Having a strata manager can make your life much easier – but what do they do? A strata manager can function as a first point of contact for repairs and as an advisor for the owners corporation for choosing qualified tradespeople.
While a strata manager can facilitate and suggest tradespeople for repairs, and sometimes has the power to approve repairs on behalf of the owners corporation, the final say in these matters always rests with the owners corporation.
The overarching responsibility to approve works and ensure that they are done at the required standard lies with the owners corporation or the strata committee. For example, if a strata manager gets quotes from multiple builders to fix a crack in a wall on common property, but the owners committee rejects all suggested builders, the responsibility to have the crack fixed is not with the strata manager.
What you can do if you’re unhappy with your strata manager
However, this is not to say that a strata manager can simply refuse to do their job. Instead, it is in the interest of the strata and the manager to ensure proactive cooperation between the owners cooperation and the strata manager. If a manager is not fulfilling their agreed-upon strata manager roles and responsibilities (or is making living in your strata worse rather than better), Fair Trading NSW outlines the following steps for resolving a dispute with a strata manager:
- If you no longer want to work with your strata manager, the owners corporation has to vote in favour of terminating the agreement or changing strata managers, which requires a simple majority at a general meeting
- The owners corporation can then apply to the Tribunal to resolve the dispute, be that by terminating the agreement, requiring payment, or by changing or confirming the terms of the agreement.
You can learn more about how to apply to the Tribunal and the process itself here.
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Why it is important to have a good strata manager
Going through the Tribunal to resolve a dispute can be stressful and a hassle, which is particularly frustrating when considering that a strata manager is meant to relieve stress for the owners in a strata scheme. While a strata manager might not be legally required to arrange repairs in your scheme, a good strata manager always makes sure to get quotes from the most qualified teams as quickly as possible whenever the need arises.
Contact the experienced team at Jamesons today to learn more about what an excellent strata manager can do for you.
