Why Your Scheme Needs a 10-Year Maintenance Plan (and How It Protects Your Investment)
If you own in a Sectional Title Scheme, you’re not just buying a home, you’re buying into a shared asset. Roofs, walls, driveways, lifts, plumbing, waterproofing, security systems… these things don’t last forever. They wear out. And when they fail, the cost can be significant. That’s why the law requires every Body Corporate to have a written 10-Year Maintenance, Repair & Replacement Plan (MRRP) and to update and approve it every year.
But this is not just a legal tick-box.
A good plan saves you money, protects property value, and prevents financial shocks.
Here’s what every owner should know:
- What is a 10-Year Maintenance Plan?
It’s a forward-looking schedule of all major repairs and replacements your scheme will need over the next decade.
It includes:
- What needs to be maintained or replaced (e.g. roofs, painting, plumbing).
- When it needs to happen.
- How much it will cost.
- How long the work will last.
- What the priorities are (safety, waterproofing, high-risk areas).
Think of it like a service plan for the entire complex.
- Why is it important?
Because reactive maintenance is the most expensive form of maintenance.
Without a plan, schemes end up paying:
❌ Emergency call-out rates
❌ Insurance excesses or rejected claims
❌ Repeated short-term “patch” jobs
❌ Special levies (big, sudden owner contributions)
With a proper plan, schemes can:
✅ Budget gradually
✅ Schedule work in phases
✅ Maintain safety and compliance
✅ Protect the value of every unit
- Where does the money come from?
Two separate accounts are required by law:
Admin Fund – day-to-day operations (cleaning, insurance, utilities, small repairs)
Reserve Fund – long-term maintenance (the 10-Year Plan items)
The Reserve Fund is like a savings account to make sure there is money available when major work is due.
- Why not just wait and deal with things later?
Because “later” usually means:
- Damage has already occurred.
- Repairs are urgent.
- Costs are higher.
- Special levies are raised.
- Owners are angry.
A good MRRP prevents this by planning ahead and collecting smaller, manageable contributions over time.
- How does the plan protect property value?
Buyers today are more educated. They ask:
- Does the scheme have a 10-year plan?
- What does the reserve fund look like?
- Are major projects already budgeted for?
A scheme with a strong plan and healthy reserves = high buyer confidence = better resale value.
A scheme with no plan and low reserves = risk = discounted sale prices.
- Who checks that the plan is followed?
Legally, trustees must:
- Update the plan every year.
- Present it at the AGM.
- Report on what work was completed.
- Adjust the budget based on the plan’s priorities.
Your managing agent (like ANGOR) helps guide the process.
But trustees remain the decision-makers.
- Why owners should support the plan
Supporting the 10-Year Plan means:
✔ Protecting your investment
✔ Avoiding emergency special levies
✔ Keeping the insurance in good standing
✔ Maintaining the appeal (and market value) of the scheme
✔ Ensuring fairness—everyone pays their share over time
- What this means for your levies
Some owners worry: “Will my levy increase?”
The truth:
- A well-planned levy increase now prevents massive special levies later.
- Small, predictable increases are far better than sudden shocks.
- Reserve fund contributions are a legal requirement—and a smart one.
Most importantly:
Planning = control.
No planning = crisis.
- How ANGOR helps
ANGOR supports Trustees with the administrative, financial and governance processes linked to the 10-Year Maintenance Plan. We can assist Trustees to:
✅ Understand what should be included in the plan
✅ Review the plan from a budgeting and reserve-fund perspective
✅ Model levy requirements based on the information provided
✅ Align the process with legal and governance requirements
✅ Communicate the plan and budget clearly to owners
✅ Reduce the risk of unnecessary special levies through better planning
While ANGOR does not inspect schemes or draft maintenance plans, we can guide Trustees on the required process and, where needed, direct them to suitably qualified professionals in the industry. Final decisions remain with the Scheme Executives.
In short:
A 10-Year Maintenance Plan is not just paperwork.
It’s your scheme’s health check, financial roadmap, and safety net.
It protects:
✔ Your home
✔ Your budget
✔ Your resale value
✔ Your peace of mind
The Essential 10-Year Maintenance Plan: Protecting Your Sectional Title Scheme.