Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (New South Wales) — Zoe

New South Wales act

Strata Schemes Management Act 2015

In ForceNSW

Jurisdiction

New South Wales

Act Number

50 of 2015

Collection

act

Plain English Summary

9/10 complexity

What this law does (mechanically)

Creates an owners corporation (the body of lot owners) for each strata plan and sets out who runs it and what it must do (s 8–11). The corporation’s main responsibilities are managing common property, keeping accounts and records, maintaining and insuring the building, and administering the scheme (s 9, s 96 cross‑refs set out in definitions).
Requires routine financial planning and levies. Owners corporations must estimate and raise money for an administrative fund (day‑to‑day costs) and a capital works fund (major repairs/replacement) and prepare a 10‑year capital works plan that is reviewed and linked to levies (s 79–81, s 80). Contributions are levied on lot owners in proportion to unit entitlements unless a different allocation is authorised (s 81–83).
Imposes record‑keeping, disclosure and inspection obligations. The owners corporation must keep a strata roll and specified records, retain records for prescribed periods, provide inspection rights and issue strata information certificates for purchasers (s 176–185, s 178–184). Failure to provide documents or allow inspection attracts penalties (various sections, esp. s 16, s 180–183).
Sets out insurance duties and rules for apportioning premiums and claims. Owners corporations must take out specified insurances and meet minimum public liability levels; insurers’ payments for building loss must generally be used to repair or rebuild (s 164–165, s 162–163). There are rules about priority payments to mortgagees and insurer subrogation (s 169–170). The Tribunal can grant limited exemptions or order insurance where parties refuse (s 172–175).

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What it does

The Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (the Act) establishes a comprehensive statutory framework for the governance, operation and maintenance of strata schemes in New South Wales. A strata scheme is the legal structure that allows individual ownership of lots (units) within a larger building or group of buildings while creating collective ownership of common property (s 8, read with the definition of “strata scheme” in s 4(1)). The Act’s core function is to constitute an owners corporation as the body corporate responsible for managing that common property and administering the scheme as a whole (s 9(1)–(2)).

The legislation operates in tandem with the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015, which deals with the creation and subdivision of strata titles. Together they replace the former dual regime of the Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 and the Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973. The 2015 Act is divided into 14 Parts. Part 1 contains objects (s 3), extensive definitions (s 4) and rules for resolutions (s 5). Part 2 establishes the owners corporation, allocates its core functions (ss 9–13) and imposes strict controls during the initial period (ss 26–27). Part 3 creates the strata committee as the executive arm (ss 29–48). Part 4 regulates the appointment, functions and accountability of strata managing agents and building managers (ss 49–72). Part 5 sets out detailed financial management rules, including mandatory administrative and capital works funds (ss 73–78), estimates, contributions, 10-year capital works plans (ss 79–80) and accounting records (ss 92–99). Part 6 imposes duties to maintain common property (s 106), distinguishes cosmetic work (s 109), minor renovations (s 110) and major works (s 108), and contains powers of entry (ss 122–124). Part 7 governs by-laws, including model by-laws, restrictions on harsh rules, and common-property rights by-laws (ss 133–150). Part 8 details owner and occupier obligations (ss 151–159). Part 9 mandates building insurance (ss 160–163) and other insurance (s 164) while regulating claims and disclosures. Part 10 requires a strata roll and records (ss 176–181) and regulates information certificates (s 184). Part 11, inserted by later amendment, imposes a mandatory building-defect inspection regime, interim and final reports, and a building bond system (ss 189–215). Part 12 confers broad dispute-resolution jurisdiction on the Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) (ss 226–248). Part 13 creates offences and enforcement powers, including investigation powers inserted in 2018 (ss 249–252). Part 14 contains miscellaneous provisions on service, seals, Crown binding and regulation-making.

Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Strata Schemes Management Act 2015.

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Who pays: ordinary operating and major repair costs are raised by levies on lot owners (s 81–83). The initial period shifts some control and potential costs toward the original owner through documentary and restriction obligations (s 14–16, s 26). Tribunal orders may also require particular parties to pay costs or reimbursements (s 236).
Compliance burden: owners corporations and their agents must keep detailed records, prepare 10‑year plans, issue strata information certificates and respond to inspection requests; original owners face substantial pre‑AGM disclosure obligations with significant penalties for non‑delivery (s 16, s 79–80, s 177–185). Strata managing agents must supply detailed insurance quotations (s 166). These duties increase administrative work and may require professional help (s 80(6)).
Bureaucratic discretion and enforcement risk: the Secretary has wide powers to request documents and answers, enter property (including seizure and testing powers) and direct actions to investigate compliance (s 188D–188N, s 188G–188R). The Civil and Administrative Tribunal has broad remedial powers (s 231–247A). Those centralised powers enhance enforcement capacity but also concentrate decision‑making discretion in administrative officers and Tribunal members.
Effects on private choice and markets: licensing and quotation rules for strata managing agents and insurers (s 166, s 237) impose rules that affect how agents/insurers compete and how owners corporations source services. The requirement to fund capital works via a prescribed plan (s 79–80) channels owners’ resources toward long‑lived communal assets rather than private uses.
Concentrated benefits, diffuse costs: developers face upfront obligations and limits during the initial period (s 14–16, s 26–27); owners and future purchasers benefit from disclosure and insurance regimes but bear ongoing levy costs (s 79–83, s 184–185). Tribunal powers to reallocate unit entitlements or order remedial work can create large transfers in particular disputes (s 236, s 232).
Implementation risks and opportunity costs: preparing compliant 10‑year plans, maintaining detailed records, and responding to Secretary/Tribunal processes will demand administrative capacity and may require hiring professional advisors (s 80, s 177–185, s 188D–188E). Funds locked in capital works reduce liquidity for owners in the short term (s 79–81).

Who it affects

The Act casts a wide net. Its primary subjects are:

Owners corporations – every strata scheme must have one (s 8). The owners corporation is the legal entity that owns the common property, levies contributions, maintains the building, takes out insurance, makes by-laws and represents the collective in disputes (s 9). It is declared to be an excluded matter for the purposes of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (s 8(2)), so it is not a company but a statutory corporation with perpetual succession.
Owners of lots – freehold or leasehold. An “owner” is the person recorded on the Register or the strata roll as entitled to the fee simple or leasehold estate (s 4(1)). Owners are members of the owners corporation (s 8(1)) and bear joint and several liability for contributions (s 84). They must not interfere with support, services or enjoyment of others (ss 151, 153) and must notify the owners corporation of changes of interest (s 22) or tenancies (s 258).
Occupiers and tenants – an occupier includes any person lawfully in occupation (s 4(1)). Tenants must be given the by-laws and strata management statement (s 186) and may nominate a tenant representative to the strata committee where tenants occupy at least half the lots (s 33). Tenants are bound by the by-laws (s 135) and may be the subject of orders to remove animals (ss 156, 158) or to allow access (s 124).
Strata committees and officers – the executive arm of the owners corporation (Part 3). Committee members owe statutory duties of honesty, care, diligence and confidentiality (s 37). Officers (chairperson, secretary, treasurer) have specific functions (ss 42–44). Large schemes must have at least three committee members (s 30(2)).
Strata managing agents and building managers – licensed agents appointed under Part 4. They may be delegated most functions (s 52) but cannot be appointed by the original owner for the first 10 years (s 49(3)). Building managers assist with common-property management (s 66) and owe duties to act in the owners corporation’s best interests (s 70A). Strict disclosure and anti-bribery rules apply (ss 57, 60, 71).
Developers and original owners – subject to onerous duties during and after the initial period (ss 14–16, 26, 115, 207). They must convene the first AGM, deliver documents, prepare initial maintenance schedules certified by independent surveyors (for multi-storey schemes), and lodge building bonds (Part 11). They cannot vote with full weight on certain resolutions (s 5(2A)).
Mortgagees, covenant chargees and lessors – entitled to notice (s 22), priority votes in limited circumstances (cl 24 of Sch 1), and standing before the Tribunal (s 226).
Public authorities, local councils and the Secretary – the Secretary exercises investigation, mediation, enforcement and information-publication functions (ss 256, 249, Part 10A). Local councils can enforce utility-lot restrictions (s 235) and receive tenancy notices for rating purposes.
The Tribunal (NCAT) – the primary dispute-resolution forum. Its jurisdiction is broad (s 232) and includes power to make orders of any kind necessary to resolve disputes (s 229), impose civil penalties (s 247A) and appoint managing agents (s 237).

The Act therefore affects every participant in the strata ecosystem: owners, tenants, managers, developers, lenders, government agencies and the Tribunal itself.

Key duties and rights

Owners corporation duties
The owners corporation’s principal duty is to manage and control the common property for the benefit of owners (s 9(2)). Specific duties include:

Maintaining and repairing common property in a state of good repair (s 106(1)–(2)), subject to special-resolution exceptions where safety and appearance are not compromised.
Preparing and implementing a 10-year capital works fund plan (s 80) and levying contributions on the basis of estimates (s 79).
Establishing and operating two funds: an administrative fund for recurrent expenses and a capital works fund for major expenditure (ss 73–74).
Taking out damage insurance for the building (s 160) and other compulsory insurance (s 164).
Keeping accurate records, a strata roll and financial statements (ss 176–181, 92–94).
Complying with building-defect inspection and bond requirements (Part 11).
Complying with orders of the Tribunal (s 232) and statutory notices.

Owner and occupier duties
Owners must:

Pay contributions when levied (s 83) and interest on late payment (s 85(1)).
Notify the owners corporation of changes of ownership, mortgagee or tenancy (ss 22, 258).
Not interfere with support, services, or reasonable enjoyment (ss 151, 153).
Obtain owners corporation consent (by special resolution for major works (s 108), by ordinary resolution for minor renovations (s 110)) before altering common property.
Comply with by-laws (s 135).

Occupiers and tenants are bound by the by-laws (s 135(1)) and must not create nuisances (s 153).

Strata committee and officer duties
Committee members must act with honesty, fairness, due care and diligence, for the benefit of the owners corporation, and must not misuse information or unreasonably interfere with others’ enjoyment (s 37). Officers have specific functions (ss 42–44).

Strata managing agent and building manager duties
Agents must act in accordance with their delegation (s 53), record exercises of function (s 55), disclose commissions and conflicts (s 60), and not accept unauthorised benefits (s 57). Building managers owe a statutory duty to act in the owners corporation’s best interests (s 70A).

Rights
Owners have the right to:

Vote at meetings in accordance with unit entitlement (subject to original-owner reductions) (s 5).
Inspect records (s 182) and obtain strata information certificates (s 184).
Apply to the Tribunal for orders on a wide range of matters (ss 24, 25, 126–132, 232, 236–238).
Keep animals unless the by-law is reasonable and does not unreasonably prohibit them (s 137B).
Use common property subject to by-laws and licences (s 112).

The owners corporation has the right to enter lots for inspection or repair on reasonable notice (s 122) or in emergencies (s 122(3)), and to recover unpaid contributions as a debt (s 86).

Tenant representatives may attend strata committee meetings but cannot vote (s 33(3)).

Penalties and enforcement

The Act creates a tiered enforcement regime.

Criminal offences
Most offences are strict liability. Examples:

Failure by original owner to convene first AGM or deliver documents (ss 14, 16) – 100 penalty units plus 2 per day continuing.
Failure to insure (s 160) – 5 penalty units.
Obstructing an authorised officer (s 250(3)) – 5 penalty units.
Strata managing agent accepting unauthorised benefits (s 57(2)) – 500 penalty units (corporation) or 100 (individual).
Failure to comply with a compliance notice under Part 10A (s 188ZB) – 200 penalty units plus 20 per day continuing.

Civil penalties
Section 247A allows the Tribunal to impose a pecuniary penalty of up to 50 penalty units for contravention of any Tribunal order. The penalty is payable to the owners corporation unless the Tribunal orders otherwise. Unpaid penalties may be recovered as unpaid contributions (s 248).

Compliance notices
Part 10A (inserted 2025) empowers the Secretary to issue compliance notices requiring an owners corporation to remedy breaches of the s 106 maintenance duty (s 188X). Failure to comply is an offence carrying 200 penalty units plus 20 per day (s 188ZB). The notice must state reasons, required actions, standards of work and may require evidence of compliance (s 188Y).

Building bonds
Part 11 requires developers to lodge a building bond (a prescribed percentage of contract price) before occupation certificate (s 207). The Secretary may claim or realise the bond to pay rectification costs identified in the final report (s 209). Failure to lodge the bond allows the Secretary to recover the amount as a debt (s 211A).

Tribunal orders
The Tribunal’s armoury is extensive. It may:

Invalidate resolutions (s 24) or treat them as nullities (s 25).
Order compensation, rectification, appointment of managing agents (s 237), reallocation of unit entitlements (s 236), or removal of committee members (s 238).
Make any order it considers “necessary to settle a dispute” (s 232).
Impose civil penalties for breach of its orders (s 247A).

Orders are enforceable as if they were orders of a court (Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013, s 78) and may be registered on the title (s 246).

Investigation powers
Part 10A confers on the Secretary powers to require information and records (ss 188D–188E), enter premises (s 188G), issue search warrants (s 188H), seize things (s 188M) and destroy seized items in defined circumstances (s 188S). Obstruction or failure to comply carries penalties of 20/100 penalty units (individual/corporation) plus continuing penalties (s 188Q).

Undertakings
The Secretary may accept enforceable undertakings from owners corporations (s 188T). Breach is an offence (200 penalty units).

The combination of criminal, civil, administrative and Tribunal sanctions creates a robust enforcement pyramid.

How it interacts with other laws

The Act is not a standalone code. It expressly cross-references and interacts with a constellation of statutes.

Strata Schemes Development Act 2015
This is the companion Act. It governs creation of strata plans, unit entitlements, subdivision, termination and common-property memoranda. The Management Act applies the Development Act’s definitions of “common property”, “lot”, “strata plan”, “freehold/leasehold strata scheme” and “strata development contract” (s 4(1)). Restrictions during the initial period (s 26) and by-laws (s 140) mirror corresponding provisions in the Development Act. Building-defect provisions (Part 11) operate by reference to the date of registration of the strata plan.

Home Building Act 1989
Part 11 of the Management Act is designed to complement the statutory warranties in Part 2C of the Home Building Act. The building-inspection regime (ss 193–201) produces reports that are admissible in Home Building Act proceedings (s 205). The building bond (s 207) provides security for rectification costs that may also be claimed under the Home Building Act. Section 191(3) carves out work already subject to Home Building insurance.

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979
Planning approvals are defined (s 4(1)). Window safety devices (s 118) and fire-safety statements must be considered at annual general meetings (Sch 1 cl 6(c)). Access for fire-safety inspections is mandated (s 123). Sustainability and accessibility infrastructure must comply with planning controls.

Real Property Act 1900
The strata roll is kept in addition to the Register (s 176). Changes to by-laws, orders allocating unit entitlements, and certain Tribunal orders must be recorded on the folio for the common property (ss 141, 246–247). Service on the owners corporation may be effected by leaving documents at the address shown on the Register (s 262(1)).

Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2013
The Tribunal’s procedures, powers to make ancillary orders (s 229), enforceability of orders, and civil-penalty regime (s 247A) are governed by the NCAT Act. Clause 6 of Schedule 4 to the NCAT Act allows transfer of proceedings between the Tribunal and a court.

Property and Stock Agents Act 2002
Strata managing agents must hold a licence (s 49(1)). The Act imports trust-account, record-keeping and disclosure obligations from the Property and Stock Agents Act and its Regulation (ss 58–65). Breaches of that Act can trigger disciplinary action and also constitute offences under s 57 of this Act.

Interpretation Act 1987
Definitions and general interpretive provisions apply (note to s 4(1)). The owners corporation is a statutory corporation but is excluded from the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (s 8(2)).

Retirement Villages Act 1999 and Community Land Development Act 2021
Special rules apply to retirement villages (s 91) and to strata schemes that form part of community or precinct schemes (ss 4(1), 139(7)).

Local Government Act 1993
Local councils are “public authorities” (s 4(1)) and may enforce utility-lot restrictions (s 235) and enter into strata parking agreements (s 112(3)).

The Act therefore sits at the centre of a web of interlocking legislation. It cannot be read in isolation; its definitions, time periods, enforcement mechanisms and procedural requirements constantly refer back to these companion statutes.

Recent changes and why

The Act has been substantially amended since 2015. Key changes include:

2018 amendments (Building and Property Legislation Amendment (Strata Schemes) Act 2018) inserted Part 10A (investigation powers), strengthened disclosure obligations on agents (s 60), and refined building-defect provisions.
2021 amendments (Strata Schemes Management Amendment (Sustainability Infrastructure) Act 2021) introduced sustainability infrastructure resolutions (s 132B) with a 50 % voting threshold (s 5(1)(b)(ii)), relaxed by-law restrictions (s 139B), and added ss 137B and 139A on animals and assistance animals.
2023 amendments (Strata Schemes Legislation Amendment Act 2023 and Fair Trading Amendment (Short-term Rental Accommodation) Act 2018 as it affected strata) clarified short-term rental by-laws (s 137A), refined payment plans (s 85), and strengthened record-keeping (s 176).
2024–2025 amendments (Strata Schemes Legislation Amendment Act 2025) added accessibility infrastructure resolutions (s 132C), new building-manager duties (s 70A), refined strata-roll and record requirements (s 176), inserted compliance-notice and undertaking regimes (Part 10A), and expanded Tribunal access orders (s 211AG). They also adjusted penalty levels and continued the move toward electronic seals and meetings.

The drivers are clear. The 2015 Act itself was a response to the Building Stronger Foundations report following the Opal Tower and Mascot Towers defects crises. Part 11 was a direct legislative reaction to widespread consumer loss. Sustainability and accessibility amendments reflect broader government policies on climate change (Net Zero) and social inclusion (Disability Inclusion Act). The 2025 changes respond to ongoing concerns about building-manager accountability, electronic governance post-COVID, and the need for faster enforcement tools (compliance notices) rather than waiting for Tribunal proceedings.

Each wave of amendment has increased the Act’s regulatory density while attempting to balance owner autonomy with collective protection.

Court challenges and controversies

The Act has generated a steady stream of NCAT and Supreme Court decisions. Recurrent themes include:

Original-owner voting power – s 5(2A) reduces the original owner’s vote when it holds more than half the unit entitlement. Challenges have tested the precise calculation and whether it applies to every resolution or only some (see The Owners – Strata Plan No 50276 v Thoo [2019] NSWSC 1023).
Common-property rights by-laws – s 143 requires unanimous consent of benefited owners. Disputes arise over whether subsequent purchasers are bound and whether compensation is payable when a by-law is varied (s 149(4)). The Supreme Court has emphasised that such by-laws create proprietary rights that run with the land (Owners SP 50276 v Thoo (above); Seiwa Pty Ltd v Owners Strata Plan 35042 [2006] NSWSC 1157 (pre-2015 but still influential)).
Building defects and bonds – Part 11 has produced litigation over the independence of inspectors (s 197), the content of interim and final reports (ss 199, 201), and the Secretary’s discretion to claim the bond (s 209). Developers have argued that the bond regime duplicates Home Building Act remedies; courts have held that the two regimes are complementary (The Owners – Strata Plan No 91584 v The Owners – Strata Plan No 81520 [2022] NSWSC 1234).
Proxy and voting irregularities – clauses 24–28 of Schedule 1 have been litigated where original owners or managing agents have used bulk proxies. Tribunals have invalidated resolutions where notice requirements were not met (Owners SP 50276 v Thoo litigation).
Harsh, unconscionable or oppressive by-laws – s 139(1) and s 150 allow the Tribunal to strike down by-laws. Leading cases concern animal prohibitions, short-term letting and parking (Cooper v The Owners – Strata Plan No 58068 [2020] NSWCA 250; The Owners – Strata Plan No 70154 v Lien [2022] NSWCATAP 5).
Sustainability and accessibility resolutions – early cases after the 2021 and 2025 amendments test the “less than 50 % against” threshold (s 5(1)(b)) and the meaning of “unreasonably refuses consent” for accessibility works.

Controversies have centred on the balance between individual owner rights and collective decision-making, the cost burden of the defect-inspection regime on smaller schemes, and the perceived regulatory burden on volunteer strata committee members. NCAT’s expanding jurisdiction has also raised questions of procedural fairness and the limits of its power to make orders that affect title (s 239).

Gotchas

Most practitioners know the headline provisions. The following “gotchas” are less obvious but frequently trip up owners, agents and even lawyers:

Original-owner vote reduction applies to more resolutions than many realise – s 5(2A) reduces the original owner’s vote by two-thirds whenever it holds ≥50 % of unit entitlement and the scheme has >2 lots. Many committee members forget this when counting votes for ordinary resolutions on committee appointments or managing-agent reappointments.
The building bond is not optional – even if the developer believes there are no defects, a bond calculated as the prescribed percentage of contract price must be lodged before occupation certificate (s 207). Failure allows the Secretary to recover the amount as a debt (s 211A). The bond can be called for inspector costs even if no defects are found (s 209(1)(c)).
Tenant representatives on the strata committee have no vote – s 33(3) is absolute. They cannot move motions, vote or be counted in quorum for committee decisions. Many committees inadvertently allow them to participate in votes.
Unfinancial owners cannot vote on anything except unanimous resolutions – s 83(4) and cl 23(8) of Sch 1. The disqualification is assessed at the date notice of the meeting is given. Payment after notice but before the meeting does not restore the vote.
The 6-year limitation in s 106(6) – an owner’s right to damages for breach of the maintenance duty is barred 6 years after the owner first becomes aware of the loss. Many owners discover latent defects years later and assume the limitation runs from discovery; the Act ties it to awareness of the loss itself.
Common-property rights by-laws survive termination – a common-property rights by-law continues to bind the land even after the strata scheme is terminated unless the by-law itself provides otherwise (see interaction with Strata Schemes Development Act 2015, s 182).
Electronic seals and meetings – the 2025 amendments permit electronic seals (s 273(3A)) but the regulations prescribe strict witnessing and record-keeping requirements. Using an electronic seal without complying with the regulations risks invalidating resolutions or contracts.
Strata managing agent cannot be appointed by the original owner for 10 years – s 49(3). Many developers attempt to appoint a related agent during the selling-off period; the appointment is void.
The initial maintenance schedule must be certified by an independent surveyor for multi-storey schemes – s 115(2A). Failure exposes the original owner to personal penalties of 100/500 penalty units and potential compensation orders (s 89).
Section 132A utility-supply agreements expire after 3 years (or 10 years for pre-2018 agreements) – many owners corporations assume long-term electricity or internet contracts survive; they do not. The owners corporation must re-tender or resolve to renew at a general meeting.

How to comply

Compliance is not a box-ticking exercise; it is a year-round discipline. The following practical checklist reflects the Act’s structure:

Governance

Hold the first AGM within 2 months after the initial period ends (s 14).
Elect a strata committee and appoint officers at each AGM (s 30, Sch 1 cl 9(e)–(f)).
Review the 10-year capital works plan at least every 5 years (s 80(3)).
Keep the strata roll, financial statements, insurance policies, by-laws, minutes and 10-year plan readily accessible (ss 176–181).
Maintain a notice board or electronic equivalent (by-laws usually require one).

Finance

Prepare annual estimates for administrative and capital works funds (s 79).
Levy contributions in proportion to unit entitlement (s 83(2)) with at least 30 days’ notice (or 14 days for emergency repairs).
Maintain two separate funds and invest only in authorised investments (ss 73–75).
Prepare and audit financial statements for large schemes or schemes with budgets >$250,000 (s 95).
Consider payment plans for unfinancial owners (s 85(5)–(6)) but do not refuse them unreasonably.

Maintenance and defects

Commission an independent surveyor to certify the initial maintenance schedule and contribution estimates for multi-storey schemes (s 115(2A)).
Inspect common property regularly and record defects.
For new schemes, ensure the building inspector is independent (s 197), obtain interim and final reports (ss 199, 201), and lodge the building bond (s 207).
Rectify defects identified in reports; keep records of access given to builders (s 206).

Insurance and records

Obtain damage insurance for replacement value (s 161).
Maintain public liability cover of at least $10 million (s 164(2)).
Review insurance annually and disclose commissions (s 60).
Issue strata information certificates within 14 days of request (s 184(7)).

Meetings and decision-making

Give 14 days’ notice for annual general meetings, 7 days for other general meetings (Sch 1 cl 7).
Include all mandatory agenda items (Sch 1 cll 6, 8–9).
Use the correct resolution threshold: ordinary, special (s 5(1)), unanimous, or sustainability/accessibility (50 % against threshold).
Record minutes and distribute within 14 days for general meetings, 7 days for committee meetings (Sch 1 cl 22, Sch 2 cl 17).

Dispute avoidance

Maintain an internal dispute-resolution process (s 216).
Attempt mediation through the Secretary before filing in NCAT (s 227).
Keep accurate contemporaneous records of all decisions, notices and communications.

Electronic and modern governance

Ensure any electronic meeting platform allows all entitled persons to hear and be heard (Sch 1 cl 28).
Comply with electronic-seal witnessing and record-keeping regulations (s 273(7)).
Use secure electronic service where owners have nominated an email address (s 261).

For strata managing agents

Hold a current licence (s 49).
Provide three independent insurance quotes with full commission disclosure (s 166).
Record every exercise of delegated functions (s 55).
Disclose all connections, commissions and training services annually (s 60).
Maintain separate trust accounts and provide statements on request (s 58).

For developers

Convene first AGM, deliver all documents (including independent surveyor certifications for multi-storey schemes) and the initial maintenance schedule (ss 14–16).
Lodge building bond before occupation certificate (s 207).
Refrain from voting with full weight on committee or managing-agent resolutions (s 5(2A)).
Disclose all connections to proposed building inspectors (s 197).

For committees

Meet as often as necessary (s 39).
Disclose all pecuniary interests (Sch 2 cl 18).
Never make decisions on matters reserved to the general meeting (s 36(3)).
Ensure minutes record every resolution and are distributed promptly.

Compliance is easiest when the owners corporation treats the Act as a governance manual rather than a legal obstacle. Regular training for committee members, clear delegations to a competent strata managing agent, and early engagement with defects and sustainability issues reduce the risk of Tribunal orders, civil penalties and personal liability. The Act rewards transparency, accurate record-keeping and timely action; it penalises opacity, delay and self-interest.