townhouse, but where there is common property, such as foyers, paths, external walls, floors, roof, fences, lawns and gardens. The maintenance and repair of these common parts is usually the responsibility of the owners' corporation, which used to be known as the body corporate. There are a number of rules or by-laws relating to living in a strata scheme. For instance, you must ask the owners' corporation for permission to have a pet or alter common property. You should get a solicitor or conveyancer's advice before signing a contract for sale. If you are interested in a property with a strata title, you should look at the records of the owners' corporation. If you are unsure about what to look for it is probably best to get your solicitor or conveyancer to arrange a professional to conduct the inspection. In addition, you'll need to assess the maintenance of the building and the potential repairs that may need to be made. The NSW Office of Fair Trading provides a number of publications relating to strata schemes. These include the booklets "Buying into a Strata Scheme? Some things you should know before you sign up", "Strata Living: what you should know about residential, commercial and other strata schemes" (also available in Arabic, Chinese and Vietnamese versions), "Strata Disputes" and "Strata Mediation". Copies of these booklets are available free from all of the Department's Fair Trading Centres. The contact telephone number for the Centres is 13 32 20, Monday to Friday between 8.30am