Home Modifications in Strata Properties

Some residents have experienced difficulties undertaking alterations in strata schemes to improve access and useability, called ‘home modifications’, in the Leichhardt Council area. This issue was identified by Leichhardt Council through discussions with local residents. This is a particular concern for older residents and residents with a disability. This issue was also recently raised in NSW Fair Trading’s discussion paper regarding the current legislative review of strata schemes. A report about the online consultation that informed the discussion paper states that “several people wrote of the difficulties they had experienced when trying to improve facilities for disabled people in their strata scheme.” The issue has also received some media coverage in different jurisdictions around Australia. In order to respond to this problem, Leichhardt Council engaged the City Futures Research Centre at the University of NSW to examine the accessibility needs and challenges of people living in strata-titled properties in the Leichhardt Council area.