Short answer
In NSW, notice of a general meeting must reach every owner at least 7 days before the meeting. The first AGM of a new scheme has a longer minimum — at least 14 days. If any owner is served by post, allow extra days on top so the notice is treated as received in time; miss the deadline and a resolution can be challenged at NCAT.
The minimum notice period
Under NSW strata law, notice of a general meeting (with the agenda and documents) must be given to each owner at least 7 days before the meeting. For the first AGM of a brand-new scheme the minimum is longer — at least 14 days. These are floors, not targets: they’re the least notice the law allows, not the amount a careful committee gives.
Counting the days correctly
Two things trip up amateur committees:
- Clear days. The day the notice is sent and the day of the meeting generally don’t count toward the number — so “7 days” needs more than 7 calendar days between the two dates.
- Postal service. If any owner receives notices by post rather than electronically, notice isn’t treated as served the instant you send it — you need to allow extra days for delivery before the clock effectively starts. The exact allowance depends on how service is deemed to occur, so build in a buffer rather than assuming same-day receipt.
If you’re unsure how service is counted for your scheme’s owners, check the position rather than cutting it fine — a short-served notice is a common ground for challenge.
A practical safety margin
Because clear-days counting and postal allowances eat into the window, giving well more than the bare minimum is sensible practice — sending the full agenda pack a couple of weeks or more ahead comfortably covers digital and postal delivery. This is a practical buffer, not a separate legal figure; the statutory minimums remain 7 days (general meetings) and 14 days (first AGM).
Hitting the deadline without a manager
Counting clear days, allowing for posted notices, and getting the pack out with margin to spare is exactly where self-managed committees slip — and a day short can void the meeting. Straita works back from the meeting date, allows for how each owner is served, and tracks the deadline, so a self-managed scheme’s AGM notice goes out in time and its resolutions stand.
Primary sources
- Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) — notice of general meetings and the first AGM (Schedule 1; s14 for the first AGM).
- NSW Government — Strata schemes (Fair Trading) — meeting notice requirements.
- NCAT — NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal — where owners can challenge a meeting held on short notice.