Emergency Situations in Strata Properties
When to Take Urgent Action
What Constitutes an Emergency?
An emergency in a strata scheme is any situation that poses an immediate risk to safety, health, or property and requires urgent attention. These situations could cause injury, significant damage, or pose serious health risks if not addressed promptly.
What to Do in an Emergency
For Life-Threatening Emergencies:
- Call 000 immediately for police, fire, or ambulance
- Evacuate the building if necessary
- Follow emergency response procedures
For Building Emergencies:
- Contact your strata manager's emergency line
- If after hours, contact the designated emergency maintenance service
- Document the issue with photos if safe to do so
- Take reasonable steps to prevent further damage
What is NOT Considered an Emergency?
The following issues, while important, are generally not considered emergencies and can be addressed during normal business hours:
- Minor leaks or drips
- Air conditioning issues (unless inessential service areas)
- General maintenance requests
- Noise complaints
- Minor common area repairs
- Non-urgent landscaping issues
- Cosmetic damage
- General wear and tear
Cost Considerations
Please note that emergency call-out fees are typically higher than standard maintenance costs. However, the strata corporation's insurance may cover emergency repairs depending on the cause and circumstances. Please note, should the contractor attend and the issue is found to not be related to common property, that the cost associated with the callout and repairs will be on-charged to the owner of the lot.
Suggested Contractors
Below is a list of suggested contractors. Please advise Custom Strata Management of any action taken as soon as possible.
Please note, whilst these contractors will endeavor to be available for after-hours work, prior bookings and schedules may impact that availability at any given time. If you cannot make contact with listed suppliers, try another contractor of your choice.
Urgent Plumbing
On Tap Services – (08) 6206 6888
Lakeside Plumbing Joondalup – (08) 9300 1669
Browns Plumbing – (08) 9330 5786
Urgent Security Gate
Universal Doors – (08) 9314 2557
Urgent Lift/Elevator
Determine which lift company maintains the lift– refer to information in the lift
Schindler Lifts – 131 874
Kone Elevators – 1300 362 022
TK Elevator – 1300 799 599
Urgent Storm Damage
State Emergency Service – 132 500
Water - Loss of Water Supply
Water Corporation – 13 13 75
Electrical – Loss of Power Supply
Western Power – 13 13 51
Gas - Loss of gas supply or gas smell
ATCO Gas – 13 13 52
Insurance Company
Determine which insurer covers the building (tip: if you aren’t sure, refer to the Certificate of Currency under Documents on the MyCommunity Portal or your latest AGM Minutes).
Honan Insurance Brokers – (08) 6557 0400
CHU Underwriting – 1800 022 444
Strata Community Insurance – 1300 724 678
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