Flexi Hoses in Apartments: Who Is Responsible?
When a flexi hose bursts in a unit, the damage can spread fast. Knowing who is responsible before it happens could save you thousands.
Why multi-unit buildings face a unique risk
In a standalone house, a burst flexi hose is bad enough. It can release up to 600L of water per hour at full mains pressure, causing severe damage to floors, walls, cabinetry, and electrical systems. But in an apartment or unit complex, the consequences multiply.
Water does not respect property boundaries. When a flexi hose bursts in one apartment, gravity takes over. Stuart Wills, FlexiPro's founder, has seen firsthand how a single burst hose in one Sunshine Coast apartment flooded three units below it within an hour. Ceilings collapsed, carpets were ruined, and personal belongings were destroyed across four separate lots.
The financial impact is significant. The average flexi hose insurance claim exceeds $27,500, and that figure covers a single property. When multiple units are affected, the total cost can climb well beyond six figures. Then come the questions that matter most: who pays for this, and whose insurance covers what?
For many apartment owners, this is the first time they have even heard of flexi hoses. Understanding your responsibility before a burst occurs is the best protection you can have.
Who is responsible in Queensland?
The answer depends on where the flexi hose sits and what your body corporate by-laws say.
Under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Queensland), responsibility for plumbing is split between lot owners and the body corporate. The general principle is straightforward: if the plumbing serves your individual lot, it is your responsibility. If it serves the common property or multiple lots, it falls to the body corporate.
Flexi hoses connect taps, basins, toilets, and appliances within individual units. In the vast majority of cases, they serve only that lot. This means the lot owner is responsible for maintaining, inspecting, and replacing them.
The key distinction
Lot owner responsibility: All plumbing fixtures and connections that serve your individual lot, including flexi hoses under sinks, behind toilets, and connecting appliances within your unit.
Body corporate responsibility: Common property plumbing such as main water supply lines, shared drainage, and any infrastructure that services the building as a whole.
There is an important caveat here. Body corporate by-laws vary between schemes. Some by-laws define the boundary between lot property and common property differently. Others include specific maintenance obligations for lot owners. Always check your scheme's registered by-laws to understand exactly where your responsibility begins and ends.
If you are unsure, your body corporate manager or committee can clarify. The critical point is this: do not assume someone else is looking after the flexi hoses in your unit. In most Queensland strata schemes, that job falls squarely on you as the lot owner.
What happens when your burst hose damages a neighbour's unit
This is where flexi hose apartment responsibility gets complicated. If a hose bursts in your unit and water floods into the unit below, you may be liable for the damage to your neighbour's property. The question is not just about fixing your own unit. It extends to every lot affected by the water.
In practice, the affected lot owner will typically lodge a claim on their own building and contents insurance for the damage to their property. Their insurer may then pursue a recovery claim against you or your insurer if it can be shown that the burst resulted from a failure to maintain your plumbing.
Stuart has assessed these situations across dozens of Sunshine Coast apartment buildings. The pattern is consistent: the lot owner whose hose burst faces their own repair costs, potential liability for neighbouring lots, increased insurance premiums, and in some cases, disputes with the body corporate over who should have done what.
The most effective protection is prevention. Replacing ageing flexi hoses and keeping documented evidence of your maintenance gives you a strong position if anything goes wrong. It demonstrates that you took reasonable steps to prevent the failure.
Will insurance cover a flexi hose burst in your apartment?
The short answer is: it depends on the circumstances and your policy. Here is what you need to know.
Strata buildings typically have two layers of insurance. The body corporate holds building insurance that covers the structure and common property. Individual lot owners hold contents insurance (and sometimes additional building insurance for fixtures and improvements within their lot).
When a flexi hose bursts, building insurance generally covers sudden and accidental water damage to the structure. Contents insurance covers your belongings. However, there is a growing trend among Australian insurers to scrutinise maintenance history before paying claims.
The maintenance exclusion trend
Major insurers including Suncorp, Allianz, and RACQ have published guidance specifically about flexi hose maintenance. If your insurer can demonstrate that the hose showed signs of deterioration, or that it was well past its recommended lifespan with no evidence of inspection or replacement, your claim may be reduced or denied. This applies to both building and contents policies.
The strongest position you can be in is one where you have documented proof of proactive maintenance. A professional audit certificate, dated replacement records, and compliance tags on your hoses all demonstrate that you took reasonable care. Stuart spent three years working as a building insurance assessor, and he saw firsthand how this documentation influenced claim outcomes. Insurers consistently looked more favourably on policyholders who could show they had maintained their plumbing.
For a detailed breakdown of how insurance companies approach flexi hose claims, see our insurance and coverage guide.
What body corporate committees can do
Even though individual hoses are typically the lot owner's responsibility, body corporate committees play a critical role in reducing risk across the entire building.
Run an awareness campaign
Most lot owners have never thought about flexi hoses. A simple notice at a general meeting, a letter to all owners, or an item in the body corporate newsletter can prompt owners to check their units. Many people will act once they understand the risk and the potential cost.
Coordinate a building-wide audit
Rather than leaving each lot owner to arrange their own inspection, a coordinated building-wide audit is more efficient and more thorough. FlexiPro offers building-wide flexi hose audit programs tailored for strata and body corporate schemes on the Sunshine Coast. Every unit is inspected, every hose is documented, and the committee receives a full report.
This approach gives the body corporate a clear picture of risk across the building and provides each lot owner with individual documentation for their insurer.
Consider by-law updates
Some body corporates have introduced by-laws that require lot owners to inspect or replace flexi hoses within a set timeframe, or to provide evidence of maintenance at regular intervals. While the enforceability of such by-laws depends on the specific scheme and legislation, they send a clear signal that the committee takes the risk seriously.
Establish a rolling replacement schedule
For larger complexes, a staged replacement program can spread the cost and ensure that no unit is left with ageing hoses indefinitely. This is especially relevant for buildings where all units were fitted with the same hoses at the same time, meaning they will all reach end of life together. A rolling schedule avoids the situation where every unit is at risk simultaneously.
What you should do now
Whether your body corporate has a program in place or not, there are steps you can take today to protect yourself and your neighbours.
- Check how old your flexi hoses are. Look under every sink, behind every toilet, and behind your washing machine and dishwasher. Check for a date stamp on the metal connector. If the hoses are more than 10 years old, or if there is no date stamp at all, they need professional attention. See our guide to flexi hose replacement for more on lifespan and warning signs.
- Book a professional audit. A FlexiPro flexi hose audit costs $275 and covers every connection in your unit. You receive a detailed report documenting each hose's condition, age, and recommended action. This report serves as evidence of maintenance for your insurer.
- Keep your documentation. Every time a flexi hose is replaced or inspected, keep the records. Compliance certificates, receipts, and audit reports all strengthen your insurance position if a claim ever arises.
- Talk to your body corporate. Raise flexi hose maintenance at your next general meeting. Suggest a building-wide audit program so that every lot is covered. When the whole building is proactive, the risk to every owner is reduced.
- Check your by-laws. Review your body corporate by-laws for any specific requirements around plumbing maintenance. Some schemes have explicit obligations for lot owners. Knowing where you stand removes any uncertainty.
Protect your unit and your neighbours
A $275 flexi hose audit gives you documented proof of maintenance, strengthens your insurance position, and reduces risk for the entire building.