Unit Titles Legislative Updates
Unit titles are most commonly used for apartments or townhouses that share amenities such as lobbies, lifts or driveways with other owners in the same building or on the same property.
The latest amendments to the Unit Titles Act 2010 came into force on 9 May 2023. These include broadening the scope of information that sellers must provide to prospective buyers, and bolstering the governance structures for body corporates that manage unit title buildings or developments.
These changes have prompted amendments in the unit title provisions in the standard ADLS Sale and Purchase Agreement. The amendments reflect the increased disclosure obligations: the wording in respect of the warranties has been updated to expressly refer to any pre-contract disclosures made by the seller.
The ADLS form has also been updated in respect of courses of action available to buyers where they don’t receive a pre-settlement disclosure statement at least five working days prior to settlement. The options available to buyers haven’t changed in themselves. Rather, the agreement clarifies where the buyer elects for settlement to take place without delay that this constitutes a waiver of any right for that buyer to delay or cancel the settlement.
The purchase process of unit title properties is different from buying other sorts of properties. If you are considering buying or selling a unit title property, these changes may impact on your rights or obligations.
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