Short answer
A unanimous resolution passes only if no owner who votes is against it — not a single vote cast in opposition. It is the highest voting threshold in NSW strata and is reserved for the most significant decisions affecting owners’ rights.
What “unanimous” means here
Under NSW strata law a unanimous resolution is defined by the absence of opposition: it is passed only if none of the votes cast are against it. It does not require every owner to attend or vote — but of those who do vote, not one can vote against. A single dissenting vote defeats the motion.
Where it sits above the others
Unanimous is the top of the ladder of thresholds:
- Ordinary — a simple majority of votes cast.
- Special — fails if more than one-quarter of votes cast are against.
- Unanimous — fails if any vote is cast against.
Because one “no” is enough to stop it, a unanimous resolution is deliberately hard to achieve — the law sets the bar this high only for decisions that fundamentally affect owners.
A note on unfinancial owners
Unlike ordinary and special resolutions, an owner in levy arrears is not barred from voting on a unanimous resolution — so their vote (including a vote against) still counts. That makes reaching unanimity harder still.
Getting a unanimous decision through — without a manager
Where a decision needs unanimity, every vote matters and the record has to be exact — one miscounted “against” and the resolution fails. Straita confirms the correct threshold for the motion, counts every vote, and records the outcome cleanly, so a self-managed committee knows for certain whether a unanimous resolution actually carried.
Primary sources
- Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) — unanimous resolutions, passed only if no vote is cast against (s5).
- NSW Government — Strata schemes (Fair Trading) — resolutions and voting.