Financial Hardship Reform: Protecting Vulnerable Owners or Creating New Risks for Owners Corporations
For years, the conversation around unpaid levies has been framed as a simple debt recovery issue. Owners Corporations levy fees, lot owners fail to pay, and recovery action follows. In practice, that approach has often prioritised enforcement over engagement, with recovery processes becoming entrenched before genuine attempts are made to understand the circumstances of the […]
From Product Defect to Building Defect: What Owners Corporations Should Learn from the Alucobond Decision
The Federal Court’s decision in Owners – Strata Plan No 87231 v 3A Composites GmbH (No 10) [2026] FCA 351 is one of the most significant cladding decisions delivered in Australia in recent years. At first glance, the case appears to be about combustible cladding. More specifically, it concerned claims brought against the manufacturers and […]
Defects Don’t Wait for Committees: Why the Most Expensive Decision is Often Doing Nothing
A water stain appears on a ceiling. A crack forms in a basement wall. An owner mentions a balcony that “doesn’t quite feel right”. None of these issues appears urgent. Yet some of the most expensive building defect claims begin with symptoms that initially appeared minor and manageable. The issue is raised at a committee […]
More Regulation, More Enforcement, More Compliance: Will the Owners Corporations Reforms Fix Governance?
The Victorian Government’s response to the statutory review of the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic) represents the most significant proposed overhaul of owners corporation governance since the legislation commenced almost two decades ago. The headline reforms have attracted considerable attention. Licensing of Owners Corporation managers. Expanded investigative and enforcement powers for Consumer Affairs Victoria. Increased […]
Victorian Owners Corporations Reform: Six Changes Every Committee Member Should Be Watching
The Victorian Government has now responded to the Expert Panel Review of the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic), signalling significant changes for Owners Corporations, lot owners and managers across the state. While legislation is still to be drafted, the Government has accepted or supported many of the Panel’s recommendations. For committee members and lot owners, […]
A New Era for Strata Contracts: Unfair Terms Now Banned in NSW
What if I told you that a single clause in your strata contract, one you’ve relied on for years, could now be void? From 1 July 2025, unfair contract terms in NSW strata agreements are no longer just bad practice, they’re unlawful. For the first time, owners corporations and community associations will be explicitly protected […]
When VCAT Isn’t an Option: The Interstate Respondent Problem
It’s an easy mistake to make. You have what looks like a straightforward claim. It fits within VCAT’s usual jurisdiction, so you prepare and file your application. Only afterwards do you realise the respondent is based outside Victoria. At that point, the real issue is no longer the strength of your claim. It is whether […]
The Developer Bond Scheme: A New Safety Net for Apartment Buyers
Victoria’s construction landscape is set for a meaningful shift with the introduction of the Developer Bond Scheme (DBS) under the Building Legislation Amendment (Buyer Protections) Act 2025 (Vic). At its core, the DBS is designed to restore confidence in apartment living—by ensuring there is money on the table if things go wrong. What is the […]
Latent Defect Insurance: A Longer-Term Safety Net
As Victoria continues to grapple with widespread building defects and declining consumer confidence, attention is increasingly turning to solutions that go beyond short-term protections. One such solution is Latent Defect Insurance (LDI), a product designed to provide longer-term, project-wide coverage for serious building issues. Unlike the Developer Bond Scheme (DBS), which focuses on early defect […]
Understanding Ordinary, Special and Unanimous Resolutions in Victorian Owners Corporations
Resolution Rules Resolution Rules: When “Ordinary” Isn’t Enough. What Every Lot Owner in Victoria Needs to Know Decisions in a Victorian owners corporation (OC) are not all created equal. Some matters, like approving the annual budget, can usually be decided by a simple majority. Others, like changing the rules, borrowing significant sums or raising large […]
WA Raises the Bar: New Education Standards Set to Transform Strata Management
New WA Strata Manager Qualifications New WA Strata Manager Qualifications: What the 2025 Education Reforms Mean for Strata Management Western Australia is entering a new era of professionalisation in strata management. With the introduction of the Lands Regulations (Community and Strata Titles) Amendment Regulations 2025 (WA) (the Amended Regulations), the State Government has implemented comprehensive […]
When Lifestyle Fees Collide with the Law: Lessons from Dowling v Lifestyle Management 2 Pty Ltd [2025] VCAT 590
A recent decision of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has significant implications for residential park operators and their residents. In Dowling v Lifestyle Management 2 Pty Ltd [2025] VCAT 590 (Dowling), Justice Woodward, President of VCAT, declared that Deferred Management Fee (DMF) clauses imposed under a series of Residential Site Agreements (RSAs) were void, and […]