Strata software NSW: 2026 laws and what to look for

The main law is the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW). Plans and lots are created under the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW).
NSW Fair Trading offers free strata mediation; the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) is the last resort.
Since 27 October 2025, building managers must act promptly on maintenance, repair and safety issues and disclose benefits and connections.
Since 1 October 2026, strata committee members must complete free online training each year, within 3 months of appointment.

What are the NSW strata terms?

In NSW, all the lot owners together form the owners corporation. They elect a strata committee, and many schemes appoint a strata managing agent and, in larger buildings, a building manager. Owners pay levies into an administrative fund and a capital works fund. Most of the new strata laws also apply to community land schemes.

Which laws apply to NSW strata schemes?

The Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) covers how schemes are run: meetings, by-laws, repairs, levies, records and disputes. The Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW) covers creating lots and common property. NSW Fair Trading publishes plain-English guidance on both.

What changed in 2025 and 2026?

NSW has been rolling out strata reforms in stages, with changes starting on 1 July 2025, 27 October 2025, 1 April 2026 and 1 October 2026.

Start date	Key change
1 July 2025	New duties for strata committee members, unfair contract terms banned in standard-form supply contracts, repairs and maintenance improvements, higher record inspection fees
27 October 2025	Extra building manager duties, a standard payment-plan form for overdue levies, a Financial Hardship Information Statement with levy notices, more Fair Trading enforcement powers
1 April 2026	Standard forms for 10-year capital works fund plans and initial maintenance schedules; independent surveyor certification for new multi-storey schemes
1 October 2026	Annual online training for strata committee members; two-lot schemes no longer report annually on Strata Hub

Building manager duties

A building manager must act in the owners corporation's best interest and act promptly and with due diligence to bring maintenance, repair or safety issues to its attention, including problems they ought to be aware of, such as overdue lift servicing. They must also propose how a problem should be fixed, and give written notice of benefits, connections and financial interests. See our guide to NSW building manager duties.

Committee training

New and returning committee members must complete a free, one-hour, self-paced course on Strata Hub each year, within 3 months of appointment. Exemptions include two-lot schemes, NSW strata managing agents, members of the Australian College of Strata Lawyers and people filling a casual vacancy for less than 3 months. More in NSW strata committee training.

How are strata disputes resolved in NSW?

NSW Fair Trading suggests four steps: talk to the other person, contact the owners corporation, use Fair Trading's free mediation service, and then apply to NCAT. Mediation is compulsory for most strata disputes before an NCAT application, though some matters (such as access to a lot for repairs, or inspection of records) go straight to the Tribunal. A written record of what was reported, and when, makes every step easier.

What should NSW strata software record?

A dated history of every maintenance, repair and safety issue, with status changes and who acted.
Notices to owners and residents, and when they were sent.
Quotes the committee compared before a decision.
An exportable change log you can produce for a committee meeting, mediation or NCAT.

How Watchdog Strata helps

Watchdog Strata gives NSW building managers a time-stamped maintenance and defect record with photos, video and internal notes, plus a full change history you can export to CSV, Excel or PDF. Committees can compare quotes and run an owners' poll in the same app; formal decisions still follow the Act's meeting rules. Watchdog does not do trust accounting or levy collection.

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

Questions people ask

What law governs strata in NSW?

The Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) governs how strata schemes are run. The Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 (NSW) covers how lots and common property are created.

Do NSW strata committee members have to do training?

Yes. From 1 October 2026, new and returning strata committee members must complete free online training on Strata Hub each year, within 3 months of being appointed. Some people are exempt, including members of two-lot schemes.

What duties do NSW building managers have since October 2025?

Since 27 October 2025, building managers must act in the owners corporation’s best interest, act promptly to raise and propose fixes for maintenance, repair and safety issues, and disclose benefits, connections and financial interests in writing.

Where do NSW strata disputes go?

Most disputes start with talking it through and the owners corporation, then NSW Fair Trading’s free mediation service. If that fails, you can apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).

Strata software in NSW: what the law expects in 2026