the whole unit.

This will happen automatically on July 21, 1997, in the case of existing strata schemes containing two to five units, unless a unit owner lodged an objection with the Department of Land Administration (DOLA) before that date.

For new strata title schemes created at any time from now until the end of 1997, the change would happen automatically after six months provided no unit owner objected.

Another major benefit of the changes was that they would enable land adjoining a unit, which might previously have been common property, to be owned individually - thereby allowing new buildings or extensions to be added.

Properties could also be converted to survey strata schemes, which required only land owned by individuals and common property land to be shown.

Mr Shave said the question of insurance arrangements for strata title properties had been raised frequently.

Under the latest changes, unit owners in single-tier strata schemes would have the option of taking out individual building and public liability insurance.

It was estimated that there were about 60,000 owners of two-to-five lot schemes in WA.

Mr Shave said that to help strata title lot owners understand the changes, DOLA had produced a booklet called Strata Titles Explained. Information about strata title changes could also be obtained by ringing a special DOLA 'helpline' on (09) 273-7644.

In addition, several free seminars on strata title were currently being held in Perth and major country centres.

The first round of 38 seminars had been an outstanding success and more are being planned. Details were available from DOLA.

Tomorrow, Mr Shave will be launching new videos dealing with a broad range of strata title issues. The videos have been produced by the Central Metropolitan College of TAFE in association with DOLA and with funding from the Real Estate and Business Agents Supervisory Board.

Media contact: Peter Jackson 222 8788