Solar Panel Cleaning for Strata and Apartment Buildings in Australia
Strata-titled buildings have unique rules, responsibilities, and access challenges for solar panel cleaning. Here is how owners corporations, lot owners, and strata managers should approach it.
Australia’s apartment and strata market is one of the fastest-growing residential solar segments. Building-level solar installations on rooftops, carparks, and common areas are now found in strata schemes across every major city. But the rules, responsibilities, and practicalities of cleaning and maintaining these systems are significantly more complex than for a single-family home.
This guide covers the key issues for owners corporations, strata managers, building managers, and individual lot owners navigating solar panel cleaning in a strata context.
How Strata Property Ownership Affects Solar Responsibility
In Australian strata law, every part of a building falls into one of three categories:
- Common property — owned collectively by all lot owners (through the owners corporation or body corporate). In almost every Australian strata scheme, the roof is common property.
- Lot property — the individually owned area of each apartment, unit, or townhouse
- Exclusive use areas — common property that has been allocated for exclusive use by a specific lot owner (e.g., a balcony, car space, or roof terrace allocated by by-law)
This classification determines who is responsible for solar panels:
| Solar Panel Location | Owner | Responsible for Cleaning and Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| Roof of common building | Owners Corporation (OC) | OC / Body Corporate |
| Balcony exclusive-use area | Lot owner (by by-law) | Lot owner (usually) |
| Individual lot airspace (rare) | Lot owner | Lot owner |
| Carpark canopy (common) | Owners Corporation | OC |
The practical implication: most building-wide solar systems in strata are on the roof (common property) and are therefore the owners corporation’s responsibility to maintain.
State-by-State Strata Solar Legislation Overview
New South Wales
The Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 governs strata in NSW. The 2021 sustainability by-law amendments (Part 7A of the Act) created a streamlined path for lot owners to install solar panels. An owners corporation cannot unreasonably refuse a sustainability infrastructure request, which includes solar panels. Lot owner installations on common property require a registered by-law and usually a maintenance agreement.
Victoria
The Owners Corporations Act 2006 and Owners Corporations Regulations 2018 apply. Victoria does not have a specific sustainability by-law framework equivalent to NSW’s 2021 reforms, meaning lot owner solar installations require a full owners corporation resolution. The government has signalled reform is pending.
Queensland
The Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (BCCM Act) applies, with module-specific regulations depending on scheme type. Body corporates can pass solar installation motions by ordinary resolution.
Western Australia
The Strata Titles Act 1985 (as amended 2021) applies. The 2021 reforms significantly modernised WA strata law, including provisions for sustainability improvements. Scheme by-laws govern lot owner installations.
South Australia
The Community Titles Act 1996 applies. A significant rewrite is underway as of 2025. Maintenance responsibilities for common property solar remain with the community corporation.
Practical Cleaning and Maintenance: Who Does What
Step 1: Identify the Solar System Owner and Records
Before booking any cleaning, the strata manager should confirm who installed the system (original installer contact and CEC accreditation number), where the system’s warranty documentation is held, whether a maintenance agreement with the installer exists, and what the current output is (monthly kWh — check the inverter portal).
Many strata-managed buildings do not have this information readily accessible. Locating it is the first step.
Step 2: Assess the Cleaning Requirement
For common property systems, the owners corporation committee should commission an annual inspection that determines current soiling level and estimated output impact, any maintenance issues (damaged panels, wiring concerns, inverter faults), and recommended cleaning frequency for the specific building location and environment.
This can usually be bundled with the cleaning service itself — a reputable provider will assess and report before and after cleaning.
Step 3: Secure the Right Contractor
Strata buildings have higher compliance requirements for contractors than residential homes. Any contractor must provide:
- Public liability insurance certificate (minimum $10 million — most strata managers require $20 million)
- Workers compensation insurance (mandatory for contractors with employees)
- Working at Heights certification (required for any work above 2 metres under WHS regulations)
- Rope access licence (IRATA or ROPEWALK) for buildings above 3 storeys requiring abseiling access
- Relevant electrician licence if any electrical inspection or connection work is included
- CEC accreditation if solar-specific electrical work is performed
Request all certificates before commencement. The strata manager should retain copies for the building records.
Step 4: Budget and Levy Considerations
Solar panel cleaning should be included in the owners corporation’s annual maintenance budget (administrative fund, not capital works fund — it is a routine maintenance expense, not a capital improvement).
Indicative budgeting for common property system cleaning:
| Building Type | System Size | Annual Cleaning Budget (Estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 to 3 storey, 12 units | 20 to 30 kW (50 to 75 panels) | $600 to $1,200/year |
| 4 to 6 storey, 30 units | 40 to 80 kW (100 to 200 panels) | $1,400 to $3,000/year |
| 7 to 12 storey, 60 units | 100 to 200 kW (250 to 500 panels) | $3,000 to $8,000/year |
| High-rise 20 or more storeys | 200+ kW | $6,000 to $20,000+/year |
Access Challenges for Multi-Storey Strata Buildings
Low-Rise (2 to 3 Storeys)
Roof access via a fixed roof hatch or external ladder is standard. A standard solar cleaning service with scaffolding or an aluminium platform ladder is sufficient. Most residential solar cleaning companies can service low-rise strata with their standard equipment.
Mid-Rise (4 to 8 Storeys)
Requires Working at Heights equipment and methods. Options include an Elevated Work Platform (EWP/cherry picker) if there is adequate ground-level access around the building, rope access (most cost-effective method for buildings with complex rooflines or no EWP access), and Building Maintenance Units (BMU) which are permanent suspended platforms used in some buildings and require specialist operators.
High-Rise (9 or More Storeys)
Rope access (IRATA Level 2 or higher certified technicians) or BMU access is standard. For very large arrays, drone-mounted cleaning systems are beginning to be used on a commercial basis in Australia, though this remains a specialist service.
Individual Lot Owner Solar Installations: Cleaning Responsibility
If a lot owner has installed solar panels under an approved strata by-law, the by-law itself will typically specify maintenance obligations. Common provisions include: the lot owner is responsible for all cleaning, maintenance, and repair of the installation; the lot owner must use licensed contractors for any electrical work; the lot owner must maintain public liability insurance for the installation; and the installation must be removed or updated at the lot owner’s cost if common property work requires it.
Raising Solar Maintenance Issues at an AGM
If the owners corporation is not maintaining a common property solar system, a lot owner can write formally to the committee requesting the matter be placed on the agenda, raise it at the AGM or EGM (an operational decision that can be made by ordinary resolution of the committee), request a quote be obtained and presented to owners for approval, and escalate to the state tribunal (NCAT, VCAT, QCAT, SAT, etc.) if the OC is in breach of its maintenance duty.
Most strata disputes about solar maintenance resolve at step two once the financial cost of neglect (lost output equals lost common electricity savings) is clearly presented.
Summary
Strata solar panel cleaning is a legitimate, recurring maintenance obligation for owners corporations — not an optional extra. Buildings with common property solar systems should budget for annual professional cleaning, secure contractors with appropriate insurance and certifications, and track system performance to quantify the return on that maintenance investment.
For lot owners with approved individual installations, the responsibility sits squarely with you — treat it with the same professionalism you would expect from the owners corporation for the rest of the building.
Last updated: April 2026. Strata legislation references are correct as of writing. Legislation varies by state — always consult the current Act and regulations for your state and seek legal advice for complex strata matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
In most cases, if the solar panels are on common property (the roof, which is typically common property in strata), the owners corporation (body corporate) is responsible for cleaning and maintaining them. If a lot owner has installed solar panels exclusively for their own use on common property under a special resolution, the by-law granting that approval usually requires the lot owner to maintain them. Always check your strata by-laws and scheme records.
Owners corporations have a legal duty to maintain common property in good repair under strata legislation in every Australian state. If solar panels are installed on common property, failure to maintain them including cleaning may constitute a breach of this duty. Lot owners can raise the issue at an AGM or extraordinary general meeting, and if the committee refuses to act, the matter can be escalated to the relevant state tribunal.
Most strata buildings use either a licensed building maintenance company (abseiling or BMU access for high-rise) or a solar cleaning specialist with appropriate Working at Heights certification and public liability insurance. All roof access must comply with WHS regulations in the relevant state. The strata manager or owners corporation must ensure any contractor engaged holds a minimum of $10 million public liability insurance and relevant certifications.
Pricing depends on the number of panels, building height, and access method. Low-rise strata (2 to 3 storeys): $400 to $900 for a typical 30 to 50 panel common property array. Mid-rise (4 to 8 storeys with rope access): $900 to $2,500. High-rise (9 or more storeys with BMU or abseiling): $2,000 to $6,000 or more. Annual service agreements for strata buildings are common and usually reduce the per-service cost by 15 to 25%.
Yes, in most Australian states, with owners corporation approval. The process, conditions, and by-law requirements vary by state. NSW has the most developed framework following the 2021 strata law reforms, which provides a path for lot owners to install solar on their balcony or exclusive-use area. Common property roof installations require explicit owners corporation approval and a registered by-law.