Shut the Water Off
Minimizing strata water damage requires shutting off the water within two minutes. Check individual appliance valves first; if needed, find the main unit shutoff located on the balcony, near the entrance, or in the hallway cupboard.
Document Before You Clean Up
Take photos and video before a single towel hits the floor. Capture where the water is coming from, what it has reached, and how far it has spread. This documentation is the foundation of your insurance claim, your case to your strata manager, and your evidence if a liability dispute comes up later. Once you have that footage, move valuables, lay down towels, and switch off the electricity to any affected circuits at the switchboard.
Call Two People Immediately
Your strata manager and a licensed plumber. Both at the same time, not one after the other. Water does not wait for the phone tag to resolve itself. Let your strata manager know what has happened and where, and get a plumber on the way so the damage does not keep growing.
In Queensland, the Queensland Government body corporate resource outlines responsibility clearly. As a general rule, your lot’s internal pipes are your responsibility. Shared or common property pipes sit with the owners corporation. If it is not immediately obvious which applies, your strata manager is the right person to make that call, not you.
Ezy-Plumb handles burst pipe emergencies in strata buildings across Bayside Melbourne. Call us now.
Contact Your Contents Insurer
The building policy held by the owners corporation does not cover your belongings. Your television, your couch, your laptop, all of that sits under your own contents insurance. Lodge your claim as soon as the immediate situation is under control. The MoneySmart home insurance guide is a practical reference if you need a clear explanation of what falls under which policy before you call your insurer.
If a Neighbour’s Unit Is Affected
Tell them what happened, document the damage to their property as well as your own, and let your strata manager run point on the liability side of things. Trying to sort it out directly between neighbours rarely ends well and can actually complicate the insurance process.
For disputes that do not resolve quickly, the Strata Community Association Australia provides national guidance on owner and owners corporation obligations. They are a more reliable starting point than a Google search when things get complicated.
Ezy-Plumb works alongside strata managers on repairs and documentation. Get in touch for help navigating the process.
Once It Is Fixed
Have your plumber inspect the nearby pipework before they leave. A burst pipe in an older strata building is sometimes the first of several. Catching a deteriorating section while a plumber is already on site costs far less than calling them back for a second emergency. Note your strata manager’s emergency number in your phone today, and seriously consider an annual pipe check as part of your regular maintenance.
Book a strata plumbing inspection with Ezy-Plumb before the next problem finds you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who pays when a burst pipe damages two units?
Ans: It depends on where the pipe sits and the cause of the failure. Your strata manager and insurers will work through liability together.
Q: How long does a strata pipe repair typically take?
Ans: Straightforward repairs usually take one to three hours. Anything involving wall or ceiling access will take longer based on the extent of damage.
Q: Can I turn off another unit’s water supply if my pipe is in their wall?
Ans: No. Contact your strata manager immediately. They have authority over common property and shared infrastructure.
Q: What if my strata manager is unreachable after hours?
Ans: Most schemes have an emergency contact number. If not, call a licensed plumber to stop the damage and keep records of all contact attempts for your strata manager.
Q: Will a burst pipe affect my strata levies?
Ans: If the repair draws from the capital works fund or requires a special levy, your strata manager will advise on the financial process once the repair scope is confirmed.
