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Whether you’re brand new to owning a strata property or have been living in one for years, figuring out who does what around the building can get a little confusing. While the strata manager, the building manager, and the property manager might sound like similar roles, they actually all play a significantly different role in enhancing community living.
From strata managers to building managers
So, if you’re confusing your strata manager with your facility manager, or can’t tell your owners corporation from your strata committee, here’s the ultimate guide to understanding your strata property’s people.
Strata manager
A strata manager, sometimes known as the strata managing agent, is appointed by the owners corporation to assist in the day-to-day management of the strata building and ensure the strata scheme fulfils its legal responsibilities.
Only a person who is licensed under the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002 can be appointed to the role of strata manager. Owners corporations can check that the licence is still current by checking the property licence register at fairtrading.nsw.gov.au.
Owners corporation
All owners automatically belong to the owners corporation. It is responsible for managing the strata scheme and should hold regular meetings to decide on issues affecting the strata scheme.
These include financial management, insurance, record keeping, repairs and maintenance of common property, by-laws, employing a strata managing agent and/or a building manager, keeping up-to-date with and following all relevant laws.
The owners corporation was previously known as the body corporate in NSW and is still referred to using this term in other states around Australia.
Strata committee
The strata committee, previously known as the executive committee, is a group of up to nine owners corporation members elected by the wider owners corporation. The strata committee enables quicker decision-making on day-to-day decisions.
Since the owners corporation is made up of lot owners, they can vote to overrule the strata committee’s decisions or put limits on what they can make decisions about.
Property manager
Property managers are usually employed by real estate agencies and generally act as a middleman between the tenant and landlord of a property. Property managers are usually the tenant’s first point of contact, as the tenant will typically have no direct dealings with the strata manager. If the tenant has any issues that relate directly to strata, the property manager will then discuss these with the strata manager or owner.
Building/facilities manager
The building manager is sometimes called a caretaker, facilities manager, or resident manager. They are responsible for maintaining and organising repairs for common property around the strata building, including building compliance and safety for areas like lifts, swimming pools, and fire alarms.
Common property includes electrical wiring in the common property areas, common property flooring (carpet, tiling in hallways), common area garden, pathway, driveway and associated lighting, repairs to roof and guttering etc. The building manager can be appointed by the developer, owners corporation or body corporate.
Emily Doherty is the vice-president of SCA (NSW)
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