At face value, this seems like quite an easy question. And yet, not only is it not easy, but it’s actually a great question for everyone to stop, pause, and reflect on the possible answers. LookUpStrata gets the question a lot.
Firstly, a reminder: a strata manager is engaged under a contract to provide services to a body corporate (also known as a strata scheme, owners corporation and various other names). Common roles for a strata manager include sending levy notices and preparing a meeting agenda. They are not the same as the committee or the caretaker, and, crucially, they are not decision-makers.
A strata manager plays a vital role in the effective operation of a strata scheme. Every other person involved in strata would want to be in touch with them at some stage.
The strata manager represents the committee in interactions with those other parties, so if you’re looking for a decision from a committee, you’ll be engaging with the strata manager.
Knowing who your strata manager is might be as simple as seeing their details at the top of an invoice, circular, email, or on a noticeboard. Information might also be available through an online owners’ portal, if you have access to one, or you might be passed the details of your strata manager through another source, such as your property manager, conveyancer, solicitor, or simply a neighbour.
If you’re a new owner, ideally, the process of being in the right loop with the strata manager is handled as part of the property settlement, perhaps by providing the relevant form to update owner information. Each State and Territory approaches this differently, so you’d need to check the individual requirements to see if any forms or processes are required.
Tenants (also called occupiers under Queensland strata legislation) sometimes find things a little trickier. We know from experience that strata committees or managers often disregard tenants, believing that, because they aren’t owners, tenants have little, if any, role. Of course, that’s not correct, and there are several instances in which a tenant has a right to, for example, access records. In which case, they would want to be able to contact the strata manager.
If that information about the strata manager isn’t forthcoming from the property manager (or even the landlord), and it’s not apparent physically at your building (for example, on a public notice), tenants may need to get creative: ask trusted neighbours or even contractors who regularly do work onsite. If your building has on-site management, they may be able to assist. In strata, we always stress that while it’s great to try talking to people, only do so if you’re comfortable and it’s safe.
Still stuck? A few tips to track down your strata manager:
- There may not be a manager at all. It’s not necessarily compulsory, and in small strata schemes in particular, it might be self-managed by the owners. If that’s the case, you’ll want to engage directly with the committee.
- Check the land or titles registry. It might be possible to find details through the relevant registry in your State or Territory.
- Know your rights. You may have a statutory right to access information about your strata manager, even if that access is being declined. Privacy concerns, for example, are generally not a reason to restrict the release of information in strata. Again, you’d need to check State and Territory requirements for that.
You might have to embark on a bit of a journey to find your strata management details. It’s worth it, though, given the role they play.
This is general information only and not legal advice.
This post appears in Strata News #790.
Chris Irons Owners Corporation Network of Australia Ltd E: chris.Irons@ocn.org.au