Question: Can an owner attend an AGM via Zoom with their and microphone off, communicating only by text?
At our physical AGM, one lot owner chose to Zoom into the meeting. They had their camera and microphone off. We could only see text messages. Is this permitted? It could have been anyone on the other end of the connection with access to the Zoom meeting details.
Answer: The chairperson must be satisfied that the attendee’s identity and their entitlement to vote can be verified.
The short answer is yes, potentially, but there are important considerations around identity verification and the integrity of the meeting.
section 131 of the Strata Titles Act 1985 (WA) (the Act) expressly permits a person, including a proxy holder, to attend and vote at a strata company meeting by telephone, video link, internet connection or similar means of remote communication, provided any requirements of the scheme by-laws are met. A person attending remotely is taken to be present at the meeting for all purposes.
Importantly, neither the Act nor the associated regulations require an attendee participating electronically to have their camera switched on or to communicate verbally. The legislation is technology-neutral and focuses on a person’s ability to attend and participate via an approved form of remote communication.
However, this does not mean that a strata company must accept any unidentified participant. The chairperson has an obligation to ensure the integrity of the meeting, including confirming that those attending and voting are entitled to do so. This becomes particularly relevant where an attendee joins with both camera and microphone disabled and communicates only through a chat function.
The Act also requires voting systems, whether electronic or otherwise, to be conducted in a manner that protects the integrity of the voting process. Likewise, meeting notices must specify the acceptable methods of voting and participation.
In practical terms, if the chairperson is satisfied that the participant is the lot owner, proxy holder or authorised representative, perhaps because they joined from a known email address, responded to verification questions, or had previously identified themselves, there is unlikely to be an issue with them participating by text only.
Conversely, where there is genuine uncertainty regarding the participant’s identity, it would be prudent for the chairperson to request additional verification. This may include asking the participant to briefly activate their camera, confirm their identity verbally, or provide another form of authentication before being permitted to vote.
As electronic attendance becomes increasingly common, strata companies may wish to adopt meeting protocols or by-laws that clearly set out identity verification requirements for remote attendees. Doing so can reduce the risk of disputes and provide certainty for owners, council members and meeting chairs alike.
While the legislation permits remote attendance, the overriding principle remains that the chairperson must be reasonably satisfied that the person participating and voting is entitled to do so.
This post appears in the August 2026 edition of The WA Strata Magazine.
Amy McCaffrey
Cygnet West
E: Amy.McCaffrey@cygnetwest.com
P: 08 6375 0020
Leave a Reply