Discovered major structural, water and termite damage to my IP, what to do?

Hey Guys,

Ive owned an investment property for some time now and have recently had the tenants vacate which has given me the opportunity to have a closer look without the tenants belongings in the house.

I had the property inspected by a building inspector to discover major structural damage that has been caused by flooding and/or poor drainage surrounding the unit in the complex. Because of this there has been termite development.

The extent of the damage is serious and a safety issue and i need to know how to best approach the situation.

Should i contact the body corporate first and get advice on proceeding with an insurance claim?

The report provided by the building inspector clearly states that the drainage around the unit is inadequate. The report also states that major defects were evident and require a structural engineer, plumber, carpenter and possibly an electrician.

cheers
 
First point of action is to write to the secretary of the body corporate and cc: the strata management and to advise that at the recent inspection of your unit that termites etc had been found and are causing damage to the structural integrity of the building. Request a meeting with the executive of the BC and the actions required.
 
Should i contact the body corporate first and get advice on proceeding with an insurance claim?

Hiya

Sorry to hear.

I assume the body corp would hold the building insurance for the complex? So they would be the one making the claim.

Good advice from Scott BTW.

Cheers

Jamie
 
First point of action is to write to the secretary of the body corporate and cc: the strata management and to advise that at the recent inspection of your unit that termites etc had been found and are causing damage to the structural integrity of the building. Request a meeting with the executive of the BC and the actions required.

Are these types of situations usually dealt with a lawyer present?

I don't feel as if the BC is entirely helpful.
 
A couple of questions:

1. Will a BC's insurance cover termite damage?

and

2. Will it cover termite damage if caused by negligence of the owner eg not maintaining non-common areas causing water pooling or over-grown vegetation?
 
A couple of questions:

1. Will a BC's insurance cover termite damage?

and

2. Will it cover termite damage if caused by negligence of the owner eg not maintaining non-common areas causing water pooling or over-grown vegetation?

I doubt the BC insurance will cover pest damage.

But if the termite problem has been caused due to the water damage then i could have a case.
 
Lawyers aren't the first port of call. You need to advise the BC and for them to get their insurers to determine if they have a case to answer.
 
Lawyers aren't the first port of call. You need to advise the BC and for them to get their insurers to determine if they have a case to answer.

Should i also contact my landlord insurance company ? As its possible the damage is covered by both and without a professional assessment by both parties there is no clear indication of the extent each party is responsible for.
 
Water proofing and plumbing (drainage mentioned) that is not part of internal space of the unit - should be owners corporation (all owners) responsibility to fix. Therefore as some people here recommended - just contact your strata manager about your issue and take it from there.

The damage caused by this could be tricky, because the owners corporation were not aware of this issue and therefore are not liable for the termite infestation that as your report says was caused by poor drainage.

Should i also contact my landlord insurance company ?
I think in case of strata unit, the owners corporation could decide on who to contact first. Maybe it's even worth contacting the builder if the building is less than 7 years old.
 
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