Property management software for strata is an online platform that runs levies, meetings, records and owner communication for strata schemes. This guide gives seven practical checks for comparing options in Australia: levy automation, meeting records, data protection, state strata law and cost, with ABS data and links to official legislation.
Property Management Software for Strata: 7 Things to Compare Before You Choose
Strata management software (also known as strata property management software) is an online platform that handles levies, meetings, records and communication for strata schemes, body corporates and owners’ corporations.
Rental software deals with leases, tenancies and rent, whereas Strata software handles shared ownership, such as common property, budgets and committee decisions.
Key Takeaways
- Definition: An online platform for levies, meetings, records and owner communication in strata schemes, body corporates and owners corporations.
- How it differs: Rental software manages tenancies, while strata software manages shared ownership, budgets and committee decisions.
- What to check first: Levy automation, meeting records, data protection, published pricing, and whether the software follows your state’s strata law.
- Cost: Our Body Corp lists packages from $7.60 per unit per month (Owner Controlled) to $24 or more per unit per month (Fully Managed), with a $49 per-unit setup fee on two packages.
Strata in Australia: key numbers
Most Australian homes are separate houses, but apartments and strata schemes are growing. According to:
1. Government data (ABS, 2021 Census)
- Dwellings: The 2021 Census counted 10,852,208 private dwellings, nearly 11 million. Of these, 70 per cent were separate houses, 13 per cent were townhouses and 16 per cent were apartments.
- Growth: Apartments made up 30.9% of the rise in private dwellings since 2016, nearly a third.
2. Industry-funded study (Strata Insights 2024, UNSW City Futures Research Centre and Strata Community Association)
- Scale: The 2024 edition recorded 368,234 strata schemes and 3,191,244 lots nationally.
- Residents: More than 4.2 million people live in strata or community-titled property.
- Size: More than half of schemes have fewer than 20 lots, so software must suit small committees as well as large complexes.
- Victoria: It has the most schemes (128,896) and the fastest growth, with schemes up 5% and lots up 9% since 2022.
What does this mean?
More than 4.2 million people live in strata or community-titled property, so levies, meetings, and records are shared tasks for many owners. Tools that automate them are worth comparing.
Strata in Australia: key numbers
1. Levy and budget automation
Good software pulls levies out of the budget and sends notices without manual invoicing.
- Calculation: Levies are from the approved budget.
- Delivery: Owners receive notices automatically.
- Record: An account of what was issued, to whom and when.
2. Meeting records
Meeting tools keep notices, agendas, minutes and assigned actions in one record.
- Notices: Sent from the platform.
- Agenda: Pre-populated and editable.
Minutes and actions: Recorded and tracked, as the record of what a committee decided.
3. Access to records
Good record access means the right people see the right documents. Permissions are defined for each user.
- Visibility: Who can see documents, reports and contacts.
- Control: An administrator grants or revokes access for each person, so owners and committee members can see what they need.
- Continuity: New committee members have all the scheme’s history in one place instead of trawling through old emails.
4. Decision trail and compliance
Can property management software help with managing strata and body corporate requirements?
Yes. It can structure notices, meetings, votes and records so obligations are easier to track. It doesn’t replace legal advice, and the rules depend on your state.
| State | Main Legislation | Official Source |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 | NSW Legislation |
| Victoria | Owners Corporations Act 2006 | Victorian Legislation |
| Queensland | Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 | Queensland Legislation |
| Western Australia | Strata Titles Act 1985 | WA Legislation |
- Records: Notices, meetings, votes and records are dated and stored together.
- State fit: Workflows are built for your state’s Act, not a generic national process.
- Voting: Confirm with a strata lawyer or manager that online votes meet your scheme’s formal rules.
Note: The NSW Act governs strata scheme management and dispute resolution. The Queensland Act defines a body corporate manager as someone engaged to supply administrative services to the body corporate.
5. Data protection
Reputable platforms protect personal and financial data with encryption, role-based access, backups, audited hosting and a breach process.
Use this table as a vendor question list.
| Feature | Why it matters | Ask the vendor |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | Protects data in transit and storage | What is encrypted, and when? |
| Access controls | Limits what each user sees | Can permissions be set per role? |
| Backups | Safeguard data | How often, and where stored? |
| Hosting provider | Sets physical and operational safeguards | Which provider, and what audits apply? |
| Payment handling | Limits card-data exposure | Are cards tokenised and PCI-certified? |
| Breach response | Supports legal notification duties | What is your notification process? |
Australian Privacy Principle 11 under the Privacy Act 1988 requires covered organisations to take reasonable steps to protect personal information.
6. Service model
Good software lets you choose between running the scheme yourself, outsourcing admin, or full management, so you don’t have to switch platforms as your needs change.
- Self-run: Owners handle levies, meetings and decisions.
- Admin support: A support team handles levies and bills, while owners keep meetings and decisions.
- Fully managed: A strata manager handles all requirements.
7. Cost transparency
A vendor publishes prices, setup fees and contract lengths before you sign. Ask:
- Price: Is it per unit, per month or per scheme, etc.
- Establishment: Is there a one-off fee?
- Term: Is it a 12-month subscription or on a contract basis?
- Support: Is any support included?
Example: Our Body Corp’s published packages:
| Package | Price per unit/month | Setup | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner Controlled | $7.60 | None listed | 12-month subscription |
| Admin Support | $11.60 | $49 per unit, once-off | 12-month subscription |
| Fully Managed | From $24 | $49 per unit, once-off | 12-month contract |
Try these checks on Our Body Corp
Our Body Corp is a strata management software provider based in Hawthorn, Victoria. Use the checklist above during a free trial and see how it handles each point.
- Levies and meetings: A levy generator, an editable pre-populated agenda, minute-taking and an action tracker.
- Records: A document hub with privacy settings for each user.
- Data: Hosted by Rackspace Hosting Australia, with daily backups to an encrypted server. (See Security page for more details)
- Cost: See the pricing page for more details.
Next step: Start a free trial, or call the free-call line on 1300 848 343.
