Western Australian Strata Renovation Approval Kit

This kit is for owners in a Western Australian strata scheme or survey-strata scheme who want to renovate. It has a quick-start guide, letters you can copy into Word or Google Docs, a document checklist and a response tracker. Every template has a Copy button. Fill in the parts in [square brackets] and delete anything that doesn't apply.

We checked it against the current Strata Titles Act 1985 (as reformed from 1 May 2020), the Strata Titles (General) Regulations 2019, and guidance from Landgate, the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) and Building and Energy on 29 October 2026. Where we couldn't confirm a point, we say so. Section links go to the Act or regulations on the WA legislation website. This kit covers freehold schemes. Leasehold schemes need extra approvals from the owner of the leasehold scheme.

Part 1: Quick-start guide

What needs approval

Three things decide whether you need approval:

1. Your scheme type: a strata scheme (lots are defined by the walls, floors and ceilings of a building, as in most apartments) or a survey-strata scheme (lots are land, as in many townhouse and villa developments). Your scheme plan shows which you have.
2. What the work touches: only the inside of your lot, the structure of your lot, the outside look, or common property.
3. Your scheme's by-laws. If your scheme hasn't registered its own, the default by-laws in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Act apply (s 39).

What counts as a structural alteration. The Act says it means putting up a structure within the lot, or a structural change to, or extension of, a structure within the lot (s 86). A structure includes any dwelling, garage, carport, shed or other building or improvement that needs approval from the local government or another authority, or that counts towards plot ratio or open space (reg 73). If your work needs a building permit, treat it as a structural alteration and ask.

Lot or common property?

In a strata scheme, the scheme plan sets the lot boundaries. Unless the plan says otherwise, a boundary is the inner surface of a wall, the upper surface of the floor and the under surface of the ceiling (s 3(2)). "Wall" includes doors and windows. So the walls, slab, ceiling, windows and external doors are usually common property. Landgate says lots can also contain common property, such as structural parts of walls and floors, pipes, wiring and conduits. Single tier strata schemes have special boundary rules in Schedule 2A, so check your plan.

In a survey-strata scheme, the lot is land, and the buildings on it are generally part of the lot. Common property can include shared driveways and gardens.

Landgate can give advice on lot and common property boundaries. Call the Strata Enquiry Line on (08) 9273 7047.

Real examples

• New carpet, paint or a kitchen in the same layout: inside your lot. Usually no approval, but follow the by-laws on noise and moving items through common property.
• New timber or tile floors: default conduct by-law 10 says floors (other than the kitchen, laundry, toilet and bathroom) must be covered or treated enough to stop noise that is likely to disturb another lot. Your scheme may have its own flooring by-law. Expect to be asked for acoustic details.
• Bathroom renovation: if the work touches the slab, structural walls or shared pipes, that's common property, and you'll need the strata company's approval. If it changes the structure, you'll need a resolution without dissent.
• Split-system air conditioner: the outdoor unit is usually visible from outside, so it needs written consent under by-law 14. If it sits on common property or needs a hole through an external wall, ask the strata company for approval for that too.
• Removing a load-bearing wall: that's a structural change that usually affects common property. Expect to need a resolution without dissent and a building permit.
• A patio, carport or shed on a survey-strata lot: you only need the strata company's approval if it would breach the plot ratio or open space requirements, unless your by-laws say more. Check for architectural by-laws.
• Using a courtyard that is common property: you'll need an exclusive use by-law.

What to submit

For a structural alteration, the application must set out the details of the proposal and the information in reg 75 (s 89(1)). For a lot in a strata scheme, that includes:

• plans and specifications
• the plot ratio restrictions and open space requirements for the parcel, and your lot's pro rata share of them
• the area of the structure, and whether the work will exceed your lot's share, and by how much
• the location and dimensions of the finished structure
• any by-law likely to be broken during or because of the work, and how you'll deal with it
• any likely interference with an easement or restrictive covenant
• whether the work changes the lot boundaries, and whether you've asked a licensed surveyor.

You can leave out the plot ratio and open space details if the structure doesn't count towards them, as long as you say so and why, and the strata company doesn't ask for them in writing. Landgate's guidance also suggests including the materials, the colours visible from outside, the method of construction and a work schedule. Part 4 has a checklist.

For other approvals there is no form set by law. A clear written request with the documents in Part 4 gives the council enough to decide.

Who decides

• The council performs the strata company's functions, unless an ordinary resolution restricts it (s 135). In practice, the council usually gives written consents under the by-laws, such as for external appearance.
• A resolution without dissent is needed for a structural alteration of a lot in a strata scheme, for a survey-strata alteration that breaches plot ratio or open space, and for an exclusive use by-law. It passes if no vote is cast against it, after 14 days' notice (s 123(2)). Voting stays open for 28 days (s 121). In a 2-lot scheme it must be unanimous.
• A special resolution is needed to change conduct by-laws, such as a flooring by-law (s 44). It needs at least 50% of lots in favour and fewer than 25% against, counted both by number and by unit entitlement (s 123(4)). Small schemes have different counts.
• An ordinary resolution passes with more than 50% of the votes cast (s 123(7)).

Limited grounds for saying no. For a structural alteration in a strata scheme, owners can only vote against, or refuse, on the grounds in s 87(5) and reg 74. The work:

• will breach the plot ratio or open space requirements for the lot
• will result in a structure visible from outside the lot that isn't in keeping with the rest of the development
• may affect the structural soundness of a building
• may interfere with a statutory easement, or another easement or restrictive covenant on the scheme plan or title
• will break a specified by-law.

A vote against is of no effect unless the voter gives one of these grounds (s 87(4)). The notice of the vote must include Landgate's approved statement explaining this, and the chairperson must read it out at the meeting.

More broadly, a strata company must aim for outcomes that aren't unfairly prejudicial, discriminatory, oppressive or unreasonable, and must consider the merits of any proposal put to it (s 119). By-laws that are oppressive or unreasonable are invalid (s 46).

Timelines

There is a statutory clock for structural alterations (s 89):

• 35 days: voting on your application must open within 35 days after the strata company receives it. If it doesn't, you can call a general meeting yourself and put the application to it. The council can still put it to a meeting it calls, if that meeting is held before yours.
• 42 days: an owner you served the application on is taken to approve if they haven't objected in writing within 42 days, or if their objection gives no valid ground.
• 77 days: the strata company is taken to approve if it hasn't made a written objection within 77 days after receiving the application, or if its objection gives no valid ground.

Keep proof of the date the strata company received your application. Every deadline runs from it.

There is no deadline in law for other requests, such as written consent under by-law 14 or approval for work on common property. Ask for a reply by a reasonable date and follow up (Part 6).

Meetings:

• You can give written notice to any council member of an item you want on a general meeting agenda. The item must be included (s 129(4)).
• Every general meeting needs at least 14 days' notice to owners and first mortgagees (s 129(1)).
• Owners with at least 25% of the unit entitlements can make a written request for an extraordinary general meeting. If the council doesn't take steps to call it within 21 days, those owners can call it themselves. It must be held within 3 months of the request (s 128).

Recent changes

• No change to the renovation rules. The current version of the Act, from 26 June 2025, has only editorial changes. The structural alteration rules have been the same since 1 May 2020.
• Strata manager rules. Amendments to the regulations started on 30 October 2025 and 20 August 2026. They deal with strata managers' qualifications and experience, not renovations. New education requirements for strata managers apply from 1 November 2027.
• Review of the Act, October 2026. Phase Two of the five-year review of the Strata Titles Act is open from 15 October to 26 November 2026. Landgate's summary guide proposes reworking the structural alteration rules: a simpler definition, a sliding scale where the type of resolution matches the size of the work, a general process for changes to common property, and approval from lot owners whose lots are affected. These are proposals only. The law hasn't changed. Have your say on Landgate's website.

If the strata company says no

1. Check the grounds. For a structural alteration in a strata scheme, an objection or vote against that doesn't give a valid ground under s 87(5) has no effect. Ask for the reasons in writing.
2. Fix what you can and resubmit. For example, change the colours or position, or get an engineer's report on structural soundness.
3. Use the scheme's own process. Check your by-laws for a dispute resolution procedure. Landgate suggests writing to a council member to have the matter put on the agenda of the next council meeting or general meeting (Part 7).
4. Try mediation. Landgate suggests the Citizens Advice Bureau of WA on (08) 9221 5711 for help finding a mediator.
5. Apply to SAT. SAT decides strata disputes, including about a resolution or decision of the strata company (s 197). It can make any order it considers appropriate, including that a resolution is taken to have passed (s 200). For a structural alteration, SAT can exempt the work from the approval rules, even after a valid refusal, if it's reasonable and, for work already done, won't cause significant inconvenience or detriment to other owners (s 90).

SAT costs and paperwork. SAT's fee summary lists, from 1 July 2025, a $170 application fee for these applications ($51 for an eligible individual, such as a concession card holder) and a $337 hearing fee ($100 for an eligible individual). The eCourts Portal shows the fee when you apply. You'll need a copy of the strata or survey-strata plan and your certificate of title from Landgate, each no more than 10 days old, plus copies of any registered by-law changes. Landgate says some applications have time limits, so check before you wait. A party can ask for an internal review of certain orders within 28 days (s 210).

Don't start structural work without approval. The by-laws, and the Act, require it before work begins.

Building rules that apply as well

• Building permits. Landgate says strata company approval is in addition to any approvals under other laws, such as the Building Act 2011 and the Planning and Development Act 2005. Most structural work needs a building permit. Ask your local government before you start.
• Registered builders. Building and Energy says a registered building contractor is needed for work that needs a building permit and is worth more than $20,000, or more than $50,000 for Class 10a buildings such as sheds, carports and garages. Check a builder on Building and Energy's register.
• Home indemnity insurance. For residential building work valued over $20,000, the builder must take out home indemnity insurance in your name. Work on a building with 2 or more dwellings and a rise of more than 3 storeys, or more than one basement storey, can be exempt if the builder gives the notice the regulations require.

What we couldn't confirm

• AustLII section links. AustLII blocked our checks, so we linked to the Act and regulations on the WA legislation website.
• Which resolution approves an owner's work on common property that isn't a structural alteration of the lot. The Act doesn't set one out.
• How SAT treats the 77-day deemed approval where a vote failed but the strata company didn't serve a written objection.
• Whether SAT's application fees changed on 1 July 2026. Its fee summary lists them as applying from 1 July 2025.
• Whether a building permit for work in a strata scheme needs the strata company's signature.
• When the $50,000 registration threshold for Class 10a buildings started.
• The rules for leasehold schemes and the special rules for single tier strata schemes.

Part 2: Application letter for works needing approval

Application for approval of renovations

Copy

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Email] · [Phone]

[Date]

The Council of Owners, [scheme name], Strata Plan [or Survey-Strata Plan] [number]
C/- [Strata manager, or Council secretary]
[Address or email]

Request for approval of renovation works – Lot [lot number], [street address]

Dear Council,

I am the owner of Lot [lot number]. I am asking for the strata company's approval for the works described below [under section 87 of the Strata Titles Act 1985 (structural alteration) / by-law 14 (appearance of lot) / by-law [number] of our registered by-laws].

1. The work
[Describe each item, e.g. "Install a split-system air conditioner. The outdoor unit will sit on the balcony floor against the rear wall, below the balustrade line, in a colour matching the wall."]

2. Common property or appearance affected
[e.g. One 65 mm hole through the external wall for pipework, sealed and painted to match. No other common property is affected.]

3. Structural alteration details (delete if not a structural alteration)
Plot ratio and open space requirements for the parcel: [details].
Pro rata entitlements of my lot: [details].
Area of the structure, including existing and proposed structures: [area].
Whether the work exceeds my lot's pro rata entitlements: [no / yes, by [percentage] and [area]].
[Or: The structure does not count towards plot ratio or open space because [reason].]
Location and dimensions of the finished structure: [details].
Effect on lot boundaries: [none / details]. Licensed surveyor consulted: [yes / no].
Easements or restrictive covenants affected: [none / details].

4. Dates and working hours
Start: [date]. Finish: [date].
Hours: [e.g. 7 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday], in line with the by-laws.

5. Builder
[Business name], registration number [number], [phone]. Public liability insurance with [insurer], certificate attached, expiry [date].

6. Noise, dust and waste
[e.g. Drilling between 9 am and 3 pm only. Dust sheets in common areas. All rubbish removed by the contractor.]

7. By-laws affected during the work
[None / e.g. Deliveries through the lobby on [dates], arranged with the council under by-law 9.]

8. Conditions I'm offering
☐ Work done by registered builders and licensed trades
☐ Colours and materials to match the building
☐ I will repair any damage to common property at my cost
☐ I will maintain the installation and any affected common property
☐ [Other]

9. Attachments
☐ Plans and specifications
☐ Builder registration and insurance certificates
☐ Building permit (if already issued)
☐ [Other]

[For a structural alteration: Under section 89 of the Strata Titles Act 1985, voting on this application must open within 35 days after the strata company receives it.] I would be grateful for a reply by [date]. I'm happy to answer questions or meet to go through the plans.

Yours sincerely,

[Signature]
[Your name]

Part 3: Request for a resolution without dissent (and exclusive use by-law)

Use this for a structural alteration of a lot in a strata scheme, or a survey-strata alteration that breaches plot ratio or open space. Both need a resolution without dissent. If you also want exclusive use of part of the common property, you'll need an exclusive use by-law, also passed by resolution without dissent, with your written consent. By-laws must be in Landgate's approved form, so get the strata manager or a lawyer to draft it.

Request for a resolution without dissent

Copy

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Email] · [Phone]

[Date]

The Council of Owners, [scheme name], Strata Plan [number]
C/- [Strata manager, or Council secretary]

Proposed resolutions without dissent – Lot [lot number]

Dear Council,

I am the owner of Lot [lot number]. I attach my application for approval of a structural alteration of my lot, received by the strata company on [date]. Please put the following resolutions to a vote [at the next general meeting / outside a general meeting]. Under section 89 of the Strata Titles Act 1985, voting must open within 35 days after the application was received.

Resolution 1 (resolution without dissent)
That the strata company approves the structural alteration of Lot [lot number] described in the application dated [date], under section 87 of the Strata Titles Act 1985, on condition that:
(a) the work is done by a registered builder at the owner's cost;
(b) the owner of Lot [lot number] repairs any damage to common property caused by the work;
(c) [other conditions].

Resolution 2 (resolution without dissent), if exclusive use is needed
That the strata company makes the attached exclusive use by-law, giving the occupier of Lot [lot number] exclusive use of the area of common property shown on the attached plan, and lodges it with Landgate. I give my written consent to the by-law, and I will pay the costs of preparing and registering it.

Statement for voters
Please include the statement in the approved form explaining that a vote against Resolution 1 has no effect unless the voter gives one of the grounds in section 87(5) of the Act.

Explanatory note
[Explain the work, why it's needed, and how you'll manage noise, dust and waste.]

Attachments
☐ Application with plans and specifications
☐ Builder registration and insurance certificates
☐ Draft exclusive use by-law and plan of the area (Resolution 2 only)

Yours sincerely,

[Signature]
[Your name]

Part 4: Document checklist

Renovation document checklist

Copy

Lot [lot number], Strata Plan [number]. Work: [short description]

By-laws and plan first
☐ A copy of the scheme's registered by-laws, or confirmation that the default by-laws apply
☐ Any by-law on renovations, flooring, noise, working hours, appearance or architectural requirements
☐ Scheme type: strata scheme or survey-strata scheme
☐ The scheme plan, showing your lot boundaries and the common property

Plans and scope
☐ Written scope of works, room by room
☐ Plans and specifications
☐ Product specifications (flooring, air conditioner, windows, fixtures)
☐ Materials, and colours visible from outside the lot
☐ Start date, finish date and stages

Structural alterations only
☐ Plot ratio and open space requirements for the parcel
☐ Your lot's pro rata entitlements
☐ Area of all existing and proposed structures
☐ Whether the work exceeds your lot's entitlements, and by how much
☐ Location and dimensions of the finished structure
☐ Any by-law likely to be broken during or because of the work, and how you'll deal with it
☐ Easements and restrictive covenants that may be affected
☐ Whether the lot boundaries change, and a licensed surveyor's advice

Builder and trades
☐ Builder registration number, checked on Building and Energy's register
☐ Public liability insurance certificate (with expiry date)
☐ Home indemnity insurance certificate if the work is over $20,000 (or the builder's exemption notice)

Working hours, noise, dust and waste
☐ Working hours matching the by-laws
☐ Noisy work times
☐ Dust control
☐ Waste plan: who removes rubbish, when and how
☐ Notice to the council before moving large items through common property

Flooring
☐ Acoustic report or underlay specification

Wet areas
☐ Waterproofing scope and the installer's details
☐ Promise to give a waterproofing certificate when finished

Common property
☐ What common property is touched (slab, walls, windows, pipes, facade, balcony)
☐ Access needed to common property (car park, roof, service cupboards)
☐ How it will be protected and restored
☐ Who will maintain it afterwards

Approvals and notices
☐ Building permit from the local government (structural work)
☐ Planning approval, if the local government needs it
☐ Written notice to the strata company at least 14 days before structural work starts

Part 5: Response tracker

For a structural alteration, the law sets the clock: voting must open within 35 days after the strata company receives your application, and the strata company is taken to approve if it hasn't made a valid written objection within 77 days. This tracker counts both from the date of receipt. Paste the table into Excel or Google Sheets starting at cell A1, then format columns B, C, D, F and G as dates.

Response tracker (paste into a spreadsheet)

Copy

Request	Date received by strata company	Voting must open by	Day 77	Days to day 77	Date voting opened	Date of written decision or objection	Decision	Status
[Patio, Lot 7]	15/11/2026	=IF(B2="","",B2+35)	=IF(B2="","",B2+77)	=IF(OR(D2="",G2<>""),"",D2-TODAY())				=IF(B2="","",IF(G2<>"","Answered: check the grounds",IF(TODAY()>D2,"Day 77 passed: no written objection",IF(AND(F2="",TODAY()>C2),"Voting late: send firmer reminder",IF(AND(F2="",TODAY()>C2-14),"Send polite follow-up","Waiting")))))

What each formula does

• Voting must open by (column C): the date received plus 35 days.
• Day 77 (column D): the date received plus 77 days.
• Days to day 77 (column E): days left until day 77. It goes blank once a decision or objection is logged.
• Status (column I): Waiting, then Send polite follow-up 14 days before voting must open, then Send firmer reminder if voting hasn't opened by day 35, then Day 77 passed if no written objection has arrived.

If day 77 passes with no written objection, or with one that gives no valid ground, the strata company is taken to have approved (s 89(6)). Ask the council to confirm that in writing before you start, and get advice if a vote has already gone against you.

For requests with no deadline in law, such as by-law consents, use column C as the date you asked for a reply and ignore column D.

Copy row 2 down for each new request.

Part 6: Follow-up letters

Polite follow-up

Copy

[Date]

Dear Council,

Renovation approval request – Lot [lot number], Strata Plan [number]

I sent my request for approval of renovation works on [date sent], and I believe it was received on [date received]. I'm writing to check on its progress.

Is there anything else you need from me? I'm happy to provide more information or meet to go through the plans.

[For a structural alteration: Voting on the application must open by [date received plus 35 days]. Could you let me know when and how the vote will be held?]

Kind regards,

[Your name]
[Phone]

Firmer reminder

Copy

[Date]

Dear Council,

Renovation approval request – Lot [lot number], Strata Plan [number]: second reminder

I asked for approval of renovation works on [date sent]. The request was received on [date received], and I followed up on [date of first follow-up]. I have not yet received a decision.

[For a structural alteration: Under section 89(2) of the Strata Titles Act 1985, voting on my application had to open within 35 days after it was received, which was [date]. Voting has not opened. Under section 89(3), I may now convene a general meeting and submit the application to it. Under section 89(6), if the strata company has not made a written objection within 77 days after receiving the application, which is [date], it is taken to have approved the alteration. An objection must state grounds permitted by section 87(5) of the Act.]

[For other requests: Under section 119 of the Strata Titles Act 1985, the strata company must consider the merits of any proposal put to it.]

Please let me have a written decision by [date, e.g. 14 days from today]. If I don't hear by then, I intend to [convene a general meeting under section 89(3) / ask for the matter to be put on the agenda of the next general meeting] and consider applying to the State Administrative Tribunal. I would rather resolve this directly, so please let me know if anything is missing from my request.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]
[Phone]

Part 7: Request to put a motion on the agenda

Any owner can give written notice to a council member of an item they want on a general meeting agenda. The item must be included and notified as special business (s 129(4)). Owners with at least 25% of the unit entitlements can make a written request for an extraordinary general meeting. If the council doesn't take steps to call it within 21 days, those owners can call it themselves, and it must be held within 3 months of the request (s 128).

Request to put a motion on the agenda

Copy

[Date]

[Name of council member]
Council of Owners, [scheme name], Strata Plan [number]
C/- [Strata manager]

Item of business for the next general meeting – Lot [lot number]

Dear [Name],

I am the owner of Lot [lot number]. Under section 129(4) of the Strata Titles Act 1985, I give notice that I require the following item to be included on the agenda for the next general meeting [or: the annual general meeting due in [month]].

Motion
Type of resolution: [ordinary resolution / special resolution / resolution without dissent]. That the strata company approves the renovation works to Lot [lot number] described in the attached request dated [date], subject to the conditions in that request.

Explanatory note
[Explain the work in plain terms, why it's needed, how you'll manage noise, dust and waste, and the conditions you're offering. Mention the attached documents.]

Attachments
[List them.]

[Optional, if owners with at least 25% of the unit entitlements are signing: We, the owners listed below, together entitled to at least 25% of the unit entitlements of the lots, request under section 128(2)(b) that the council convene an extraordinary general meeting to consider this motion.]

Yours sincerely,

[Signature]
[Your name], owner of Lot [lot number]

Part 8: Notice to neighbours and 10 tips

Notice to neighbours

Copy

Renovation notice: Unit [number]

Hello neighbours,

We're renovating our [kitchen / bathroom / floors] at Unit [number] and wanted to let you know before work starts.

When: [start date] to [finish date]
Working hours: [e.g. 7 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday]
Noisiest days: [dates, e.g. demolition on 3 and 4 March]
Deliveries: [dates], with the council told in advance and protection laid in common areas

[The strata company has approved the work. / The work is inside our unit and doesn't need approval.] Our builder is [business name], registration [number].

We'll keep noise and dust to a minimum and clean up common areas every day. If anything bothers you, please contact us directly and we'll sort it out quickly.

[Your name] · Unit [number] · [phone] · [email]

Thanks for your patience!

10 tips for getting a yes

1. Get the by-laws and scheme plan first. They tell you your scheme type, your lot boundaries and which rules apply.
2. Work out whether it's a structural alteration. If it needs a building permit, assume it is, and use the section 89 process.
3. Send the full application once. Use the Part 4 checklist. The 35-day clock runs from the date the strata company receives it.
4. Get proof of receipt. Email with a read receipt or hand delivery with a signed note gives you a clear start date.
5. Answer the valid grounds before anyone raises them. Plot ratio figures, an engineer's letter on structural soundness, matching colours and a by-law check cover most of them.
6. Talk to the council and strata manager early. Ask when the council meets and how votes are usually run.
7. Speak to the neighbours below and beside you. A resolution without dissent fails if one owner votes against with a valid ground.
8. Offer sensible conditions yourself. Quiet hours, repair of any damage and maintenance at your cost.
9. Keep everything in writing, with dates. You'll need it at SAT.
10. Don't start early. Structural alterations need approval before work begins, and you must give 14 days' written notice under the default by-laws.

Sources

• Strata Titles Act 1985 (WA)
• Strata Titles (General) Regulations 2019 (WA)
• Strata Titles (General) Amendment Regulations 2026 (WA)
• Landgate: Getting things done fact sheet (renovations in a strata titles scheme)
• Landgate: Resolving disputes fact sheet
• Landgate: strata support services
• Landgate: five-year review of WA's strata law
• Landgate: Phase Two summary guide
• Landgate: strata management education changes
• SAT: strata titles
• SAT: summary of fees
• Building and Energy: builders' registration
• Building and Energy: home indemnity insurance fact sheet
• Home Building Contracts (Home Indemnity Insurance Exemptions) Regulations 2002 (WA)