Condo Unit Owners Finds No Water Supply Shut Off in Unit

M.L. from Hartford County writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

My friend has a condo and her water pipes burst. Her shut off is in her neighbor’s unit, and she was never told that. Is this legal? I just don’t see how it could be if you wanted to have work done to your own condo you would have to make sure your neighbor was going to be home?

Mister Condo replies:

M.L., yes, it is legal and quite common for condominium units to share items such as water shut-off valves. She may not have been “told” but the association is responsible for having access to shared common elements such as the water supply. If she wants to have plumbing work done in her unit that involves having the water main turned off, the request should go to the association and access is granted by the unit owner where the shot-off resides. The association’s right of access to such items is outlined in the condo governance documents which is where all unit owners are “told” about such items. Emergency situations such as a water line bursting are not uncommon and the association’s right of entry into the unit where the water supply shut-off is housed is protected by the condo’s governing documents. Routing repairs and upgrades are another matter. Depending on how many units will be effected by the water supply disruption, approval to do so could take a week or longer to get allow the association to properly notify all unit owners who will be effected. Good luck!