If you live in a strata property in Melbourne, chances are many of the day-to-day decisions affecting your building are shaped by the Strata Committee.
Elected at the AGM, the Committee acts on delegated matters for the owners corporation and helps keep things moving between general meetings.
That can include everything from maintenance and contractor decisions through to rule breaches and communication with the manager.
Key takeaways:
- In Victoria, an owners corporation with 10 or more lots must elect a Committee at each AGM.
- A Committee helps make day to day decisions, but only within the powers delegated to it by the owners corporation.
- Committee Members must act honestly, in good faith, with due care and diligence, and in the interests of the owners corporation.
- A well run Committee can help repairs, maintenance, communication, and decision making move faster.
Is a Strata Committee mandatory?
A Strata Committee is mandatory if the owners corporation affects 10 or more lots.
An owners corporation with fewer than 10 lots may still elect a Committee, but it is optional.
To clarify how these requirements work in practice, it’s also worth understanding whether a Committee needs to be fully formed and what its role typically involves.
In the short video below, we cover whether a fully functioning Committee is always required and how its role is usually carried out.
This added perspective can help set clearer expectations around how Committees operate in different situations.
The composition of a Strata Committee
A Strata Committee is made up of lot owners or proxies for lot owners. There can only be one Committee Member from any one lot.
In most cases, a Committee must have at least 3 and no more than 7 Members. However, the owners corporation can resolve by ordinary resolution to have more than 7 Members, up to a maximum of 12.
Nominations can be made in writing before the AGM, or orally at the AGM if the lot owner is present. If there are more nominees than available positions, a ballot is held.
In Melbourne, the Committee must appoint a Chairperson and a Secretary. The Chairperson leads Committee meetings and has a casting vote in the event of a tie. The Secretary is responsible for issuing notices of Committee meetings and keeping Committee minutes. Depending on the management arrangement, the Secretary can be a Committee Member or the owners corporation manager.
It is also important to note that if a lot owner is in arrears on fees or other amounts owing to the owners corporation, that owner, or their proxy, is not eligible to be elected to the Committee.
What are the functions and responsibilities of a Strata Committee?
The Committee helps the owners corporation make decisions between general meetings. Its role is to deal with matters that have been delegated to it, while larger decisions still stay with the owners corporation at a general meeting.
In many Victorian buildings, the professional owners corporation manager handles the day to day administration, while the Committee gives direction and approvals on operational matters. Depending on the building and the delegated powers, this may include decisions about:
- repairs and maintenance priorities
- reviewing contractor quotes
- approving routine payments
- responding to alleged breaches of rules
- providing direction on levy arrears recovery
- preparing matters for a general meeting where broader approval is needed
The Committee cannot decide matters that require a special resolution, unanimous resolution, or a decision at a general meeting.
If your Committee is finding it hard to get clear advice or timely follow through from your current manager, contact our Consultants to discuss what a smoother management handover could look like.
The interaction between Strata Committees and the owners corporation
The Committee does not replace the owners corporation. Instead, it acts on behalf of the owners corporation within the powers it has been given.
This distinction matters. A manager cannot simply make every decision for the building, and a Committee cannot make decisions outside its delegated authority. Good governance depends on the owners corporation clearly setting delegations, spending limits, and decision making processes.
Committee decisions can be made at meetings or by ballot. In Victoria, notice of a Committee meeting must usually be given at least 3 business days before the meeting, unless the owners corporation has determined otherwise. Ballots can also be conducted electronically.
What are the benefits of a Strata Committee?
A good Committee helps an owners corporation respond to issues faster and make practical decisions without waiting for a general meeting every time.
For many buildings, that means quicker action on repairs, clearer communication with the manager, and better oversight of recurring problems. A capable Committee also gives residents confidence that the building is being looked after by people who understand its needs.
We often see this in practice. In one St Kilda building we assisted, a five-member committee had become increasingly concerned about manager responsiveness, day-to-day support, and whether rising fees still reflected value. It highlights how an engaged Committee can play an important role in identifying when a management arrangement is no longer serving the building well.
The best Committees usually share three habits: they communicate clearly, stay within their role, and work constructively with their manager and other owners.
How to set up a Strata Committee
Setting up a Strata Committee usually happens as part of the AGM process. The main steps are:
- Confirm whether the owners corporation must have a Committee.
- Call for nominations from eligible lot owners or proxies.
- Hold the AGM and elect the Committee.
- Appoint the Chairperson and Secretary.
- Record any delegations, authority limits, and meeting procedures.
A successful Committee is usually built on the right mix of people, clear communication, and practical governance settings. That includes understanding what the Committee can decide, when a matter needs to go back to the owners corporation, and how the manager and Committee should work together.
Looking to change your strata manager?
If your Committee is finding that decisions are delayed, communication is poor, or your current manager is not providing the level of support your building needs, it may be time to review your options. Contact us if your Committee would like independent guidance on comparing managers and managing a smoother transition.
