The neighbours upstairs are stomping until midnight. Water is leaking through the ceiling from the unit above. The car park lights have been broken for six months. You have emailed the strata committee, the building manager, and even the strata managing agent — and nothing happens.
You are not alone. Here is what you can actually do about it.
Common strata complaints
- Noise — unreasonable noise from neighbours (parties, music, pets, renovations outside approved hours)
- Water damage — leaks from common property or another lot that the owners corporation will not fix
- Common area maintenance — broken lifts, lighting, security, gardens, pools not being maintained
- Parking — unauthorised vehicles, visitors parking in resident spots, commercial vehicles
- By-law breaches — pets, short-term rentals (Airbnb), renovations without approval
- Financial mismanagement — strata levies being wasted, no sinking fund, committee refusing to share financial records
Step 1: Put it in writing
Verbal complaints are forgotten. Email the strata managing agent and the committee secretary with:
- A clear description of the issue
- The relevant by-law or legislation being breached
- What you want done (repair, enforcement, mediation)
- A reasonable deadline (14–21 days)
Ready to put it in writing?
Answer 3 quick questions to check you have the details your document needs, and see your next step.
1. Who is this about?
2. How much is at stake?
3. Do you have it in writing?
Your result is ready. Want a copy by email? (optional)
Step 2: Formal complaint letter
If the email is ignored, send a formal complaint letter citing the Strata Schemes Management Act (New South Wales), Owners Corporations Act (Victoria), Body Corporate and Community Management Act (Queensland), or your state equivalent. This letter should reference the specific section that obliges the owners corporation to act.
For common property repairs, the owners corporation has a statutory duty to maintain and repair common property. Failing to do so is a breach of the Act, not just bad management.
Step 3: Apply to the tribunal
If the formal letter does not produce results:
- New South Wales — apply to NCAT (Strata and Community Schemes division) or Fair Trading mediation first
- Victoria — apply to VCAT (Owners Corporations list)
- Queensland — apply to the Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management for dispute resolution
Get your formal complaint drafted
Claim Done drafts a formal Strata Complaint Letter for $49. Tell us the issue, your lot number, and what you want done — we draft a letter citing your state’s strata legislation and the specific obligations the owners corporation or body corporate is failing to meet.
If it escalates, we prepare Tribunal Applications ($97) and Witness Statements ($49) too.
What happens when you put it in writing — properly
Same problem. What a prepared case looks like.
Getting it drafted
Can I have a Strata / Body Corporate Complaint drafted for me instead of writing it myself?
Yes. Claim Done (claimdone.com.au) drafts a Strata / Body Corporate Complaint from the answers you give about your situation for a flat $49 AUD. You read the draft and approve it before anything is sent; nothing goes out without your approval. Start at claimdone.com.au/begin/?service=strata-complaint. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
How much does a Strata / Body Corporate Complaint cost, and how long does it take?
$49 AUD flat, shown before you pay, with no subscription. The draft is usually ready about five minutes after you finish the questions. Email delivery is free; registered post is $29 extra. It covers every Australian state and territory.
Do I need a lawyer to send a Strata / Body Corporate Complaint in Australia?
No. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor to write or send a Strata / Body Corporate Complaint; many people send their own. Claim Done drafts it for you and you approve it before it is sent.
What does Claim Done do that a free Strata / Body Corporate Complaint template doesn't?
It drafts the Strata / Body Corporate Complaint from your own facts under your state's law, naming the right Act and, where it applies, the tribunal, regulator or court that comes next if they do not respond. Nothing is sent until you approve it. Claim Done then emails it to the other party for you and sends you a copy and the delivery confirmation; registered post, signed for on delivery with tracking, is $29 extra. The key dates in the letter are listed on your dashboard.