In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, it could be tempting for strata property owners to consider cancelling planned maintenance jobs – however Strata Community Association (SCA) has urged owners to reconsider. The national president of Australia’s peak body for strata title properties, Andrew Chambers, believes that cancelling maintenance work now would have a severe impact on the workflow and budgets of strata ecosystems.
The danger of strata communities cancelling ongoing maintenance and planned work lies in the long-term negative effects this will cause on the building and amenities, which will likely cost more to fix in the long term. If ignored, issues will only get worse and create bigger problems in the future, leading to greater expense. While owners understandably want to save money, the consequences of not correctly maintaining equipment and systems can be enormous. Maintaining the building’s facilities correctly means the residents can continue to safely enjoy living in the building and protect the security of their investment.
As well, cancelling planned work could have a disastrous effect on the workforce, with countless numbers of Australians out of work at the moment. Coronavirus will have a significant economic impact on Australia, and if work can continue, it’s important that it does. Keeping Australians in jobs, such as those who provide services to strata and rely on regular payments, is something we can – and should – be doing during these unprecedented times.
Contractors are keen to continue working and have adapted their work methods to cater for COVID-19. Committees should contact the contractor proposed to complete the work to obtain information on what protocols they have put in place.
