COMMITTEE DECISIONS – STEPS TO SUCCESS

In apartment buildings and townhouse complexes, strata committees make crucial decisions on behalf of all owners. These decisions can range from setting budgets and approving major repairs to handling disputes and enforcing by-laws. Yet, a common and concerning pattern emerges time and again: strata committee members often make decisions without thoroughly reviewing the background information provided to them.

This behaviour isn’t necessarily due to apathy or negligence—it often stems from systemic, structural, and human factors. But the consequences can be significant: poor financial outcomes, legal liability, disputes among owners, and tension with service providers. Understanding why this happens—and how the role of professional strata managers fits in—is essential for improving governance and protecting the interests of all stakeholders.

1. The Volunteer Dilemma

Strata committee members are unpaid volunteers. Many hold day jobs and have limited time to dedicate to strata matters. Between work, family, and personal obligations, reading technical reports, legal advice or detailed financial documents can fall to the bottom of the list.

Outcome: When meetings arrive, decisions may be made based on verbal overviews or gut feelings, rather than an informed review of the facts.

2. Information Fatigue and Complexity

A strata committee might receive dozens of pages of reports from engineers, legal advisors, contractors, and consultants—particularly in large or aging buildings. While thorough, this material can be overwhelming and jargon-heavy.

Result: Members may skim reports, misunderstand key issues, or overlook important risks or financial implications.

3. Over-Reliance on the Strata Manager

The strata manager plays a critical role in advising committees, administering records, liaising with owners, managing finances, and ensuring compliance with the relevant legislation. But they are not decision-makers—that responsibility lies with the elected committee.

Still, many committees lean heavily on their strata manager for interpretations and recommendations and sometimes do not accept their guidance resulting in non-compliance with legislative requirements, resulting in disputes.

🟡 Important Distinction: A good strata manager supports the committee by preparing background material, flagging risks, and offering informed recommendations or options. But it’s ultimately the committee’s duty to read, understand, and own the decisions they make.

4. Group Dynamics and Lack of Focus

Strata meetings can have packed agendas with high priority matters to decide but can get off track with members raising discussion about new or unrelated items not on the agenda. Some members may be asking questions that have already had answers but haven’t read the documents ahead of the meeting. Others may simply want to “move things along” or worse still, not make any decision at all.

Consequence: Decisions get held up or are made in haste, often to avoid potential risk or conflicts and the perception of inefficiency.

5. Access to Training and Resources

While training for committee members is not mandatory, there are excellent educational resources available to help committee members understand their responsibilities and make informed decisions.

• The Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management (BCCM) provides free guides, fact sheets, webinars, and dispute resolution advice tailored to Queensland schemes.
• Smart Strata offers online training sessions, extensive resource library of articles, and live panel events across QLD, designed to help committee members stay informed on legal, technical, and governance issues.

Taking advantage of these resources empowers committees to lead with clarity and confidence.

The Vital Role of the Strata Manager

Strata managers bring essential structure and expertise to committee operations. Their role includes:

• Preparing and distributing meeting materials in a timely, accessible format
• Summarising key issues and providing context to support decision-making
• Flagging compliance risks under state legislation
• Liaising with contractors and professionals to gather accurate, detailed quotes or reports
• Ensuring records and decisions are properly documented

However, strata managers do not replace the judgment or responsibility of the committee. Their guidance is only as effective as the committee’s willingness to engage with it.

How to Fix the Disconnect

Improving decision-making in strata committees requires cultural, procedural, and educational change. Some key strategies include:

✅ Structured Pre-Reading: Strata managers can assist by clearly highlighting critical issues in agendas and attaching executive summaries to complex documents.
✅ Committee Education: Make use of training tools from the BCCM and Smart Strata to improve decision-making confidence.
✅ Encouraging Inquiry: Committees should cultivate a culture where asking questions or requesting time to read is not seen as disruptive—but as diligent.
✅ Professional Advice When Needed: For legal, structural, or high-value matters, engaging independent experts is not a luxury—it’s a duty.
✅ Clear Records of Decisions: Minutes should reflect not just what was decided, but what was reviewed and discussed—this protects the committee and improves transparency.

Final Thoughts

Strata committees are entrusted with managing valuable communal assets, often worth millions of dollars. While their members are volunteers, the decisions they make can have real financial and legal consequences.

Strata managers are there to guide, support, and protect—but not to decide. For a committee to function effectively, each member must take responsibility for being informed, engaged, and accountable.

Informed decisions aren’t just best practice for Committee decisions—they’re a safeguard for the entire community.

Article Contributed by Grant Mifsud, Partner at Archers the Strata Professionals