Can we self-manage our strata in NSW?

Who takes responsibility?

Every lot owner belongs to the owners corporation. The committee helps carry out its decisions, with roles such as secretary and treasurer. Removing a paid manager does not remove the work or give one owner authority to make every decision.

Start by understanding who may decide, who may act and what needs an owners corporation meeting. Keep that distinction visible when you divide up jobs.

• NSW Government: who’s who in strata →
• NSW Government: appointing and removing strata managers →

Five questions to discuss with your neighbours

Use these as a conversation starter, whether you already do the work or are weighing up a change. A small number of lots alone does not make a building simple to manage.

• Who will handle correspondence, finances, meeting preparation and maintenance follow-up? Name a person for each area.
• Who can cover those jobs during holidays, illness or a sale? Avoid making one person the only way to access a record.
• Can the committee find the current accounts, insurance, minutes and outstanding jobs? List the gaps before choosing a changeover date.
• Can owners discuss spending and repairs constructively? Decide how disagreements will be recorded and taken to the right meeting.
• What needs outside expertise? Allow for the building’s actual condition, unresolved claims, major works and disputes.

Is self-management suitable for four, six, eight or ten lots?

Lot count helps you estimate the subscription, but it cannot tell you how much work the building needs. A four-lot scheme with a major defect or an unresolved dispute may need more help than a larger building with settled routines and complete records.

For a small apartment block or townhouse scheme, start with the shared property and current jobs. List what needs regular attention, who is available and what requires outside help. A practical fit means owners can keep that work moving, including when the usual volunteer is away.

• See subscription examples for small schemes →

What does a strata manager do that owners would take on?

Check the work actually delegated in your agreement. It may include meeting administration, records and financial administration. For each service, decide who would carry it out, what support they would use and how the next committee would take over.

An online platform helps organise the information and steps. Someone still needs to review a notice, respond to correspondence, arrange a contractor or follow up an unexplained bill. If the committee has no reliable way to cover essential work, resolve that gap before changing arrangements.

• NSW Government: appointing and removing strata managers →
• Compare the platform’s help with your committee’s responsibilities →

What does the work look like in practice?

Think about a shared gutter repair. Someone records the leak, confirms the next step, arranges access, gathers the information needed for a decision, follows up with the contractor and keeps the invoice and outcome together. A shared platform can make that sequence easier to follow; it cannot inspect the gutter or make the decision for you.

Try listing last month’s jobs and estimating the time each took. Include the short follow-ups as well as meetings. Then ask whether that workload can be shared consistently, rather than assuming that an enthusiastic volunteer will always be available.

• See how SimpliStrata organises tasks and records →

Compare the whole cost

Compare your current management agreement and extra charges with a realistic owner-led budget. Include the platform subscription, any bookkeeping or professional support you expect to use, transition work and the committee’s time.

Building expenses still need funding. A change in management arrangements does not remove repair bills or make existing commitments disappear. Record what your comparison includes so other owners can challenge the assumptions.

• Use the management fee comparison calculator →
• NSW Government: levies, finances and insurance →

Agree a plan before making the change

Write down the proposed roles, costs, outside support and first jobs. If you have a manager, review the agreement and follow the required decision and notice process before treating the arrangement as ended.

If nobody can cover the work, consider what help you need before proceeding. Already self-managing? Use the same exercise to check whether responsibility has quietly accumulated with one owner.

• Plan the move from your strata manager →