Strata education
What is strata? A guide for new owners and committees
21 Jun 26
3 min read
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Rights, health & safety
Understand who does what, who to contact and what owners and tenants need to know when living in a strata property.
Need help understanding who to contact?
Living in strata means there are private lots, shared areas and scheme rules that apply to everyone using the property.
Owners usually have formal rights and responsibilities as members of the owners corporation or body corporate. Tenants and other residents may not have the same voting rights as lot owners, but they still need to follow the rules that apply to the building or community.
The main challenge is knowing which issue belongs to the tenant, landlord, property manager, strata manager, committee or owners corporation.
This guide explains the general pathway.
One of the biggest sources of confusion in strata is knowing who manages what.
For tenants, the landlord or property manager is usually the first contact for tenancy questions, repairs inside the rented property or concerns about the lot. If the issue relates to common property or the wider scheme, it may need to be raised through the strata pathway.
For owners, the strata manager, committee or body corporate manager is usually the right contact for common property matters, levies, scheme records and owners corporation or body corporate administration.
Strata lot owners have rights within the scheme, along with responsibilities to other owners, residents and shared property.
Owners can usually take part in key scheme decisions. This may include:
Owners are generally responsible for:
These contributions help fund shared scheme costs such as administration, insurance, maintenance and future works. For more detail, read our Strata Levies guide.
Tenants and other occupiers have rights within their tenancy, along with responsibilities to follow the rules that apply to the strata scheme or body corporate.
Tenants have rights under tenancy laws, including rights around the rented premises, repairs, privacy and quiet enjoyment.
They can use shared areas and facilities available to residents, provided they follow the scheme rules that apply to the property.
Tenant rights do not usually include the same voting or decision-making rights as lot owners.
Tenants need to follow the scheme rules that apply to the building or community.
For tenancy matters, repairs inside the rented property, access questions or concerns about the lot, tenants usually start with their landlord or property manager.
Some requests can involve more than one approval, especially where they affect shared areas, common property or scheme rules.
For more detail on scheme rules, read our Strata By-laws guide.
Tenant participation in strata schemes can vary by state, territory and scheme type.
In some cases, tenants may be able to receive information, attend certain meetings or be represented in a limited way. This does not usually give tenants the same voting or decision-making rights as lot owners.
Where a tenant wants an issue raised formally, the first step is usually to contact the landlord or property manager and ask how the matter should be submitted.
The right contact depends on whether the issue relates to the tenancy, the individual lot, common property, shared facilities or the wider scheme.
In most cases, the first step is to identify what the issue affects, then raise it through the right contact pathway.
For repairs inside a rental property, the tenant’s first contact is the landlord or property manager. If the issue involves common property or shared services, they can raise it through the strata pathway.
For shared areas, building systems, access ways or common facilities, owners can contact the strata manager, strata committee or body corporate manager.
Tenants can report common property concerns to their landlord or property manager, who can pass the issue on through the appropriate channel.
For pets, tenants need to check both the tenancy agreement and the scheme rules.
Landlord or property manager approval may be required under the tenancy agreement, and owners corporation or body corporate approval may also apply depending on the scheme.
Parking, noise and shared area issues are usually guided by the scheme rules that apply to the building.
Owners can raise ongoing concerns with the strata manager, committee or body corporate manager. Tenants can raise the issue through their landlord or property manager, particularly where the concern affects the tenancy or another resident’s behaviour.
Levy notices, owner account statements and available financial records sit with the owner side of the scheme. Lot owners can contact the strata manager or body corporate manager for these matters.
Tenants do not usually deal directly with strata levies.
Owners need to check the scheme rules before starting works that affect common property, shared services, external appearance or other lots.
Tenants need landlord or property manager approval before making changes to the rented property. Scheme approval can also apply depending on the type of change.
This is general guidance only. The correct contact pathway can vary depending on the lease, building, by-laws, state legislation, scheme documents and management agreement.
Many strata issues start with uncertainty about the right process. Noise, parking, pets, repairs, smoking, rubbish, access and use of shared areas can involve different people depending on the issue.
Before escalating a concern, it can help to:
Owners may be able to raise some matters directly with the strata manager, committee or body corporate manager. Tenants will often need to start with their landlord or property manager, especially where the issue relates to the tenancy or rented lot.
If the issue continues, the next step may involve the owners corporation, body corporate, property manager, dispute resolution process, tribunal pathway or relevant state authority, depending on the location and circumstances.
At Bright & Duggan, our strata managers help keep communication organised and shared property matters moving through the right channels.
General Advice Disclaimer
The information in this article is general in nature and does not constitute legal, property, tenancy or compliance advice. Requirements can vary depending on the building, scheme, by-laws, state or territory, managing agent and individual circumstances. Owners, tenants and residents should seek advice where required.
