Building manager vs strata manager: roles, licensing and how to complain

What does a strata manager do?

A strata manager, formally a strata managing agent, helps the owners corporation and strata committee run the scheme. The owners corporation chooses which functions to delegate. Typical jobs are calling and running meetings, issuing levy notices, collecting and banking levies, getting insurance, keeping financial records, preparing section 184 certificates, Strata Hub reporting and issuing notices to comply with by-laws (NSW Government – Who's who in strata).

The owners corporation cannot delegate decisions that must be made by the owners corporation, or the setting of levies (s 52(2) of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW)). Strata managers must report to the owners corporation every six months on the work they did for it.

Licensing

In NSW you need a strata managing agent licence under the Property and Stock Agents Act 2002 (NSW) to carry out an owners corporation's functions for it. There are two classes. Only a class 1 agent nominated as licensee in charge can authorise trust account withdrawals, and a class 2 licence must be held for two years before applying for class 1 (NSW Fair Trading – Strata managing agent licence). Some tasks need no licence, including issuing keys or access devices to existing residents and sending work orders to contractors with a licensee's authorisation.

Appointment terms

An appointment made at the first AGM lasts 12 months. Later appointments run for up to three years. The agent must give written notice of the end of the term three to six months beforehand, and the committee can extend the term for up to three months at a time until the next AGM (s 50). A developer, or a person connected with it, cannot be appointed strata manager until 10 years after the strata plan is registered (s 49(3)).

What does a building manager do?

A building manager, sometimes called a caretaker or facilities manager, looks after the building. NSW Fair Trading describes the role as managing common property (for example bins and recycling), controlling access to common property by tradespeople and non-residents, maintaining and repairing common property, and managing general safety, including fire safety. The building manager is generally the main contact for contractors on site (NSW Government – Who's who in strata).

A person engaged only to do repair or maintenance work on common property, such as a cleaner, gardener or plumber, and not appointed under a building manager agreement, is not a building manager.

Duties since 27 October 2025

Section 70A of the Act and the regulations now require building managers to:

• act in the owners corporation's best interests, unless doing so would be unlawful
• act promptly and with due diligence to raise repair, maintenance and safety issues they know about or ought to know about (for example an overdue lift service), and propose a fix
• give written notice of any benefit, and any connection with the supplier, when suggesting a contract
• disclose connections with suppliers or the developer and any financial interest in the scheme

Candidates must disclose expected benefits, such as referral fees, before appointment. NCAT can now end a building manager agreement if the manager carries on business contrary to law (NSW Government – Guide to strata law changes). Our building manager duties guide covers this in detail.

Side by side

A building manager is not eligible to be elected to the strata committee unless they own a lot in the scheme (s 32).

A property manager is different again: they act for a landlord, handling leases, bonds, inspections and tenant issues, and raise strata issues with the strata manager or owner.

What can owners expect?

• From the strata manager: levy notices with at least 30 days to pay, meeting notices and minutes on time, insurance quotes with commissions shown, and access to records when you ask (fees apply).
• From the building manager: prompt action on reported common property problems, safe access for trades, and honest disclosure of any links to contractors they recommend.

How do I complain about a strata or building manager?

1. Raise it with the strata committee. It instructs both managers and can speak to the licensee in charge of a strata agency.
2. Propose a motion for the next general meeting, for example to end the agreement or change instructions.
3. Strata manager conduct: lodge a complaint with NSW Fair Trading with evidence of a breach of the rules of conduct.
4. Building manager: apply for free Fair Trading mediation, naming the owners corporation as respondent. The owners corporation can also ask NCAT to vary or end the agreement.

Source: NSW Government – Complaints about a strata or building manager.

How Watchdog Strata helps

Watchdog Strata is built for building managers and gives owners visibility. Every maintenance ticket has a timestamped status history, owners see all building issues, and the audit trail can be exported for the committee or strata manager. It is A$999 per building per year with a three-month free trial; see how it works for building managers. It does not do trust accounting or levy collection, which stay with your strata manager.

General information only, not legal advice. Check the current legislation or ask a strata lawyer for your scheme.