Strata Management | Netstrata

What we do

Our approach to strata management is hands-on; we are available and active. Inspecting our client schemes and staying in touch is important.

We believe that a well-managed strata scheme is a significant factor in creating a harmonious communal environment attracting people to the property and increasing the real value of the property itself. We carefully select qualified tradespeople to provide regular maintenance of our client schemes and provide the right advice to budget for all works.

Our team is highly trained and supported to focus on the needs of our clients.

At Netstrata we work in collaboration with the Owners Corporation and their Strata Committees to ensure that, the property has a well-defined short and long-term strategy and the day-to-day maintenance issues are taken care of speedily, owner’s concerns are addressed diplomatically, and the financial records are kept up to date.

Our team also has considerable experience managing all types of strata schemes including residential, commercial, and industrial in greater Sydney, Newcastle, and Wollongong.

We understand the unique requirements specific to each whether it be the commercial operations and with our expertise adding a dimension to the businesses operating within the scheme, Industrial with managing risk about insurance renewals and residential in creating a great place to live.

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Frequently asked questions

  • When are strata meetings held?

    There are 3 types of meetings that assist the Owners Corporation and Strata Committee administer your scheme, these are;

    • The Annual General Meeting
    • A General Meeting
    • Strata Committee Meeting

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    The Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.)
    As the name implies the annual general meeting occurs once each year, usually around the same time. The purpose of this meeting is to cover a number of statutory and administrative issues that are essential to the ongoing management of your scheme, these include;

    • electing your strata committee
    • reviewing and approving the annual financial statement
    • establishing a budget and strata levies for the coming 12 months
    • reviewing and approving the strata insurances
    • approving the annual fire safety statement (if one applies to your scheme).

    A General Meeting
    General meetings of the Owners Corporation are usually called when the need arises through the year, such as approving major maintenance works or raising special levies. They may be convened by the appointed Secretary, the Strata Committee or by a written requisition of owners whose total Unit of Entitlement exceeds 25% of the total ownership in your scheme.

    Strata Committee Meetings
    Committee meetings are held by your strata committee to determine day to day administrative issues affecting lot owners and your scheme, such as;

    • reviewing quotations and approving maintenance works for the common property
    • granting approval under the strata by-laws, e.g. granting approval to keep a pet
    • administering by-law complaints
    • granting approval for minor renovations to lots
    • reviewing financials and expenditure.

    Strata Legislation does not obligate the Strata Committee to convene meetings at any particular time during the year, as such committee meetings are usually held as the need arises.

  • What do my levies pay for?

    Let’s face it, no one likes paying a bill, however your levy contributions shouldn’t be seen as simply another unwelcome expense. They play an essential role in assuring that your strata or community title property is not only properly maintained, but your scheme has adequate funding to fulfil its lawful obligations.

    Solid financial underpinning will allow a pro-active approach to the administration of your property, so matters may be addressed as the needs arise, rather than when the funds permit. This will mean that not only will the value of your asset be retained, but will increase over time.

    It will also mean easier saleability, higher rental returns and ultimately higher values when your property is sold.

    Accordingly, your levies should be considered as an ‘essential investment contribution’ to the immediate and long term requirements of your scheme, not simply another annoying expense.

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    So, what do my levy contributions pay for?
    Your levies contribute to the operating and long-term expenses of your strata or community scheme property. They are divided into two separate funds; the Administration fund for current operating costs and the Capital Works Fund for long term, large scale maintenance costs.Administration Fund
    The administration fund is intended to provide adequate funds for the running costs of the shared property at your scheme, for example;

    • Insurances Common
    • Electricity Costs
    • Audit & Valuation Costs
    • Gardening and Lawnmowing
    • Cleaning of Common Areas
    • Management and Administration
    • General Maintenance
    • Annual Fire Certification
    • Common Water Consumption
    • Taxation and Statutory Costs.

    There are other types of administration expenses, many of which will depend on the facilities at your property such as caretaking services, automatic garage doors, elevators, air-conditioning plants, swimming pools, gymnasiums, shared hot water systems etc.

    Capital Works Fund
    The Capital Works Fund is intended for the long-term maintenance of the buildings and improvements at your property, such as replacement of common area carpet, repainting of common areas, replacement of building components or building refurbishment etc. This fund is required to accumulate over time so that the scheme has sufficient reserves to accommodate these long-term maintenance items as they arise.

    How and when are levies determined?
    Your levy contributions are reviewed yearly by the owners at the annual general meeting, the amount of levies you pay is determined by you and the other owners of your scheme. This determination is usually based on the budget estimates submitted with the meeting notice. It is important that you carefully review and understand these estimates before each meeting so you are fully aware what expenses your levies are being applied to at your property.

    To pay your levies, click here.

  • Who is responsible for maintenance?

    One of the most confusing aspects of living or owning in a strata complex is understanding who is responsible for maintenance. This is because every building is unique, and it will often depend on elements such as;

    • the age of your building
    • how your strata plan has been drawn
    • has your Owners Corporation (Body Corporate) made any special rules or passed any By-laws that apply to your building surrounding maintenance obligations
    • have you or a previous owner of your lot made changes to your property that obligate you to maintain a particular element of your property, for example removing floor tiles in the bathroom.

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    Generally speaking, the elements of your property that fall within the cubic air-space or boundaries of your lot such as internal walls, internal doors are the lot owners’ responsibility for maintenance. Those elements that fall on the boundary of your lot, I.E. perimeter walls, floor and ceiling and the elements outside your lot such as common stairwells, common garden areas and the common property generally are the Owners Corporation’s responsibility to repair and maintain.

    Before determining whether a particular item is a lot owner or Owners Corporations maintenance responsibility the following should be undertaken;

    • a detailed examination of the strata plan
    • reviewing the date your strata plan was registered*
    • a review of the strata by-laws to determine whether any specific maintenance obligations have been determined by your Owners Corporation.

    *Different rules apply to schemes registered prior to 1 July 1974

    For a detailed understanding of the concepts of Understanding Strata Maintenance, please refer to the following guide.

  • What is the role of the Strata Committee?

    The Strata Committee of every Owners Corporation plays an important role in the administration of their scheme. Committee members usually fulfil the duties of the committee on a voluntary basis, without expectation of fee or reward, and this requires a significant investment of their own time.

    The Strata Committee is elected at each Annual General Meeting of the Owners Corporation and can consist of between 1 to 9 members. For large strata schemes (defined as containing more than 100 lots), the strata committee must comprise of at least 3 members, and for 2 lot strata schemes both lot owners are automatically elected to the committee.

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    Understanding the strict legal impositions that are placed on a Strata Committee by the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and Regulations 2016 (the Act), the Owners Corporation itself, the Strata By-laws and other legislation is paramount. This is particularly so for owners that may not have served on a committee previously or who may not be familiar with the operation of an Owners Corporation.

    The following guide has been written for all owners and Strata Committee members to assist in their understanding of what the roles, duties and responsibilities of the committee are and how they relate to the operation of the Owners Corporation.

  • What is the role of a Strata Manager?

    This will depend entirely on what delegated authority has been provided to the agent by the Owners Corporation. Section 52(1) of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 allows an Owners Corporation to delegate to an agent;

    (a) all of its functions, or
    (b) any one or more of its functions specified in the instrument, or
    (c) all of its functions except those specified in the instrument.

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    At Netstrata we only take on the management of your scheme with Full Delegated authority, this means we are able to provide you and the owners within your scheme with complete management services for your scheme.

    Rather than the owners or Strata Committee members having to undertake and be liable for the statutory duties of the Secretary, Treasurer and Chairperson, these functions are delegated to our office to ensure that your scheme is being managed and administered in accordance with its lawful obligations.

    For a complete list of all the functions and services provided by our office to you, read the below guide.

  • What is the role of a Building Manager?

    Building managers play an essential role in many strata schemes. The delegation of duties afforded to a strata manager is very different legislatively than that of a building manager, meaning that the latter takes a more practical hands-on approach, usually around the organisation and management of works.

    Building managers are usually appointed in larger or more complex sites, working alongside the strata manager and strata committee. They are required to have a building management contract in place detailing the duties that they perform for the scheme.

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    Depending on the size of the strata scheme, a building manager may be appointed on a part-time or full-time basis and may also facilitate any after-hours emergency work.

    Typically reports are issued by a building manager on a regular basis noting any maintenance works, improvements or items actioned for the reporting period.

    Often, software is utilised by building managers to communicate with owners, occupants and managing agents on various items occurring within a scheme. Some of the software programs commonly used allow occupants to report maintenance issues, order additional access devices (keys, remotes etc.), organise a move in or out of the building (to reserve the loading dock where applicable or install elevator protection equipment) and generally to communicate with building management.

    When thinking of the delineation between Strata Managers and Building Managers remember;

    • Strata Managers look after Books and Records
    • Building Managers look after Bricks and Mortar.

    For further information of the standard duties of a building manager (and in some cases the strata manager) please refer to the following guide.

Have more questions? See the FAQ page or talk to our team.