Question: Should our strata manager be keeping our committee regularly updated regarding actions and outcomes? Our committee is always chasing this information.
I am on the committee of our strata body as both secretary and chairperson.
When the committee sends an email instructing our strata manager to act on our behalf eg. have an owner remove a tree that is encroaching on another lot and damaging retaining walls etc with its roots, should we be able to view the communication sent from the strata management to the lot owner?
I find that I’m spending lots of unnecessary time chasing outcomes or lack of progress with outstanding matters. How do we know if a matter has been actioned?
Answer: Managing communications for and on behalf of the Owners Corporation is one of the central duties and functions of a strata manager.
Most strata managers will routinely copy/blind copy their strata committees in respect of correspondence issued on behalf of them/Owners Corporation for transparency and reporting purposes.
Managing communications for and on behalf of the Owners Corporation is one of the central duties and functions of a strata manager and is usually one of the “agreed” services under their management agency agreement, so you should not be charged extra to be kept informed of such communications.
The strata manager needs to maintain a record of the exercise of its functions, so information on actions performed should be easy to obtain.
The strata committee, as Principal, should ask or resolve that the strata manager copy you in on all correspondence received and issued by him/her, functions/duties performed as Agent, as failure to do so negatively impacts on the strata committee’s functions and may be a breach of the Agent’s duties under their agreement.
This post appears in the July 2022 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
Leanne Habib Premium Strata E: info@premiumstrata.com.au P: 02 9281 6440