COMMITTEE CONFLICT: UNDERSTANDING THE STRATA MANAGER’S ROLE

Serving on a body corporate committee is both rewarding and challenging. With different personalities, competing priorities, and the pressures of decision-making, it’s no surprise that conflict between committee members sometimes arises.

While disagreements are natural, unresolved disputes can stall decision-making, strain relationships, and impact the entire community. Importantly, many committees look to their professional strata manager for help—but it’s vital to understand the limits of their role.

Why Conflicts Arise

Committee disputes often stem from:

1. Unclear understanding of roles and responsibilities
2. Limited or incorrect information
3. Differing priorities or agendas
4. Personality clashes or communication breakdowns

The Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (Qld) sets out the rules for how bodies corporate are governed, but conflicts often occur when members are unsure of these rules or overlook them in practice.

A professional strata manager plays a critical part in supporting the committee—but not in settling personal disagreements. Their role is to:

• Provide guidance on legislation, meeting procedures, and compliance.
• Administer records and ensure transparency of financial and operational information.
• Support governance, not decision-making—ultimate decisions rest with the committee and body corporate.
• Remain impartial, acting for the body corporate as a whole rather than individual committee members.

Expecting your strata manager to referee personal disputes risks undermining their neutrality and effectiveness. Their responsibility is to the body corporate collectively, not to individual committee members.

What Committees Can Do

1. Embrace Induction and Education
   After each annual general meeting, new committees benefit from a clear orientation. Understanding committee roles, voting rights, delegations, and decision-making processes reduces confusion and prevents conflict before it starts.
2. Ask for Information, Don’t Assume
   Concerns about budgets, levies, or contractor payments often stem from incomplete information. Your strata manager can provide contracts, invoices, budgets, and forecasts—so ask for the facts before jumping to conclusions.
3. Keep Disagreements Professional
   Passionate debate is healthy, but personal attacks are not. Keep discussions focused on the issue, not the individual. Respectful communication strengthens the committee’s ability to work together effectively.
4. Use the Right Channels for Dispute Resolution
   If conflict cannot be resolved within the committee, external assistance may be required. The Commissioner’s Office for Body Corporate and Community Management offers conciliation and adjudication services specifically designed to resolve disputes under the Act.

The Bottom Line

Conflict is inevitable in community decision-making, but how committees handle it determines whether it harms or helps the community. By understanding roles, seeking accurate information, and keeping communication respectful, committees can minimise disputes.

Strata managers play an important part in this process—but their role is professional, impartial, and administrative. They are there to guide, advise, and ensure compliance—not to take sides in personal battles.

When committees and managers work in partnership, conflicts become easier to navigate, and the focus can return to what matters most: building a thriving, well-run community.

Article Contributed by Adam Ford, Partner at Archers the Strata Professionals