Do I need any qualification to join a strata committee in NSW?

No. There is no licence or formal qualification required to sit on a strata committee. You generally need to be an owner in the scheme, or a nominee, and be elected at a general meeting. A short course helps, but it is not a legal requirement.

How much time does being on a strata committee take?

It varies with the size and condition of your scheme. Smaller, well-run schemes may only need a few meetings a year plus the odd decision in between. Larger or older buildings with more maintenance can take more. A good strata managing agent handles much of the administrative load.

What if I do not understand a decision the committee is voting on?

Ask. You are entitled to understand what you are voting on. Lean on your strata managing agent for advice, ask for the decision to be explained, and check NSW Fair Trading guidance. Voting on something you do not understand is exactly what training helps you avoid.

Can I be removed from the strata committee?

Yes, committee members can be removed or replaced through the process set out in the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, usually at a general meeting. The exact rules and grounds can change, so confirm the current position with NSW Fair Trading or your strata managing agent.

Where do I get help as a new committee member?

Your strata managing agent is your first port of call for day-to-day questions. NSW Fair Trading publishes plain-English guidance for owners and committees. For a structured grounding in your role and duties, Archer Institute offers Strata Members CPD, online and self-paced.

What New Strata Committee Members Need to Know (NSW)

You put your hand up at the meeting, or someone nominated you, and now you are on the strata committee. First, well done. Schemes only run because owners volunteer to help. Second, you probably have questions. Most new members do.

This guide is the friendly orientation. What you are actually signing up for, how decisions get made, where the strata manager fits, and where to get help. None of it is as daunting as it sounds.

What you have signed up for

A strata committee is the small group of owners elected to handle the day-to-day running of the scheme on behalf of all owners. You help make decisions about maintenance, money, insurance and the scheme rules (the by-laws). You do this under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, the New South Wales law that governs how schemes are run.

You are not personally on the hook for everything. Decisions are made by the committee or the owners corporation as a group, not by you alone. But you are expected to take part properly, act in the interest of all owners rather than just yourself, and avoid conflicts of interest. That is the heart of the role.

For the full picture of the role and its duties, our pillar guide to strata committee members in NSW walks through everything in more depth.

How decisions get made

Strata runs on meetings and votes. There are two main kinds. Committee meetings handle routine decisions through the year. The annual general meeting is where all owners gather to review the finances, approve the budget, and elect the committee.

Decisions follow a process: proper notice is given, an agenda lists what will be decided, owners or committee members vote, and the outcome is recorded in the minutes. Some bigger decisions cannot be made by the committee at all and have to go to the whole owners corporation, sometimes needing a special resolution (a higher level of agreement).

Notice periods, what counts as a quorum (the minimum number needed for a valid meeting), and which decisions need a special resolution are all set in the Act, and the detail can change. Confirm the current rules with NSW Fair Trading or your strata managing agent. When you are ready, our guide to running an AGM takes you through it step by step.

Where the strata manager fits

Many schemes appoint a strata managing agent, a licensed professional who handles the administrative work: keeping the books, issuing levy notices, arranging insurance, coordinating repairs, and keeping the scheme compliant. This is one of the most reassuring things for a new member to understand.

The agent does the heavy lifting, but the committee still makes the decisions. The agent advises, prepares the options, and carries out what the committee approves. So you are never expected to be the expert on everything. You are expected to make sensible decisions with good advice in front of you. If your scheme has a strata manager, get to know them early.

The money, in plain terms

Owners pay levies, and those levies go into two funds. The administrative fund pays day-to-day costs. The capital works fund saves for big future jobs like repainting or replacing a roof. As a committee member you will help review the budget and set levies at the AGM. You do not need to be an accountant, but you should understand the difference. Our guide to the two funds explains it simply.

Where to get help

You are not on your own. Here is your support network:

Your strata managing agent, for day-to-day questions and advice on decisions.
NSW Fair Trading, which publishes plain-English guidance for owners and committees.
Your fellow committee members, especially anyone who has served before.
A short course, to give you a proper grounding in the role rather than learning by trial and error.

Get up to speed quickly

The fastest way to feel confident is to understand the basics before your first real decision. Archer Institute offers Strata Members CPD made for owners and committee members in New South Wales. It is online and self-paced, so you can work through it in your own time and reference it later. It covers your role, your duties, the funds, the by-laws and how meetings work, so you walk into your first meeting knowing what is going on.

Browse the Strata Members CPD course or call our Australian-based team on 1800 069 273. You have taken on a useful role for your neighbours. A little grounding makes it a pleasure rather than a worry.