Getting a Victorian owners corporation to agree on funding for major works takes real leadership. The legislative bar is high and the stakes are real, but it’s entirely achievable with the right approach.
Few owners corporations will have the funds to pay for large scale remediation works sitting idly in the bank. So, the committee will need to ask its members to green light a special levy or strata lender to pay for the works. People don’t like unexpected expenses at the best of times let alone with cost of living pressures as they are at present. Achieving the consensus you need to move forward calls for strong leadership with sure solutions.
For illustrative purposes, let’s say your block of 100 apartments needs a new roof. Your goal is to get a quorum at a meeting to discuss it and then agreement from 75% of the owners to proceed with the work. Failing that you may need to issue a ballot, or start with the process of one.
Here’s your playbook.
Communicate Early. Communicate often.
Having an open line of communication with every member of your owners corporation is a great place to start. Whether it’s a group email, a modern WhatsApp chat or an old-school letterbox drop, it’s good to reach out and remind everyone that we’re all in the same boat/apartment block.
Share useful news and good news every now and then. That way, you’re not just getting in touch with bad news.
So, when a potential issue with a common asset is being investigated, be sure to let the group know early without being too alarmist.
Remember, common areas are everyone’s responsibility, so make sure you use language in your emails/chats/letters that reinforces this. For example, saying “We have discovered a major leak in our roof” leaves no room for misinterpretation as it’s everyone’s roof and everyone’s responsibility.
Time is not your friend.
Time might heal all wounds, but it won’t fix a building issue. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The longer you leave most issues, the worse and more expensive they’ll eventually be to fix.
By presenting options clearly and simply, you’ll help people make decisions faster.
People like options when inaction is not an option.
While there may only be one solution, the pathway can vary depending on the financial circumstances of your owners corporation and its members.
Do you have enough in the bank to pay for the fix? Is it small enough to be covered by a one-off levy? Or could finance help amortise the payments over time to lessen the burden?
Lannock Strata Finance has a bespoke tool for this. LevyPlanner helps you calculate and score the real cost of every funding option for any capital works plan whatever your scheme or mix of owners.
Simply enter your scheme details and owner profile and LevyPlanner instantly calculates and visualises the pre-tax and after-tax cost of each option, helping your scheme make an informed decision.
If you’ve managed everyone’s expectations that money needs to be spent, this will help make it a much easier conversation.
Call a meeting.
Call a meeting for the owners corporation, explain the situation and present the options available to move forward with the works.
In Victoria, signing off on funding for major works usually requires a special resolution, meaning 75% of total lot entitlements need to vote in favour, not just those attending on the night.
If you’ve followed the advice to this point you’ll be well prepared to proceed, but there’s a couple of strong arguments for bringing in some outside help at this point. The meeting can be used to inform, with a ballot sent out later, or a formal vote with an agenda issued in the appropriate time frame.
Bring in an expert.
People don’t vote ‘yes’ for things they don’t understand. Especially when that yes is going to cost them money. It’s also hard to argue against facts and external expertise.
Make sure the issue has been diagnosed by a verifiable, reputable source. It removes any doubt that the work needs to be done.
An experienced finance manager can also help demystify the options available to you for funding. Lannock Strata Finance will send a representative to your owners corporation meeting to help answer any questions.
From our experience, it also helps compartmentalise the issue so you can be part of the team sourcing the solution, not the ones representing the problem.
Remember, communication is key and you’re not alone. With the right process and the right advice, most owners corporations will get things moving despite the hurdles.
Josh Klemm
Lannock
E: joshua@lannock.com.au
P: 04 0000 6988
This post appears in the July 2026 edition of The VIC Strata Magazine.
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