If you are renovating in strata, you may require approval from your local council. Whether you will require council approval or not will depend on:

• the kind of renovations you plan on doing; and
• the requirements of the local council in your area.

Approval requirements will vary from council to council. It is always a good idea to check what approvals you will need for each renovation project.

Do all renovations need council approval?

No, not all renovations require council approval.

Some forms of renovation, such as minor building alterations, may comprise exempt development (works that do not require planning approval) if they satisfy a range of preliminary criteria.

Some forms of renovation, such as the construction of an addition to a house, may comprise complying development (works that can obtain combined planning and construction approval for fast-track assessment) if they satisfy a range of preliminary criteria which tends to apply more broadly, but with more stringent requirements, than for exempt development.

What will happen if I don’t get council approval?

There are serious consequences for owners who begin renovations without council approval where council approval was required.

Owners who do not look into council approvals before starting their works expose themselves to the following risks:

• Your works may be considered “unauthorised development” by your local council. This can result in substantial fines and even criminal prosecutions.
• Council may issue an order, such as an order to reinstate the property to its original condition, at your expense.
• Unauthorised developments can cause more problems down the track. For example, you may have trouble with securing finance over your unit, leasing your unit to a tenant, or selling your unit.

Do I need any other approvals?

You may also require additional approvals, such as:

• approval from your strata scheme’s owners corporation;
• building approval, which is typically dealt with by private certifiers.

If you are in doubt as to what approvals are required for your renovations, please contact us at diybylaws@bannermans.com.au or 02 9929 0226. Bannermans can assist you with legal advice specific to your situation.