Body Corporate
Fence Repair
Who pays when the fence belongs to an owners corporation, how to tell common property from lot property, and how to actually get the work approved without waiting a year.
Who pays for a fence in an owners corporation?
It depends entirely on whether the fence is common property or lot property, and that is settled by the plan of subdivision, not by where the fence appears to be or by who uses it.
If the fence sits on common property, the owners corporation is generally responsible for repairing and maintaining it, and the cost comes out of OC funds, which every lot owner contributes to through their fees.
If the fence is within a lot, or on the boundary between a lot and a neighbouring property outside the scheme, responsibility usually sits with the lot owner. In that second case the ordinary Fences Act process with the external neighbour applies as normal.
The practical problem is almost never the law. It is that a repair needs a decision, the decision needs a committee or a resolution, and that takes time. Knowing which category the fence falls into, and bringing a quote in the right format, is what gets these moving.
Common situations in a Victorian OC
General positions under the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic). Your plan of subdivision and OC rules can change any of them, which is why the first step is always to look at the plan.
| Where the fence is | Usually responsible | How it is paid for |
|---|---|---|
| On common property | Owners corporation | OC funds, from owner fees |
| Within a single lot | That lot owner | Directly by the owner |
| Between two lots in the scheme | Depends on the plan | Check the plan before assuming |
| Lot boundary with an external property | Lot owner, with the neighbour | Fences Act split with the outside owner |
| Common property boundary with an external property | Owners corporation, with the neighbour | OC funds, plus the neighbour's share |
| Damaged by a specific owner or their trades | The person who caused it | Recovered from them |
| Damaged by storm | Follows ownership above | Check the OC insurance policy first |
General information for Victorian property owners, current at the date of last review. It is not legal advice and it does not cover every situation. Rules vary between councils and the legislation changes, so confirm the detail with your council or a lawyer before you rely on it for a dispute.
How to actually get the repair done
1Check the plan of subdivision
The plan shows what is common property and what is lot property. Everything else follows from it. Your OC manager holds a copy, and so does the title.
2Report it in writing
Email the OC manager or the committee with photos and the location. Written reports create the record, and a documented report matters if the fence later causes damage or injury.
3Get an itemised quote
Committees approve specifics, not concepts. A quote broken down by run, with repair and replacement priced separately, is far more likely to be approved at the first meeting.
4Get the decision made
Depending on the amount and the OC rules this may be a committee decision, a ballot or a general meeting item. Urgent works can often be authorised faster. Ask the manager which path applies.
5Book the work and record it
Keep the quote, the approval and the invoice together. OC records get audited and reviewed at sale, and a clean paper trail avoids the same question being asked again in two years.
Four things that stall an OC fence repair
The law is usually straightforward. Getting the work done is where these stall, and it is nearly always one of these four.
A quote a committee can vote on
Split by run, repair and replacement priced separately, with photographs. It is the difference between approval at this meeting and a deferral to the next one.
Nobody checked the plan
Weeks get lost arguing about who owns a fence when the plan of subdivision answers it in a minute. Get the plan before anyone gets an opinion.
A single-figure quote
A committee cannot part-approve a lump sum. Itemised by run, with repair and replacement as separate options, gives them something they can actually vote on.
Jumping straight to replacement
A repair often clears a committee immediately, where a replacement goes to a general meeting and waits months. If repair is genuinely viable, quote it first.
Forgetting the OC policy
For storm or impact damage on common property, the OC insurance may respond. Check the policy before raising a special levy, because a claim is a much easier conversation than a levy.
We work with owners corporations regularly
OC and strata fencing across Melbourne
Bayside
Known for Bayside, Glen Eira and Port Phillip councils.
Body corporate fence questions
What lot owners, committee members and managers ask us.
Ask us for an OC-ready quoteIt depends on whether the fence is common property or lot property, which the plan of subdivision determines. Common property fences are generally the owners corporation's responsibility, funded from OC fees. Fences within a lot are generally the lot owner's.
Related guides
Neighbour Fence Disputes
The Fences Act process that applies on external boundaries.
Read more ComplianceStorm Damage and Insurance
When a policy pays for the fence instead of the owners.
Read more GuideRotting Fence Palings
Whether a repair is genuinely viable, or replacement is due.
Read more ComplianceCouncil Fence Rules
Whether the replacement needs a permit before it is approved.
Read more
Get a quote your committee can approve
Itemised per run, with repair and replacement priced separately and photographs attached. Free, and formatted for an OC meeting.