The strata manager keeps awarding contracts to the same trades without quotes. They won’t return your emails. The agency agreement was extended without a vote. Strata managers in Australia are licensed professionals with statutory duties of good faith, transparency and proper procurement — and breaches can be formally challenged.
The regulatory framework in your state
NSW: Property and Stock Agents Act 2002 plus the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015. Strata managers must be licensed, must disclose commissions and connections, and owe fiduciary duties to the owners corporation. NSW Fair Trading regulates licensing; NCAT handles disputes. VIC: Owners Corporations Act 2006 (VCAT, plus Consumer Affairs Victoria for licensing). QLD: Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997, BCCM Commissioner; agents licensed under Property Occupations Act 2014. WA: Strata Titles Act 1985 (SAT). SA: Land Agents Act 1994 plus Strata Titles Act 1988 (SACAT). ACT: Agents Act 2003 plus Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 (ACAT). TAS: Property Agents and Land Transactions Act 2016 (RMPAT). NT: Agents Licensing Act 1979 plus Unit Title Schemes Act 2009 (NTCAT).
Common defences and why they fail
“The agency agreement permits it.” Agreements cannot override statutory disclosure duties or contract out of fiduciary obligations. “Commissions are industry standard.” Standard or not, undisclosed commissions are a clear regulatory breach. “We’ve always extended without a vote.” Procedural shortcuts cannot waive the requirement for proper resolution. “You’re just one owner.” Any single lot owner has standing to raise a strata complaint about manager conduct.
What the document does
A Strata Complaint regarding manager misconduct identifies the specific conduct (commission disclosure failure, procurement breach, neglect of duty), cites the relevant Act and licensing regulations, and demands either remediation, removal, or formal explanation. It also forms the basis of a Fair Trading or licensing-body complaint if needed.
What Claim Done delivers
For a flat $79, Claim Done drafts the strata complaint with the correct statutory framing for your state, properly identifying the breach and the remedies sought. A specialist strata lawyer would charge $600–$1,000 for the same document.
What happens after
Strata managers facing a properly-drafted complaint typically engage quickly because the next step — a formal complaint to the licensing regulator — can affect their licence. If misconduct continues, the matter escalates to your state tribunal for removal or to the licensing body for sanctions.