Short answer
Windows often involve a split, and responsibility depends on the registered strata plan for the scheme. Frequently the frames and glass are common property (owners corporation), while some internal fittings — locks, handles, or coverings an owner has installed — are the owner’s. A by-law can also shift responsibility. Because it varies between schemes, the strata plan is the place to start rather than a fixed rule.
Where the split usually falls
A window sits on the boundary between the lot interior and the building’s external envelope, so responsibility can divide within a single window:
- Often common property — the window frame and glass, as part of the external structure, are commonly the owners corporation’s to maintain.
- Often the owner’s — internal locks and handles, and any coverings or treatments the owner has added.
This is a general pattern, not a rule that holds in every building. The registered strata plan defines the boundary for that scheme, and a by-law can move responsibility for a particular element — so both should be checked.
Working out a specific window
When a window needs work, identify exactly what has failed — the glass, the frame, the seal, or an internal fitting — because different parts can fall on different sides of the line. If the strata plan doesn’t clearly settle it, the owners corporation can seek advice rather than guess, particularly where the fault touches the external structure or lets water in.
Keeping the call on record
Window questions recur across a building, so it helps to settle each one against the plan and keep the reasoning. A system such as Straita lets a self-managed committee log the window issue, record how responsibility was assessed, track the repair and hold the outcome — so the same question doesn’t have to be re-argued the next time a window fails.
Primary sources
- Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) — s 106, duty to maintain and repair common property.
- NSW Government — Strata schemes (Fair Trading) — repairs and common property.