Defective balconies might be commonplace in apartment blocks across the country, requiring costly repairs and putting the safety of residents at risk.
More than 550 damaged balconies had been found by Cladding Safety Victoria during inspections for flammable cladding, as of October 2022.
The authority is concerned the issue is widespread in unit blocks across Australia and not just confined to buildings that might have cladding issues.
Its research report showed half of all buildings that need to have dangerous cladding removed also had unrelated defects.
About one quarter had leaking balconies, terraces or balustrades that caused structural damage.
Almost one in five buildings with balcony issues also had black mould due to waterproofing issues….