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🏢 Five Years On: Is Western Australia's Strata Legislation Delivering What It Promised? ⚖️ The Strata Titles Act underwent significant reform in 2020. Five years on, the WA Government's statutory review raises an important question: have those changes genuinely improved strata living, or is there still work to be done? When the major reforms to the Strata Titles Act 1985 came into effect on 1 May 2020, they represented the most significant changes to Western Australia's stra

A recent Queensland adjudication decision, Villas Mermaid [2026] QBCCMCmr 321 (17 September 2026), is an interesting read for anyone involved in strata or body corporate management. At the centre of the dispute was a familiar problem: 🏚️ ageing roofs💧 ongoing leaks and water ingress🔧 years of repairs and patching📋 multiple professional reports💰 significant replacement costs🗳️ and owners repeatedly voting against proposed major works. So, at what point does continuing to

I regularly see strata meeting minutes where the outcome of a motion is recorded simply as: “Carried by simple majority.” or "Carried" But what does that actually tell an owner? Not very much. Was the vote 25 for and 1 against? Or was it 13 for and 12 against? Were there 10 abstentions? Those are very different voting outcomes — yet “carried by simple majority” makes them look exactly the same in the permanent records of the strata company. Minutes should provide transparency

It’s a situation that can arise surprisingly easily. The annual insurance premium falls due. 🏢There isn’t enough money in the Administrative Fund to pay it. 😬But there’s a healthy balance sitting in the Reserve Fund. So, can the Council simply transfer money from Reserve into Admin and pay the premium? A recent WA District Court decision provides some very useful guidance — and strata managers and Councils should take note. ⚖️ 📚 The case In The Owners of 875 Wellington Str

One of the misconceptions I often hear in strata is: “The strata manager increased our levies.” But that’s not really how it works. The AGM is the owners’ meeting, and it’s the place where the budget and levies should be discussed, questioned and ultimately decided by the owners. A good strata manager’s role is to provide guidance — to look ahead at the scheme’s expenses, understand when the money will actually be needed, and help owners make an informed decision about how be

Proxies are a normal and important part of strata meetings. They allow owners who cannot attend to still participate in the decision-making process. But there is one type of proxy that deserves a little more thought: an undirected proxy appointing “the Chair”. An undirected proxy gives the proxy holder discretion about how the vote is exercised. But where the strata manager ultimately chairs the meeting, having been appointed by those present, should that discretion simply be

A recent Supreme Court of Western Australia decision provides some important reminders about strata governance — particularly when it comes to who can sign contracts, the rights of owners who owe money, and the very different rules that can apply to two-lot strata schemes. ⚖️ The case is Zhao v The Owners of 5 Wimbledon Street Beckenham Strata Scheme 40695 [2026] WASC 328, delivered by Justice Bydder on 17 August 2026. The case came to the Supreme Court as an appeal from a de

What happens when a strata scheme’s funds are depleted, the building insurance isn’t paid, records become difficult to obtain, and the person managing the scheme says someone else took the money? A 2022 decision of the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia (SAT) provides some important lessons about strata management, financial controls and the responsibilities that come with looking after a strata company’s money. The case was The Owners of 244 Flinders St, Mt Y

A recent WA District Court decision provides some very useful lessons for strata owners, Councils of Owners and strata managers. The Owners of 875 Wellington Street Strata Plan 13599 v Kamil [2026] WADC 72 was delivered on 14 August 2026 and involved a long-running dispute between a lot owner and his strata company. At the heart of the dispute was a question we occasionally hear in strata: 👉 Can an owner refuse to pay their levies because they believe the strata company is f

We recently took over the management of a strata scheme that has had a somewhat turbulent history. One of the biggest areas of concern for owners, was the financials. What was discovered is a good example of why financial transparency, proper internal controls and engaged owners are so important in strata management. It started with an owner asking questions 🔍 A Council of Owners member requested a detailed Income & Expenditure Statement and took the time to carefully scruti

One of the most common misconceptions I encounter when a strata company changes managers is this: "Now that we've appointed a new strata manager, they'll sort out everything the previous manager did." The reality is quite different. A new strata manager is appointed to manage the Strata Company from the commencement of their appointment, not to unravel years of historical issues created under a previous management arrangement. Understanding this distinction can save a great d

One of the most important decisions a strata company makes often receives the least attention: where its money is held. Many strata management businesses operate pooled trust accounts, where the funds of multiple strata schemes are held within the same trust account. While each scheme has its own ledger recording its balance, the cash itself sits in one large account controlled by the strata manager. The alternative is for each strata company to have its own dedicated bank ac

Condor [2026] QBCCMCmr 219 (13 July 2026) Another interesting Queensland adjudication has highlighted an important governance principle that applies equally to strata schemes across Australia: If common property improvements require approval, that approval should be properly documented. 📝 🏢 The Background An owner challenged the installation of a "No Ball Games" sign that had been erected on common property. The owner argued that: ❌ there was no recorded committee or gener

🏢 A new Queensland decision raises important questions for strata committees across Australia When a strata company appoints a strata manager, most owners naturally look at the annual management fee. But what if that's only part of the story? A recent Queensland adjudication—Bayview Shores [2026] QBCCMCmr 202—has highlighted an important governance issue that every strata committee, council member and strata manager should be aware of. While this is only an interim decision,

This is a question we get asked all the time. Many owners assume that adopting a 10-Year Maintenance Plan means the strata company is committing to complete every project listed in the report. 🤔 It doesn't. ✅ Adoption simply means the strata company accepts the plan as its official long-term maintenance strategy and records it as part of its governance documents. So why is this important? 👇 📋 It creates an official record The plan becomes part of the strata company's recor

For many years, strata schemes across Australia adopted a simple approach to pets: "No pets allowed." If the by-laws prohibited animals, that was often considered the end of the discussion. Then came the landmark case of Cooper v The Owners – Strata Plan No 58068, a decision that fundamentally changed how strata communities think about by-laws, property rights, and the limits of an owners corporation's power. 🏢 The Background The case involved The Horizon, a 43-storey apartm

If you’ve ever lived in strata, you’ve probably heard it before: “That’s just apartment living.” But a recent tribunal decision shows that excuse doesn’t always hold up — especially when common property is involved. The Case: Noise Through the Walls In Haramis v The Owners – Strata Plan No. 51923, a lot owner brought an application because of persistent noise coming from a neighbouring unit’s bathroom. The issue?Water pipes inside the shared wall were transmitting loud, intru

When choosing a strata manager, price often grabs the headlines. But one of the most important factors affecting the success of a strata scheme isn't always listed on a proposal or fee schedule—it's transparency. Transparency is the foundation of trust. It allows owners, councils, and residents to understand what is happening within their scheme, how decisions are being made, and where their money is being spent. So what does a transparent strata manager actually do, and how

It's a question that comes up regularly in strata and I have written about it before - but let's revisit this again: 🤔 "Our administrative fund is running low. Can we just use money from the reserve fund to cover the shortfall?" While it may seem like a simple solution, the answer is usually "NO, but if you decide to, proceed with caution." 📋 Understanding the Difference Between the Funds A healthy strata company typically operates with two separate funds, each serving a di

⚖️ One issue that arises in strata management is what happens after a strata manager’s appointment is terminated. A termination does not give the former manager the right to simply deduct unpaid invoices or their fees from the strata company trust account after the appointment has ended. 🚫💰 Once terminated, the strata manager stands in the same position as any other unsecured creditor or supplier. Any outstanding invoices should be submitted to the strata company for paymen