Hi there!
I'm not sure where to go for advice on this, so if any one knows, thanks in advance!
I live in a 39 unit strata titled development, about 2 years old. I bought my top-floor apartment and it is currently mortgaged.
There are five apartments on my floor, and mine is at the end of the corridor. The corridor ends after my apartment, open with a half-wall.
I would like more space: can I consider buying the apartment below mine; or the one accross the hall?
Buying the unit below would mean installing a stairs between the apartments. The layouts are identical.
Buying the unit accross the hall would mean closing off the common hallway to enclose a new entrace to both apartments, knocking out
the two existing front doors and installing a connecting passageway between both apartments.
The central corridor separates all apartments and I have no common walls with that apartment. The area to be closed off would be around
1 square meter of corridor, which is common property.
Is this possible? Assuming all owners in the property own all of the common property, is there any way for me to apply to take
over a piece of the corridor? As the pair of aparrtments are at the end of the corridor, and dont enclose anything else (such as the fire escape), it wouldnt affect any other residents.
The corridor would no longer by ventilated at both ends if I closed it off (the other end will remain open).
Does anyone know the law on this, or can anyone point me to any useful material online?
I am prepared to consider all options, as an enlarged apartment on a single level is much more attractive
than trying to expand a floor down, which would involve quite destructive alterations.
Thanks!!
mr. space-challenged.
