Question: Who decides the time and location of an AGM,? Can the AGM be held at an owner’s home?
I understand an AGM can be held within 12 to 15 months of the previous AGM, but who decides the start time for the next AGM, e.g., 4 pm or 6 pm? Who decides the location of the AGM, and can the meeting be held at a lot owner’s home?
Answer: The council or the strata manager should choose a time that is reasonable and facilitates attendance by owners.
Usually, it is the person convening the meeting that determines the proposed date and start time when issuing the notice of meeting. This is usually the secretary of the council of owners, in collaboration with the council as a whole, or the strata manager.
The strata manager acts under delegated authority from the council or management agreement.
There is no fixed statutory requirement for a specific start time (e.g. 4pm vs 6pm). However, the council or the strata manager should choose a time that is reasonable and facilitates attendance by owners.
Evening meetings (e.g. 5:30pm–7:00pm) are common for residential schemes because many owners work during the day. If the strata scheme is managed by a professional strata manager, meeting times are also common during business hours.
If owners raise concerns about accessibility or attendance, it is good governance practice to consider adjustments, if possible and reasonable.
It is also the person convening the meeting who usually decides the location of the AGM. The Strata Titles Act 1985 (the Act) does not prescribe a specific venue, but it must be reasonable, accessible to owners and suitable for holding a meeting.
Smaller schemes often choose to hold their meeting at the premises. If the strata manager provides a meeting room facility, it could be at the strata manager’s office. Larger schemes may hire a suitable venue offered by the local authority or other associations. Since COVID, and with the subsequent changes to the Act, owners are also able to attend meetings electronically – See Section 131 of the Act
Holding meetings remotely
- A person (including a proxy of a member of a strata company) may, in accordance with any requirements of the scheme by-laws, attend, and vote, at a meeting of a strata company by telephone, video link, internet connection or similar means of remote communication (provided that provision of relevant facilities does not place an unreasonable burden on the strata company).
- A person attending a meeting by remote communication is taken to be present at the meeting.
There is no prohibition in the Act against holding an AGM in a lot owner’s residence. However, practical considerations apply such as that the owner agrees and provides consent that the meeting is held at their premises, the venue is large enough to accommodate all owners and there is no safety or accessibility issues.
However, we consider it best practice to choose neutral ground for the meeting, particularly if contentious issues, personal conflicts between owners or privacy issues need to be discussed and resolved.
We suggest the council discuss and agrees on preferred arrangements before a meeting is convened. The strata manager may recommend suitable options, historical meeting times and venues to provide owners with options for their preference.
This post appears in the April 2026 edition of The WA Strata Magazine.
This is general information and should not be considered to be legal advice. You should obtain legal advice specific to your individual situation.
Marietta Metzger
magixstrata
E: marietta@magixstrata.com.au
P: 08 6559 7498
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