Owners corporation software for ACT unit titles schemes
- Principal law: Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 (ACT), A2011-41, with the Unit Titles Act 2001 (ACT) for title matters.
- Vocabulary: owners corporation, executive committee, units plan, manager, levies.
- ACAT hears disputes about pets, the validity of resolutions and maintenance of common property.
- The Act was republished (R25) on 26 June 2026, and a 2026 housing and consumer affairs bill proposes more amendments.
What words does the ACT use?
Canberra uses "unit titles" rather than "strata". Each units plan has an owners corporation made up of all unit owners. It's run by an executive committee, which is the ACT's name for what NSW calls a strata committee. Many owners corporations also appoint a licensed manager. ACAT recognises applications from owners, occupiers, owners corporations, managers, executive committees and their members, and service contractors.
Who resolves unit titles disputes?
The ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) can resolve some kinds of disputes under the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 (ACT) and the Unit Titles Act 2001 (ACT). Examples include keeping a pet, the validity or merits of resolutions, and maintenance of common property. ACAT expects parties to try to resolve the dispute first. Cases usually start with a directions hearing and may go to mediation or a conference. Overdue levies are recovered separately as a debt in ACAT's civil jurisdiction. Appeals must be lodged within 28 days of a decision.
What changed recently?
The ACT Legislation Register shows the current version of the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 as republication R25, effective 26 June 2026. That republication incorporates amendments made by A2026-12, the Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Act 2026. The register also flags proposed amendments in the Housing and Consumer Affairs Legislation Amendment Bill 2026. Executive committees should watch that bill and check the current republication before relying on older guides.
How Watchdog Strata maps to ACT terms
| ACT term | In Watchdog Strata |
|---|---|
| Owners corporation members | "Owners" role from the owners register |
| Executive committee decisions | Quote comparison and an owners' poll (one vote per lot, results hidden until close). It informs the executive committee; formal resolutions follow the Act |
| Maintenance of common property | Tickets with photos, video, priority and a status timeline |
| Pets, occupiers, tenants | Tenant and resident roles; owner-occupiers add their own tenants with manager approval |
How Watchdog Strata helps
Common-property maintenance and the validity of decisions are two of the issues ACAT names. Watchdog Strata keeps a dated ticket history and records how owners' polls were run, which helps an executive committee show its working. It doesn't do levies or trust accounting. See maintenance and defects and quotes and voting.
General information only, not legal advice. Check the current legislation or ask a strata lawyer for your scheme.
Questions people ask
What is an executive committee in the ACT?
It is the elected committee that runs an owners corporation under the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 (ACT), similar to a strata committee in NSW.
Where do ACT unit titles disputes go?
To the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT), which hears disputes under the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 and the Unit Titles Act 2001. Parties are expected to try to resolve the dispute first.
Has the ACT unit titles law changed in 2026?
The Act was republished as R25 on 26 June 2026 to include amendments from A2026-12, and further amendments are proposed in a 2026 housing and consumer affairs bill.
Sources
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Open the live demo as an owner, a tenant or the building manager. No sign-up, and it resets every night.