Strata living offers many benefits; shared amenities, collective decision-making, and often, a strong sense of community. But all of this depends on one key group: the strata committee.
If you own property in a strata scheme, it’s essential to understand the role of the committee, how it contributes to the health and value of your building, and why upcoming legislative changes will soon make committee knowledge and training non-negotiable.
What is a Strata Committee?
In NSW, a strata committee is an elected group of owners or owner nominees who represent the owners corporation (all owners collectively). As defined under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, the committee is responsible for assisting in the day-to-day management and decision-making for the scheme.
The committee elected by lot owners at each Annual General Meeting (AGM) acts much like a board of directors in a company, an agent of the owners corporation if you will, and are entrusted with making day-to-day decisions on behalf of all owners between general meetings.
Under the NSW Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, a Strata Committee can consist of between 1 and 9 members, depending on the size and needs of the scheme. For large schemes (over 100 lots), a minimum of three members is required. If no one nominates, the scheme may be forced to either self-manage (requiring every decision to be made via general meeting), delegate authority to a managing agent, or involve NCAT for administration.
What Does the Strata Committee Actually Do?
Strata committees in NSW are responsible for overseeing a wide range of tasks that keep a building running smoothly. Their key responsibilities include:
Repairs and Maintenance
- Ensuring the common property is maintained to a safe and liveablelivable standard.
- Determining whether renovation requests relate to cosmetic, minor or major works and approving accordingly.
- Reviewing and implementing the Capital Works Fund Plan.
- Organising regular maintenance of common areas
- Arranging for urgent repairs when necessary
- Obtaining quotes for major works
- Implementing preventative maintenance programs
- Ensuring compliance with safety regulations
Finance and Budgeting
- Developing budgets and monitoring expenditure.
- Reviewing the financials and ensuring records are accurate and transparent.
- Ensuring the building is adequately financed, without directly striking levies (which must be done by the owners corporation).
- Approving expenditure within delegated limits
- Ensuring bills are paid on time
Insurance
- Arranging and reviewing compulsory insurances (building, public liability, workers compensation, voluntary workers).
- Ensuring sums insured are appropriate, even if a valuation isn’t legally required.
By-law Approvals and Enforcement
- Approving requests like pets, renovations, or use of common property.
- Issuing notices to comply when by-laws are breached.
- Ensuring all residents comply with the scheme’s by-laws
Record-Keeping and Governance
- Maintaining records, including meeting minutes, correspondence, the strata roll, financial statements and contracts.
- Ensuring owners have access to key documents and compliance with statutory obligations
- Making decisions that don’t require a resolution at a general meeting
- Implementing decisions made at general meetings
- Responding to correspondence and inquiries
- Addressing immediate issues that arise in the strata scheme
Communication and facilitating community within the building
- Facilitating communication between owners and residents
- Organising community events when appropriate
- Mediating disputes between residents
- Keeping owners informed about important matters
Why Join a Strata Committee?
Being part of the committee gives you:
- A real voice in how your building is run.
- Influence over decision-making that affects your home or investment.
- The chance to protect and grow property value through sound maintenance, governance and financial management.
- Better understanding of your legal responsibilities as an owner.
The Importance of a Well-Functioning Committee
A well-functioning strata committee plays a vital role in the overall success of a building. From maintaining property values and ensuring the common property is well looked after, to managing finances responsibly and addressing issues before they escalate—an effective committee helps create a harmonious, safe, and compliant living environment. Well-run buildings are typically clean, financially sound, and more desirable to live in, which can positively impact long-term resale values.
On the other hand, a disengaged or dysfunctional committee can have serious consequences. Poor decision-making, financial mismanagement, neglected maintenance, and unresolved disputes can quickly erode resident trust and lead to legal and regulatory problems. Ultimately, this can result in a decline in property value and a more stressful community experience for everyone involved.
Mandatory Training: What’s Coming
The NSW Government is proposing mandatory training for all strata committee members as part of broader reforms to improve strata scheme governance.
This proposed change aims to:
- Ensure all committee members understand their legal responsibilities.
- Support better decision-making and reduce disputes.
- Professionalise committee involvement and protect all owners’ interests.
How We Collaborate with and Support Strata Committees
Professional strata management doesn’t replace the committee—it elevates it. Through strategic partnership, we empower committees to govern more effectively while removing administrative burdens. Here’s how our comprehensive support system works:
Legislative Guidance
Strata legislation can be complex and ever-changing. We interpret legislation, flag what’s changing, and provide practical, plain-English guidance to help committees stay compliant and make confident, informed decisions. Here’s how we support committees:
- Clear, practical explanations of how strata legislation applies to your building
- Early alerts about upcoming compliance requirements and key deadlines
- Tailored guidance on voting procedures and resolution pathways
- Step-by-step support for enforcing by-laws fairly and effectively
- Advanced notice of upcoming reforms with practical implementation plans
Meeting Management
Running effective meetings can be time-consuming and complex. We streamline the process—preparing the paperwork, managing logistics, and ensuring every meeting meets legal requirements so committees can focus on outcomes, not admin. Our meeting management includes:
- Professionally prepared notices, agendas and minutes that meet legal standards
- Coordination of in-person, electronic and hybrid meeting formats
- Secure digital voting platforms with clear audit trails
- Comprehensive motion tracking from proposal to implementation
- Detailed record-keeping that protects the committee and owners corporation
Financial Management
Strata finances require careful planning and oversight. We work alongside committees to develop realistic budgets, manage levies, and forecast capital works, making sure funds are used wisely and owners understand where their money is going. We assist with:
- Strategic budget development that balances operational needs with owner affordability
- Capital Works forecasting to prevent special levy surprises
- Automated levy management with clear payment pathways and complimentary SMS reminders.
- Detailed expense reporting with clear allocation to appropriate funds
- Trust account management
Repairs, Maintenance & Contractor Oversight
We help committees plan maintenance, source reliable contractors, oversee works, and ensure every job meets compliance and quality standards. Our maintenance and contractor support includes:
- Checking every contractor’s qualification, insurance, and track record
- Sourcing competitive quotes with clear scopes of work
- Scheduling maintenance proactively to avoid issues and delays
- Managing major projects from planning through to completion
- Identifying and documenting building defects early
- Handling insurance claims from start to finish
Communication and Community Engagement
We serve as a reliable point of contact for owner queries, draft and distribute community notices, and provide welcome packs and educational resources. Our efforts aim to foster informed and engaged communities within the strata scheme.
- Dispute Resolution Support
- When tensions arise, professional intervention prevents escalation. Our approach includes:
- Identifying issues early to prevent them escalating
- Facilitating fair and respectful conversations between parties
- Assisting with issuing notices to comply, when needed
- Representing the scheme during mediation processes
- Guiding committees through NCAT proceedings
- Helping set up communication protocols to reduce future disputes
Strata committees are the engine rooms of NSW strata schemes. They’re responsible for decision-making that affects everyone in the building, and they do it, often voluntarily, on behalf of the entire community.
With increasing complexity in regulation and heightened expectations around transparency and compliance, there’s never been a better time to get involved, stay informed, and ensure your building is in capable hands.
Whether you’re considering joining your Strata Committee or simply want to better understand how your scheme operates, appreciating the vital role these volunteers play is essential. A well-functioning committee, working transparently and in the best interests of all owners, is the cornerstone of a successful strata community.
If you’re interested in contributing to your community, consider nominating for your Strata Committee at the next AGM, your skills and perspective could make a valuable difference to your strata scheme’s future.
