My fiancé and I are about to sign a contract for an off the plan block of land in QLD. It’s part of a small residential estate. The developers are adding a pumping station rather than connecting the blocks to the council sewerage (saving them money and allowing them to sell the blocks of land for cheaper). However, the 11 blocks as part of the estate are left with a body corporate fee of about $1000 a year to cover the cost of maintenance and repairs of this pump station.
Neither of us know much about legislation in this department or real estate. We’re going to seek legal advice, but I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence if I didn’t pose the question to the reddit community.
Is this reasonable from the developer? Is this something that would drastically affect the value of the property in the future?
For reference: 600sqm block of land, 20 minutes from the beach, Sunshine Coast QLD. The part of the estate included in the body corporate is 11 free-standing houses.
It’s reasonable for a developer to use a pumping station to save costs, but you should consider the long-term implications. Body corporate fees can increase over time, and if the pump station requires significant repairs, those costs could fall on you and your neighbors.
Make sure to read the body corporate agreement thoroughly. It’s crucial to understand your rights and obligations, especially regarding maintenance of the pump station.
Taj said:
Make sure to read the body corporate agreement thoroughly. It’s crucial to understand your rights and obligations, especially regarding maintenance of the pump station.