This article discusses upcoming NSW strata law reforms commencing on 27 October 2025 and 1 April 2026 and how committees can prepare. We’ve included a free downloadable checklist to help get your owners corporation ready for the changes.
NSW strata laws are about to change again, with two important stages of reforms that committees need to prepare for. Most of the new laws start on 27 October 2025, followed by further changes on 1 April 2026. Another round of reforms will also roll out later in 2026, on a date still to be announced.
These changes affect repairs and maintenance obligations, levy notices and payment plans, debt recovery processes, building and strata manager duties, capital works planning, and developer obligations for new schemes.
Key reforms starting on 27 October 2025
- Repairs and maintenance – NSW Fair Trading gains new investigation and enforcement powers, and committees must have systems ready to respond.
- Financial hardship – Levy notices must include a financial hardship information statement.
- Levies and debt recovery– Committees must adopt a fair process for handling payment plan requests and debt recovery. Owners can apply for a payment plan using a standard form.
- Building manager duties – Building managers gain new duties to act in the owners corporation’s best interests and disclose benefits.
Key reforms starting on 1 April 2026
- Capital works plans – Any new or updated 10-year capital works fund plan must use a standardised form.
- New schemes – Developers must provide certified initial maintenance schedules and levy estimates, with tougher penalties for non-compliance.
- Strata information certificates – Section 184 certificates must include details of embedded (exclusive supply) networks.
Changes coming later in 2026 (date to be announced)
- Mandatory training for strata committee members – Committees should prepare now to ensure all members complete training once the requirement begins.
- Off-the-plan contracts – Developers will need to disclose embedded network details in sale contracts.
Find out more details about the changes from the NSW Government here: Guide to strata law changes for strata committees and owners
Stay compliant: download the free checklist
To help NSW strata committees prepare, LookUpStrata has created a practical action list. It breaks down the reforms into step-by-step tasks, grouped by start date, so committees can work through them and check off each item as they go.
Download your checklist here
By acting early, your scheme will be well placed to meet the new legal obligations and avoid the risk of penalties or disputes.
This post appears in Strata News #763.
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