Have your say: Submission Guide for Better Electrification Rules for Owners Corporations

Have your say on the rules for apartment building owner corporations and give the 12% of Victorians living in flats and apartments fair access to electrification measures in their homes.

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What's going on?

Owners Corporation Act Review

The Victorian government is currently reviewing the Owners Corporation Act 2006, which sets out the governance rules for owners corporations (OCs), including rules that can apply to sustainability and electrification projects on common property. 

Apartments and other strata buildings face barriers that prevent residents from accessing lower energy and transport costs and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Improvements to common property can benefit owners and renters alike.  

  • In Victoria, 12.1% of households live in flats or apartments and 28.5% of households rent (2021 Census). 

The expert panel appointed for the review is currently asking for public submissions, until Tuesday 2 September. Now is the time to share your stories and ask for change.>>

Submission Guide/ Talking points

What stories should you share?

The panel want to hear about successful and unsuccessful attempts to undertake energy and sustainability projects that required OC approval. For example, central hot water systems, electric vehicle charging points, or solar panels or hot water systems on common property. 

You can talk about what were you trying to achieve with your electrification process in your building, what worked well and what barriers got in the way? 

What else you can do? 

Ask your local MP and councillors to make a submission and support electrification 

  • Ask your local Councillors if your council will make a submission to the review advocating for change. Let them know what changes you’d like to see. 

What to ask for? 

Currently, many sustainability and electrification projects require a ‘special resolution’ to be made by the OC, which requires at least 75% of all lot entitlements voting in favour. This is a very high barrier. In contrast, in New South Wales, sustainability infrastructure resolutions require those against the resolution to make up less than 50% of the votes. 

The government should also continue improving strata governance in Victoria. 

The threshold for common area electrification and sustainability initiatives should be reduced, for example down to an ordinary resolution (50% in favour) or in line with New South Wales. 

We suggest including the following in your submission: 

  • The threshold for common area electrification and sustainability initiatives should be reduced, for example down to an ordinary resolution (50% in favour) or in line with New South Wales. 
  • Keep strata issues on the electrification agenda. Future work by the government should include removing barriers to electrification, solar, electric vehicle charging and energy efficiency. 
  • Prioritise strata programs in Solar Victoria, Victorian Energy Upgrades and the State Electricity Commission’s one stop shop. 
  • Establish a Strata Commissioner for Victoria and create a ‘strata hub’ that brings together information and services related to strata living, models of best practice, and improved training and support for Owners Corporation committees and managers. 

How to make a submission

 

 

  1. You can write and upload a full written submission (upload your submission), OR  you can use the form provided (complete survey) – which we recommend 
  2. If submitting via the survey, fill in the fields with your details, and then select from the topics you want to comment on.
    We suggest focusing on:
    Topic 1: Governance and related reforms is the relevant section to provide feedback on.
    Select ‘Next’
  3. On the next page, a few questions are presented; they are all optional. We suggest focusing on this question towards the end of the page:
    Are there any other aspects of the 2021 reforms that you think are not working well in practice? What changes could be made to further improve how owners corporations operate?

    You can write in your answer and key talking points from the submission guide above, or write your own story, outlining your concerns.
  4. Once you are happy with your submission, hit ‘submit’. You will get a submission number.
  5. Optional step: let us know you made a submission, we love to hear about your experience and what you said. Let us know>>  
     
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