Overview
This page covers everything happening with unit titles in the ACT. It's worth bookmarking if you want to keep across ACT strata news as it happens.
Check the tabs below for the latest on ACT unit titles legislation. New information about the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011, plus articles and Q&As on ACT unit title law, are added regularly.
Have a question about strata in ACT? Ask an ACT strata question and we'll do our best to answer or source a response from our network of strata guidance partners.
What's the difference between a units plan and a community title scheme?
The ACT has two separate systems for shared property ownership. A units plan is what most people mean by "strata," covering a single building or block, governed by the Unit Titles Act 2001 and the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011. A community title scheme is used for larger developments spanning several blocks, where multiple lots, or even multiple units plans, share common infrastructure like roads, parks or a shared facility. Community title runs under its own legislation, the Community Title Act 2001, with its own body corporate, by-laws and committee, separate from the unit title system. If you're not sure which one applies to you, check your title documents or ask your managing agent, since the rules and forms differ between the two.
ACT Unit Titles: What's Happening Right Now
Is ACT unit title law under review?
Yes. The ACT Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Legal Affairs conducted an inquiry into strata management. After public hearings in mid-2025, it tabled its report on 29 April 2026 with one finding and 33 recommendations. The recommendations cover strata manager licensing and professional standards, insurance transparency, executive committee training, decision-making, mixed-use buildings and a possible Strata Commissioner.
Has the ACT Government responded?
Yes. In 2026 the ACT Government responded to the inquiry’s 33 recommendations, agreeing to 10 and agreeing in principle to 13. It has committed to establishing a Strata Commissioner in two stages, starting with independent education and information, and supports mandatory licensing for strata managers, though that will be staged. It didn’t support mandatory training for executive committee members. It has also introduced the Housing and Consumer Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill, which would cut the quorum for owners corporation decisions to 25 percent of eligible voters and remove the 28-day waiting period that follows when fewer than half of owners take part.
What did the inquiry say about insurance commissions?
The committee didn’t recommend banning commissions. It recommended that the Government consider requiring strata managers to give owners corporations a written explanation of their commission arrangements when seeking approval for insurance. The Government agreed in principle to consider whether stronger disclosure, restrictions or a ban on commissions would suit the ACT, informed by developments in New South Wales.
What did the inquiry say about sustainability upgrades?
The inquiry looked at how owners corporations can access environmental initiatives. It recommended clarifying rules on common property fees, such as for EV chargers, and providing more guidance on using sinking funds for environmental upgrades. The Government agreed in principle to the first and agreed to the second.
Strata Living in ACT: The Numbers
- The ACT has around 4,840 unit title schemes, comprising 77,932 lots
- About 22% of ACT residents live in strata, the highest proportion of any state or territory
- 57% of schemes have five lots or fewer, but they contain only 8% of all lots
- Figures from the Australasian Strata Insights 2024 report (City Futures Research Centre, UNSW, and Strata Community Association)
Featured in ACT
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Resources
Strata Legislation ACT
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Unit Titles Act 2001
Provides for the subdivision of land by units plans in the ACT, including how a units plan is approved, registered and amended.
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Unit Titles Regulation 2001
Sets out the practical details supporting the Unit Titles Act, including boundary diagrams and requirements for staged developments.
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Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011
Governs the day to day management of owners corporations in the ACT, including committees, meetings, managers, finances and disputes.
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Unit Titles (Management) Regulation 2011
Sets out practical detail under the Management Act, including insurance requirements.
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Community Title Act 2001
Governs larger precinct developments in the ACT, where multiple lots or unit plans share infrastructure under one body corporate, separate from the unit titles system.
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Community Title Regulation 2002
Sets out the practical detail supporting the Community Title Act, including registration requirements for community title schemes.
Useful links
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Owning a unit
The ACT Government's current plain-language guide to unit titles, covering unit classes, owners corporations, rules, strata managers, levies and what to do if there's a problem.
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Managing buildings better
The ACT Government’s page on unit titles reform.
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Licensed Agents Register
Check whether a strata manager is licensed under the Agents Act 2003.
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Owners Corporation Network ACT
An independent organisation of owners helping owners navigate strata living, with free fact sheets and state-based information.
Forms
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Special Resolution by Owners Corporation (Form 094)
Use this to register a special resolution, most commonly needed when your owners corporation votes to change its rules.
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Application to Alter a Units Plan (Form 055)
Use this to apply to alter a registered units plan.
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Schedule of Unit Entitlements (Form 078)
Sets out each unit's entitlement, used at registration or when entitlements are formally revalued.
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Application to Register a Units Plan (Form 019)
Used when a new units plan is first created, typically completed by a developer or surveyor rather than an existing owner.
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Cancellation of a Units Plan (Form 075)
Use this if a units plan is being wound up entirely, generally a last resort and usually needing legal advice first.
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Units Plan Proformas
Template documents to help prepare a units plan for registration.
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Community Title Requirements and Checklist (Form 2)
Use this form when applying to establish a new community title scheme.
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Assignment of Land Under a Community Title Scheme (Form 4)
Use this form to formally assign land under a registered community title scheme.
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Sale of Lots in a Community Title Scheme, Statement by Seller (Form 5)
This form is required when selling a lot within a community title scheme.
Dispute resolution
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Unit Titles Disputes (ACAT)
ACAT's dedicated case type page for unit title disputes, covering how to apply and what orders can be made.
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Conflict Resolution Service (CRS)
An independent mediation service for Canberrans, useful for trying to resolve a dispute before it goes to ACAT.
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ACAT common questions
General questions and a glossary of terms to help you understand ACAT processes before attending a hearing or conference.
Lookupstrata Directory
Looking for ACT Strata Specialist in your area? Search within our LookUpStrata Directory for the best list of contacts available
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