Apartment residents win tribunal fight to keep balcony heat screens
A tribunal ruled the metal shelving and screens tenants installed to cut heat were barely visible and acceptable to keep.
Two residents of a Civic apartment installed metal IKEA shelving with screens on their balcony. They wanted to cut heat and grow plants.
The building's management took them to the ACT tribunal, saying the screens broke building rules and looked bad. Member Mark Hanna sided with the residents.
He said the installation was barely visible from the street and blended well with the building. The tribunal rejected the demand to remove the shelves and refused to give the building approval power over future screens.
Why it mattersResidents can now keep practical heat-cut improvements without getting building approval first. It sets a new standard for what counts as acceptable balcony changes.
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