Strata Lock Rules in NSW: Who Looks After Which Lock

A large share of the homes around Lidcombe, Auburn and Homebush are units in strata buildings. That brings a question houses never raise: who is actually responsible for each lock? The front door of your unit, the security screen in front of it, the building entry, the car park gate, the letterbox and the fire door on the stairwell may all be looked after by different people.

Getting it wrong can mean paying for work that was not yours to pay for, or changing a lock you were not allowed to change. This guide explains the general position in New South Wales in plain language, and how we handle lock work in strata buildings.

Important: this is general information, not legal advice. Every strata scheme has its own registered plan and by-laws, and the law changes over time. Check your scheme's by-laws and plan, ask your strata managing agent, and refer to NSW Fair Trading for current guidance.

Lot property and common property

In NSW, strata schemes are governed mainly by the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015. Every strata building is divided into two kinds of property:

• Lot property belongs to the individual owner, broadly the inside of your unit.
• Common property is everything else, owned and managed by the owners corporation: foyers, corridors, stairwells, lifts, car parks, gardens and usually the building structure.

Where the boundary falls is set by the strata plan. In many schemes the boundary runs along the inside face of walls, floors and ceilings, which can mean the main entry door of a unit is common property. In other schemes, especially some newer plans, the door may be lot property. You need to check your own plan.

Who is responsible for the unit entry door?

This is the question that causes most confusion. Three possibilities are common:

1. The door is common property, so the owners corporation is responsible for it, but the owner may still be responsible for the lock under a by-law.
2. The door is lot property, so the owner is responsible for the door and lock.
3. A by-law transfers responsibility, for example making owners responsible for maintaining locks and hardware on their own entry doors.

Many owners corporations allow owners to repair or replace the lock on their own unit door, provided the replacement suits the building's requirements. Some buildings have rules about appearance, the type of lock, or fire safety. Ask your strata manager before replacing a lock, and keep the answer in writing.

Fire doors and fire safety

Some unit entry doors in apartment buildings are fire-rated doors. Fire doors are part of the building's fire safety system and have specific requirements for their hardware, including the type of lock and the door closer. Altering them incorrectly can affect the building's fire safety compliance.

If your entry door is a fire door, any lock change should be arranged with the owners corporation and done with compatible, appropriate hardware. We will check and tell you if we think a door is fire-rated, and we will not fit hardware that is unsuitable.

Security screen doors

Security screens in front of unit doors are often installed by individual owners after the building was finished. They may need owners corporation approval under the by-laws, especially if they change the appearance of common corridors. Once installed, the owner is usually responsible for maintaining them. The lock on the screen can often be rekeyed to match the unit door.

Building entry, car park and common areas

Locks and access systems on common property, such as the building entry door, lift access, car park gates, garbage rooms and roof access, are normally the responsibility of the owners corporation. Individual owners and tenants should not change these. If you have lost a key or fob for a common area, contact your strata manager or building manager.

We work on these locks only when engaged by the owners corporation or its strata managing agent.

Windows

Window locks and safety devices in strata buildings can be complicated. In NSW, there have been specific rules about window safety devices in strata buildings to protect children from falls. Windows may be common property even though they are inside your unit. Check with the strata manager before fitting or changing window locks. Our window locks page explains the options once approval is sorted.

Tenants in strata units

If you rent a unit, there are two sets of rules: tenancy law between you and your landlord, and the strata by-laws that bind everyone in the building. Generally, a tenant should talk to the landlord or agent before any lock work, and the landlord may need to check with the owners corporation. Our NSW landlord and tenant lock rules guide covers the tenancy side.

How we handle strata lock work

We ask what the door is

Before quoting on a unit door, we ask whether it is a fire door, whether the strata has rules about hardware, and who is paying. If you are not sure, we suggest checking with the strata manager first.

We confirm authority

For work on your own unit lock, we confirm you are the owner, or that the owner or agent has authorised it. For common property, we work on instructions from the owners corporation or strata manager.

We use suitable hardware

Where a building has a standard lock range or a restricted key system, we can match it, provided we can obtain authorised keys and cylinders. Where a fire door is involved, we only fit hardware suited to it.

We keep keys where they belong

We hand keys to the person who engaged us. For restricted systems, keys are only cut with proper authorisation.

Common scenarios

"I have bought a unit and want new keys."

Check the strata plan and by-laws for your door. If the lock is yours to maintain, rekeying is usually the quickest option. See lock rekeying.

"I am locked out of my unit."

We can open your unit door once we confirm you live there. If you are also locked out of the building, contact the building manager or a neighbour to get you to your door. See lockout service.

"The building entry door will not lock."

That is common property. Report it to the strata manager, who can engage a locksmith. If we are engaged, we will assess and quote.

"I want a security screen."

Check the by-laws and ask for approval first. Once approved, we can fit the lock and key it to your unit door.

"Our building has too many keys in circulation."

A restricted key system for common areas lets the owners corporation control copies. See commercial locksmith and security locksmith.

Questions to ask your strata manager

• Is our unit entry door lot property or common property?
• Is it a fire-rated door?
• Are there by-laws about locks, hardware or security screens?
• Does the building use a restricted key system?
• Who pays for repairs to unit door locks?

Getting answers in writing avoids arguments later.

Talk to us

We work in strata buildings across Lidcombe, Auburn, Berala, Regents Park, Homebush and Strathfield, for owners, tenants with authority and owners corporations. Call 02 4503 6922 to describe the building and the lock. We are open 7 days, 7:00 AM to 12:00 AM. You can also request a quote or read about our residential locksmith work.