straita

Strata Managers

What does a strata managing agent actually do?

Short answer

A strata managing agent is the scheme’s professional administrator, carrying out functions the owners corporation delegates to them — collecting levies, paying bills, arranging insurance, preparing and running meetings, keeping records, handling correspondence and helping the scheme meet its legal obligations. They act on delegated authority: the owners and committee still make the decisions. Appointing one is optional, not required by law.

What they do day to day

  • Money — issue levy notices, collect contributions, pay invoices, keep the accounts and the two funds.
  • Insurance — arrange and renew the scheme’s insurances and valuations.
  • Meetings — prepare agendas and notices, run the AGM and committee meetings, record minutes.
  • Records — maintain the strata roll, registers and correspondence.
  • Compliance — help the scheme keep up with its statutory obligations and reporting.

What they don’t decide

The manager runs the machinery; they don’t own the decisions. They act within the management agreement and the functions the owners corporation has delegated. Decisions the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 reserves for the owners corporation — particularly things that must be decided at a general meeting — remain with the owners, not the agent. (See can the committee override the strata manager?)

How they’re paid

Through the fees set in the management agreement — a base fee plus additional charges (see how much a strata manager costs).

You’re not required to have one

Many NSW schemes have no managing agent at all — they self-manage. The functions above don’t disappear; they just get done a different way. You’re a self-managed strata — Straita, an automated system that supports the committee through every step, does this work and the committee just approves the decisions, keeping the fee in the scheme’s pocket.

Primary sources