The Importance of Property Maintenance
The City of Sydney would like to remind all property owners of the importance of regular property maintenance and inspection by qualified professionals. It is Council’s responsibility to protect public safety in our local area, and building maintenance is an important part of this.
This reminder comes after some recent heavy rain, and when combined with our aging buildings, may lead to increased risks of failure and damage. Structures at risk include awnings, signs, balconies, retaining walls, sewer lines and trees.
The tragic death of a man at Balgowlah due to the collapse of a shop awning during a storm along with separate incidents involving the collapse of retaining walls onto public footpaths and roads and the collapse of a wooden rear balcony in Surry Hills that caused injury, highlights the need to ensure that awnings, balconies, fences and retaining walls are structurally sound and well maintained.
Property maintenance can often be expensive if not attended to promptly. Property owners are legally liable for damage or injury caused by their property not being properly maintained. Please refer to the table below for examples of some common problems, to help clarify your responsibilities and give you advice on how best to deal with them.
Awnings, Signs, Balconies, Handrails, Retaining walls & Fences
Aging awnings and balconies are at risk of collapse when anchor points fail. Blocked gutters can cause water to accumulate, adding weight to the structure and causing fatigue, rust and ultimately failure. The cause of failure may not be apparent from ground level inspection and owners have a responsibility to ensure all overhanging items are structurally sound. The City of Sydney strongly recommends that all awnings and overhanging structures are inspected regularly by a structural engineer. Keep a copy of the engineer’s report to prove that maintenance and inspections are up to date.
Handrails are provided to assist and protect occupants of a building. Handrails can become dangerous where the handrail or its fixing points become decayed or rusted out. Serious accidents or even death can occur where a handrail fails without warning. They should be inspected on a regular basis for wear and tear. This applies to all types of building where handrails are provided, not just in domestic situations.
Similarly, retaining walls and fences may become unstable and intrude onto public property or even collapse. Property owners are urged to ensure they are well maintained and sound.
Smoke alarms in Residential dwellings
All residential buildings should have smoke alarms installed. Smoke alarms are life-saving devices that provide benefits for occupants. They detect smoke well before any sleeping occupant would and provide critical seconds to implement actions to save life and property. Smoke alarms are designed to detect fire smoke and emit a loud and distinctive sound to alert occupants of potential danger.
The Fire & Rescue NSW have useful information relating to smoke alarms, and further information is available at www.nswfb.nsw.gov.au
Glazing
Window glazing should be checked regularly especially in multi-level buildings that are built close to their boundaries.
Owners should ensure that the silicone base and surrounds have not deteriorated.
Weakening of the silicone may lead to the window pane becoming detached and falling onto public walkways and roads.
Demolition
Property owners are reminded to check the City’s requirements before doing any demolition, including internal work.
If carried out without the correct approval, the City may not be able to authorise the work afterwards and may even order the property to be returned to its previous state.
Trees
Trees are an important part of a pleasant urban environment. However, diseased and damaged trees can be dangerous. Whilst our preference is to retain trees where possible, applications to lop or remove trees that can be demonstrated to pose a serious risk to public safety will be acted on.
Sewer lines
In many parts of the city sewer lines are old terracotta pipes. Land movement and aging can cause pipe sections to separate, crack or even collapse, causing raw sewage seepage which may lead to extensive property damage as well as pose a health risk and pollute the environment.
Property owners are responsible for the sewer line running from their property to the sewer mains connection and for any damage or injury arising from leakage from their part of the line. The City of Sydney strongly recommends property owners engage a licensed plumber to check the integrity and stability of sewer lines.
Swimming pools
Over the past few years there have been a number of drowning tragedies, or near drownings, involving young children in residential swimming pools. As the owner or tenant of a property with a swimming pool you are responsible to ensure that the swimming pool is protected by child resistant barriers. The level of protection varies with the age of your swimming pool.
Further information is available on a NSW Government website which details what you need to know about making your swimming pool child safe, and other strategies to keep your young children safe around water.
Website: Backyard Swimming Pools
More Information
Relevant links available on Council's website on these and other issues:
Also by calling Council on 02 9265 9333 or by visiting one of Council’s locations.
