DIY Strata Management

For everything you need to know about DIY strata Management…
DO-IT-YOURSELF STRATA MANAGEMENT

DIY Strata Management

Managing your strata properties independently is possible if you have the know-how and the right systems and tools. Since it is not compulsory to appoint an outsourced strata management service provider, you can develop your skills and licence software to help make strata management easy. At Our Body Corp, we offer DIY strata managers access to a leading strata software solution that provides you with all the tools you need to successfully manage your strata community. Communicate whenever you need, manage your financials, raise levies, arrange and conduct meetings, issue your minutes and much more all in quick, logical and easy steps. To help you understand more about DIY strata management, continue reading.

What Does Strata Management Involve?Assess Your CapabilitiesHow Much Time Is Required?What Will I Need To Do?How We Can Support You With DIY Strata ManagementAdditional Services?
According to the laws of your State, when you and your fellow owners own multiple properties with shared facilities, you will be required to establish a strata corporation or body corporate to ensure the common property and areas between individual lots are maintained and managed appropriately. If this is required, and you do not own all lots, you will be required to discuss the management of the strata corporation with fellow owners.

Regardless of the size of your strata scheme, the same rules apply to maintain compliance with legal and 
regulatory obligations.To effectively manage your strata scheme, you should consider the following.
  • You will need to determine the outgoings, which will include essential services costs, gardening, insurance, routine maintenance of facilities, building management, cleaning, servicing and much more. This will help you determine the amount you need to raise from owners to cover the costs and build up a reserve for unexpected costs.
  • You will need to check that owners have paid their levies and follow up owners who are in arrears. You will need to hold the money received from owners in an independent and special bank account.
  • You will need to keep records of all communications and meetings and be able to regularly review your notes and accounts.
  • You will need to hold timely general meetings and ensure that all relevant topics are covered and discussed. This gives all owners an opportunity to share information, raise issues and discuss opportunities.
  • You will need to attend to administrative tasks such as responding to owner and/or resident queries, prepare certificates when owners sell their lots, renew insurance policies, engage service providers, pay invoices, send levies to owners, issue breach notices, manage disputes and much more.
  • You will need to consider developing an occupier rules handbook for owners and tenants to follow. This ensures the rules are transparent and fair for all residents.
  • You will need to manage, monitor and oversee the work undertaken by service providers to ensure that it is in the best interests of the owners.
Strata management requires you to have the following capabilities, amongst others:
  • Understand basic budgeting so that you know what levies to raise;
  • Understand legislative amendments so that they can be implemented in a timely manner;
  • Communicate effectively with all residents;
  • Prepare and send correspondences to owners and/or tenants for notification purposes;
  • Develop frameworks to approve renovations undertake by individual lot owners;
  • Mediate disputes between owners or an owner and the strata corporation;
  • Source trades persons and service providers to conduct maintenance and servicing;
  • Hold meetings and document minutes;
  • Prepare plans and strategies;
  • Manage capital work projects and service providers;
  • Seek appropriate third-party help and support when required;
  • Remain accountable and responsible in your role; and
  • Communicate with other strata management committee members (if you are not the sole owners of all lots).

At Our Body Corp, we also offer an Administration Support Package which allows you to manage your affairs by conducting your own meetings and remaining in control of all decisions affecting owners, with support from professional managers. You will be backed by a top support team who take care of the administration like raising owner levies and recording bill payments.

The amount of time you will need to spend managing your strata properties will vary depending on the tasks you need to complete. Considering the number of properties, the size of the building/land, number of facilities/amenities, servicing and maintenance requirements, and other factors, you will need to assess the right amount of time you need to effectively manage your strata scheme.

You will be remunerated for your work because the strata corporation will pay a management fee to you. Ensure that these arrangements are at arm’s length and that the managing agreement has been drafted on fair terms.

You, and other owners (if you do not own all the lots), will be responsible for managing your strata corporation. You will need to create a committee and appoint a chair. You will need to assign roles and responsibilities to each person so that the committee functions effectively. You may also wish to create sub-committees to help you undertake specialised tasks. Regular communication and collaboration is key to a successful committee.
At Our Body Corp we understand the complexities of strata management. We offer owner-controlled solutions through to fully-managed comprehensive services. Depending on your requirements, we can tailor our offering to suit your needs and budget. Have a browse of our services and pricing.
At Our Body Corp, we are there to help. As a customer, you will be entitled to national coverage support, professional advice and services, and access to recognised maintenance service providers on-demand, our effective maintenance plans and project management expertise to help you run a successful strata corporation or body corporate.

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