The Strata Knowledge Base
A growing collection of useful articles for anyone navigating strata life
Do We Need a Body Corporate Manager? What Self-Managed Owners Often Learn the Hard Way
For most owners corporations in Victoria, appointing a body corporate manager is a choice, not a legal requirement. But that choice comes with real accountability and understanding where self-management works, and where it commonly breaks down, is critical before problems arise. Key takeaways: Under the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (VIC), Tier 1 owners corporations (more than 100…
Functions of a Body Corporate Manager
Across Australia, owners who form part of an owners corporation or Committee are often faced with the same question “how do we best manage the ongoing responsibilities that come with shared property?” In many cases, particularly as buildings grow in size and complexity, the decision is made to engage a professional body corporate manager. A body corporate manager sits at…
Changing Body Corporate Management Companies: Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
A body corporate’s relationship with its management company is often entered into with the expectation that it will be long term. At the outset, there is usually a reasonable balance of power, responsibility and trust between the parties. Over time, that balance can change. As with many long-standing relationships, the end of a management arrangement can be difficult. If not…
Strata Fraud Cases in Australia: What They Reveal About Risk and Oversight
Strata management depends on trust. Owners Corporations (OCs) hand over control of significant funds, often with little direct visibility over how those funds move day to day. Most of the time, that trust is justified. But recent fraud cases across Australia show how easily financial controls can be bypassed when oversight is weak. Although these cases involve a small number…
Body Corporate Prohibits Singing in the Shower: What Can They Really Ban?
No, your body corporate hasn’t issued an official “no singing in the shower” directive, not yet, anyway. But the way some people want body corporate powers to expand, it sometimes feels like that’s exactly where things are heading. In strata living, there are many rules. Yet the one rule consistently ignored is the law of unintended consequences. Once you start…
How Committees Should Approach Renegotiating Their Body Corporate Management Contract
Renegotiating a body corporate management contract is one of the most effective steps a Committee can take to improve the way a building is managed. A well-structured agreement supports better…
Top 10 Body Corporate Issues in Victoria and How to Handle Them
If you live in a body corporate property, you have probably seen how quickly small issues can become bigger problems. One resident parks in the wrong spot. A pet causes…
What is Owners Corporation Management?
Do I have to be Part of an Owners Corporation? Owners Corporation / Body Corporate Management Fees Maintenance & Repairs 1. Do…
Can an Owners Corporation Demolish a Balcony? What Owners Need to Know
When an owners corporation is faced with an ageing balcony that was added decades ago and is now expensive to repair, the temptation is often to ask a simple question:…
How Committees Should Approach Renegotiating Their Body Corporate Management Contract
Renegotiating a body corporate management contract is one of the most effective steps a Committee can take to improve the way a building is managed. A well-structured agreement supports better…
Busting the myth: “If there’s a lift and pool – the body corporate levies skyrocket”
One of our directors was in the gym one morning and inadvertently overheard a conversation between two people. The older guy walked in, greeted his friend, and they got…
Body Corporate Prohibits Singing in the Shower: What Can They Really Ban?
No, your body corporate hasn’t issued an official “no singing in the shower” directive, not yet, anyway. But the way some people want body corporate powers to expand, it sometimes…
Can an Owners Corporation Demolish a Balcony? What Owners Need to Know
When an owners corporation is faced with an ageing balcony that was added decades ago and is now expensive to repair, the temptation is often to ask a simple question:…
How Committees Should Approach Renegotiating Their Body Corporate Management Contract
Renegotiating a body corporate management contract is one of the most effective steps a Committee can take to improve the way a building is managed. A well-structured agreement supports better…
Do We Need a Body Corporate Manager? What Self-Managed Owners Often Learn the Hard Way
For most owners corporations in Victoria, appointing a body corporate manager is a choice, not a legal requirement. But that choice comes with real accountability and understanding where self-management…
Our Body Corporate Fees Guide
If you own a unit, townhouse, or apartment in Australia, you’ve likely asked yourself, “What am I really paying for with these body corporate fees?” Understanding where your money goes…
How Committees Should Approach Renegotiating Their Body Corporate Management Contract
Renegotiating a body corporate management contract is one of the most effective steps a Committee can take to improve the way a building is managed. A well-structured agreement supports better…
Functions of a Body Corporate Manager
Across Australia, owners who form part of an owners corporation or Committee are often faced with the same question “how do we best manage the ongoing responsibilities that come with…
Changing Body Corporate Management Companies: Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
A body corporate’s relationship with its management company is often entered into with the expectation that it will be long term. At the outset, there is usually a reasonable balance…
Strata Fraud Cases in Australia: What They Reveal About Risk and Oversight
Strata management depends on trust. Owners Corporations (OCs) hand over control of significant funds, often with little direct visibility over how those funds move day to day. Most of the…