If you’ve just moved into your new apartment or strata property in NSW, you might be wondering exactly how this whole strata thing works. What exactly is a strata manager – and what do they help with?
Let’s start at the beginning. You may be aware already that your strata scheme’s owners corporation is made up of all the owners who own property within the strata scheme. The owners corporation gathers regularly to vote on strata by-laws, which set the rules for harmonious living within that strata scheme.
The strata committee (previously known as the executive committee) is an elected group that represents the owners or their nominees and carries out various strata scheme responsibilities. These responsibilities can include convening and managing strata meetings, sending strata levy (or strata fee) notices, collecting levies, maintaining records, arranging mandatory strata insurance and preparing financial statements in compliance with NSW strata legislation.
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As you might expect, managing these responsibilities accurately can take a serious amount of time, energy and research for the Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer of a strata committee. It’s for this reason that the strata scheme can choose to engage the body corporate services of a strata management agent or strata manager.
Once approved to, a licensed and qualified provider of strata management for apartments, townhouses or units can conduct many of the responsibilities of the strata committee on behalf of the owners corporation. This can include:
- Handling correspondence and maintenance for common property such as corridors, the building’s exterior and elevators
- Obtaining quotes for and managing strata insurance that covers common property
- Communicating with owners and tenants in terms of strata meetings and levies
- Collecting strata levies and administering the strata funds
- Maintaining and archiving financial records for the strata scheme, and
- Ensuring compliance with NSW strata legislation.
Situations where your strata manager can help
Strata manager duties essentially involve running your strata scheme. But in which situations can you contact your strata manager? They should be there to help in the following cases:
- If you have a question about your strata levies, or payment of these
- If you’ve spotted a maintenance issue on common property
- If you’ve noticed another owner or resident repeatedly breaching the strata by-laws, who still isn’t complying following a friendly conversation about it
- If you’re in dispute with another owner about strata matters or experiencing bullying in your strata committee.
- If you have a question about what you’re responsible for within your strata scheme
- If you have a great idea for a by-law or improvement you’d like to put to your owners corporation.
Remember – the strata manager exists to support owners in all things strata. It’s relatively straightforward for your owners corporation to change strata managers if yours isn’t being proactive or supportive. If you are in need of better apartment strata management, contact the experienced team at Jamesons today.
