A couple of people have asked me how do we come up with the amounts that each owner has been charged for the ‘fire sprinkler’ work.

Under the Owners Corp Act costs are charged on what they call ‘lot liability’. Essentially that is based on your floorspace which includes car bays.

The OC charges for normal charges that you are invoiced every quarter is also based on the same formula.

Essentially the assumption under the Act is that people with bigger apartments should pay proportionately more.

There is a little discretion under the Act for levies to have a different formula in rare circumstances if the funds are not for the ‘common good’. Clearly the sprinklers are for the benefit of all owners and this is not applicable in this case.

Bottom line is that the sprinkler levy cost is based on floorspace.