Guide
Who pays for maintenance: lot owner or body corporate?
In Queensland, the body corporate maintains common property, and each owner maintains their own lot. Where the line falls depends on your survey plan. In a building format plan (most unit blocks), the body corporate also maintains structural and shared items inside lots. In a standard format plan (many townhouses and duplexes), owners maintain most of the building on their lot.
The basic rule
A body corporate must maintain common property in good and structurally sound condition. An owner must maintain their lot in good condition. Either can be liable if failing to maintain causes damage to another lot or to common property. Maintenance is also different from improvements, which have their own rules.
Building format plans
Lot boundaries are at the centre of the floors, walls and ceilings. Even inside a lot, the body corporate generally maintains:
- foundations, load-bearing walls and supporting framework
- roofing membranes that protect lots or common property
- railings and balustrades on or near a boundary, including on private balconies
- doors and windows in a boundary wall between a lot and common property
- utility infrastructure on common property, in a boundary structure, or serving more than one lot (an owner usually maintains items on common property that serve only their lot, such as their hot water system)
The owner generally maintains:
- the inside of the lot, including fixtures and fittings
- non-structural work such as plasterboard repairs and painting
- doors and windows onto a balcony that is part of the lot, and balcony tiles
- wet-area waterproofing and shower trays
- utility infrastructure that serves only their lot and is inside their boundaries
Standard format plans
Boundaries are defined on the ground, such as by survey pegs. The owner generally maintains the whole building on their lot, including the roof, exterior walls, doors, windows and foundations, as well as lawns, gardens and driveways within the lot. Where two lots share a wall, the boundary is commonly the centre of the wall, so its maintenance may be shared between the two owners. Check your survey plan. The body corporate maintains common property roads, gardens and lawns, facilities such as pools and barbecues, and utility infrastructure that serves more than one lot.
Quick comparison
| Item | Building format plan | Standard format plan |
|---|---|---|
| Roof | Body corporate (roofing membrane) | Owner |
| Foundations and structure | Body corporate | Owner |
| Balcony balustrade | Body corporate | Owner (if on the lot) |
| Shower waterproofing | Owner | Owner |
| Pipes serving several lots | Body corporate | Body corporate |
| Common pool and gardens | Body corporate | Body corporate |
How to check your scheme
Your registered survey plan and community management statement (which also states your regulation module) can be searched through Titles Queensland. For schemes we manage, call us and we can tell you.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for the roof in a unit block?
In a building format plan, the body corporate is responsible for roofing membranes that protect lots or common property, even where they are within a lot.
Who maintains a townhouse roof?
In a standard format plan, the owner generally maintains the building on their lot, including the roof.
Sources
- Body corporate maintenance (Queensland Government)
- Building format plan maintenance (Queensland Government)
- Standard format plan maintenance (Queensland Government)
Checked 22 October 2026. The law and official guidance change, so check the current source before relying on it. This page is general information about Queensland body corporate law, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, speak with a lawyer.