Strata buildings have a lot of electrical equipment that nobody owns individually: common area lighting, car park lighting, emergency and exit lights, gate motors, lifts, pumps, pool equipment and the main switchboards that feed it all. Keeping it maintained is the job of the body corporate, usually through a strata or building manager. This guide covers what needs looking after and how to organise it.
Who is responsible for what
As a general rule, electrical equipment on common property is the responsibility of the body corporate, while wiring and fittings inside a lot are usually the lot owner’s responsibility. In practice, the dividing line can be less obvious. Sub-mains, meter panels and shared circuits may serve lots and common property together.
The details depend on the scheme’s registered plans, community management statement or by-laws, and the relevant state legislation. In Queensland, body corporate matters are covered by the body corporate and community management legislation. In NSW, strata schemes have their own legislation. If there’s any doubt about who is responsible for a particular item, check the scheme documents or get advice before work starts.
What needs regular maintenance
A typical strata building needs attention to:
- Emergency and exit lighting, tested six-monthly under AS/NZS 2293 with a logbook kept on site
- Common area, stairwell, car park and external lighting
- Main switchboards and distribution boards, including RCD testing and thermal imaging
- Pool and spa equipment, including pumps, heaters and lighting
- Gate and garage door motors, intercoms and access control
- Pumps for stormwater, sewage or water pressure
- Portable equipment used by building staff, which may need test and tag
Some items are managed by specialist contractors, such as lifts and fire systems, but they still rely on a reliable electrical supply and correct isolation points.
Emergency lighting and fire safety
Emergency and exit lighting is one of the most important items for strata managers. It forms part of the building’s fire safety installations, and records of testing and repairs need to be kept. Missing records can create problems with insurers, auditors and certifiers even if the lights were working.
We recommend keeping a numbered schedule of every emergency fitting with a floor plan, so it’s clear what was tested and where any failed fittings are. Our emergency lighting testing guide explains the process in more detail.
Switchboards and main supply
Main switchboards in older strata buildings have often been modified many times. Common problems include missing labels, outdated protection, limited RCD coverage on common area circuits, and corrosion in coastal buildings. Salt air on the Gold Coast and in Northern NSW takes a toll on switchrooms, meter boxes and external fittings, especially in beachfront towers.
A regular inspection and thermal imaging scan can pick up loose connections and overheating before they become a failure. For buildings with ageing boards, planning an upgrade in stages can spread the work over more than one budget period.
Planning for capital works
Bodies corporate usually plan major works through a sinking fund forecast. Electrical items worth including are switchboard upgrades, LED lighting replacements, emergency lighting replacements, car park lighting upgrades, and EV charging infrastructure. Getting an electrician to assess the building and give a written condition report helps make those forecasts realistic.
EV charging is coming up more often at committee meetings. A building-wide approach, with load management and a fair way to allocate costs, is usually better than individual owners installing chargers one by one. Our EV charging guide covers the basics.
Working in occupied buildings
Strata work happens around residents, so planning matters. Shutdowns need notice to residents and sometimes to businesses in mixed-use buildings. Lifts, gates and pumps may need to be kept running or restarted in a particular order. Work in common areas needs barriers and signage so residents can move around safely.
We give building managers a clear plan before any shutdown, confirm timing, and make sure everything is back on and checked before we leave. Access keys, fobs and switchroom access are coordinated with the building manager.
Record keeping
Good records protect the body corporate. At a minimum, keep:
- Emergency lighting logbooks and repair records
- RCD and test and tag registers where applicable
- Thermal imaging reports
- Certificates of testing and compliance for any electrical work on common property
- Switchboard schedules and single line diagrams where available
These records are useful when committee members change, when the building is sold or when an insurer asks questions.
Setting up a maintenance program
The simplest way to stay on top of strata electrical maintenance is a scheduled program with one contractor. We set up a calendar for emergency lighting tests, RCD tests, thermal scans and routine inspections, and report back to the building manager after each visit. Reactive call-outs are handled under the same arrangement, so the electrician attending already knows the building.
Our strata electrical service covers residential towers, townhouse complexes, mixed-use buildings and commercial strata across the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Northern NSW. We also work with bodies corporate and strata managers on capital works planning and condition reports.
Common mistakes
The most common problems we see are records that stop when the building manager changes, emergency lighting that hasn’t been tested for years, and switchboards with labels that no longer match the circuits. All of them are easy to fix with a proper program and a single point of contact. If your building needs a starting point, we can inspect and give you a written report.
Safety note: electrical work in Queensland and NSW must be done by a licensed electrician. This article is general information, not advice for your specific property. If something looks or smells wrong, switch off at the main switch if it’s safe to do so and call an electrician.