Strata Compliance Now: The Monthly Checklist That Saves Your Scheme
QLD amendments are now in force and Victorian strata standards still apply. For body corporate managers and caretaking service contractors, that means it’s time to re-audit engagement terms, by-laws, conflicts registers, and records to confirm code-of-conduct and notice/meeting compliance—before risk turns into disputes, terminations, or penalties.
1) Introduction: The Compliance Wake-Up Call
“We’ve always done it this way” is not a defence. When Maya, a Brisbane-based body corporate manager, fielded a challenge to an AGM decision because a third-party benefit wasn’t disclosed, it became a turning point. The board wanted certainty; vendors wanted direction; residents wanted transparency. The solution wasn’t heroics—it was disciplined documentation and a repeatable monthly checklist.
What small teams feel
- Ambiguity on who discloses benefits and when.
- Outdated e-service practices making notices vulnerable to challenge.
- Siloed records (email, cloud, paper) with no single source of truth.
2) What Changed—and Why It Matters Now
QLD body corporate amendments lift the bar on conduct, notices, and meeting practices, while Victorian strata manager standards continue to demand transparent, professional operations.
QLD specifics
- Code-of-conduct expectations and modernised meeting/notice requirements.
- Re-audit of engagement terms and by-laws to reflect current legislation.
- No licensing requirement (yet) for QLD body corporate managers—which means your internal standards, training, and documentation matter even more.
VIC context
- Professional standards continue to apply for strata managers, with heightened expectations on conflicts, disclosures, and record-keeping.
Bottom line
Regulators care about process integrity. If your process is weak, even good decisions can be invalidated.
3) Risk Alert: Where Decisions Get Unwound
Three pitfalls repeatedly trigger disputes, terminations, or penalties:
- Undisclosed commissions/benefits. If suppliers offer rebates, referral fees, or perks, minute them—every time.
- Weak conflict management. Stale or incomplete conflicts registers undermine trust and can invalidate votes.
- Outdated electronic service and meeting practices. Wrong notice periods, improper service, or non-compliant agendas create fertile ground for challenges.
“If it isn’t disclosed, it didn’t happen. If it isn’t minuted, it won’t stand.”
Operational ripple effects
- Insurance claims scrutinised due to poor preventive maintenance logs.
- Fire safety schedules falling out of sync with budgets and approvals.
- Committee turnover amplifying knowledge gaps and inconsistent practice.
4) Roles, Boundaries, and Accountability
Clarity on who does what keeps you out of trouble.
Body corporate vs. strata manager vs. caretaking service contractor
- Body corporate/owners’ corporation: Ultimately responsible for governance and decisions; must maintain common property in good and structurally sound condition.
- Strata/body corporate manager: Administrative, procedural support, records, meetings, education—not usually contractually obligated to provide legal compliance advice to committees.
- Resident manager/caretaker: Onsite service delivery; does not enforce by-laws but can educate owners/occupiers about them.
By-laws and local rules
Owners can (and often do) make specific by-laws for their complex. Keep them current and consistent with state legislation; retire obsolete clauses.
5) Document or Get Out: The Single Source of Truth
“Document your business or get out.” It’s blunt, but it’s the difference between repeatable compliance and reputational roulette.
Build a system remote teams can follow
- Single source of truth: Central repository for by-laws, engagement terms, conflicts/insurance registers, maintenance plans, and templates.
- Version control + permissions: Lock templates, audit changes, and track who approved what and when.
- Remote-ready SOPs: Short, step-by-step guides for issuing notices, minuting disclosures, logging conflicts, and scheduling preventive maintenance—so contractors and remote staff follow the same playbook.
Practical tip
Attach SOP links inside calendar tasks and meeting agendas to force adoption at the moment of work.
6) The Monthly Compliance Checklist (Working Example)
This is where Maya’s team turned anxiety into certainty.
Core workflow
- Minute all third-party benefits: Add a standing agenda item for disclosures at every meeting; record amounts, sources, and beneficiaries.
- Update conflicts and insurance registers: Capture new vendor relationships, committee changes, and policy renewals with expiry alerts.
- Verify preventive maintenance and fire safety schedules against budgets: Cross-check contractor reports, invoices, and forecast variances for committee visibility.
- Pre-prepare compliant agendas and motions for AGMs/EGMs: Use jurisdiction-specific templates with correct notice periods and quorum rules.
- Records audit: Confirm meeting packs, minutes, and resolutions are stored centrally with searchable naming conventions.
- By-law health check: Flag outdated or conflicting clauses for committee review and legal advice where needed.
Result within 60 days
- Zero missed disclosures; conflicts register updated monthly.
- Meeting prep time cut by 40% with pre-approved templates.
- No challenges on service of notices or agenda defects.
7) Meetings and E-Service: Fixing the Last Mile
Most disputes surface at meetings—so harden the process.
Non-negotiables
- Notice and service: Align to QLD/VIC rules; verify email consent and maintain service records.
- Agenda discipline: Clear motions, disclosures early, conflicts noted, and voting eligibility confirmed.
- Hybrid-ready: Test technology, record attendance, and document proxies. Keep a backup dial-in and a “tech fail” protocol.
Education beats enforcement
Managers and caretakers can’t enforce by-laws, but they can run quarterly education touchpoints for owners and occupiers, reducing infringements before they escalate.
8) Outcome and Next Steps: Compliance as a Competitive Edge
By month three, Maya’s team had clean minutes, airtight notices, and a transparent conflicts trail. The committee’s confidence returned, vendors respected the process, and residents saw faster resolutions because decisions stuck. Compliance stopped being a cost and started being a moat.
Action plan for this week
- Re-audit engagement terms, by-laws, and conflict/insurance registers.
- Stand up a central repository with templates and SOPs.
- Adopt the monthly checklist and calendarise it with owners’ meeting cycles.
- Brief the committee: roles, disclosures, and meeting protocols.
Protect decisions, protect relationships, protect value—one checklist cycle at a time.
