Claremont facts that shape a job
A third are flats
At the 2021 Census, 34.6% of the suburb's occupied homes were flats or apartments, against 6.5% across WA. 39.0% were separate houses and 26.1% townhouses, terraces or semis.
Old trees
The Town of Claremont says many of its trees are over 100 years old.
A tree policy now in force
Local Planning Policy 211, adopted on 25 August 2026, covers regulated trees on private land: 8m or taller, a canopy of 6m or more, or a trunk at least 1.5m round at 1.4m above ground.
Long-term owners
In 2021, 39.8% of the suburb's homes were owned outright and 32.6% were rented.
Roots, drains and the new tree rules
Under LPP 211, removing a regulated tree or doing it substantial damage can need development approval, even when the building work itself is exempt. A trench through its roots may count, so ask the Town before the plumber starts digging.
Roots from a neighbour's regulated tree can be pruned without approval if the work counts as maintenance pruning. The Town encourages a word with its officers first.
If roots are already in your sewer, a camera inspection shows where. Relining is a trenchless option; our Perth pipe relining page explains it.
Flats and shared sewer lines
Water Corporation says fats, oils and grease hardening in pipes cause 30% of its wastewater blockages, and that wipes sold as flushable don't break down like toilet paper. In a block of units, one kitchen's grease can block a line that several homes share.
Water Corporation's responsibility starts at the junction on its main. Everything upstream, including a line shared by several units, is private, and the owners pay to clear it.
When a contractor does major work, such as installing a water heater, WA requires a certificate of compliance within five working days. See blocked drains in Perth and hot water.
What we would do
In a Claremont unit, report a blocked shared drain to the strata manager first, and ask everyone on the line to keep fat and wipes out of the sink and toilet. If a house drain runs near a big tree, check with the Town whether it's regulated before anyone digs.