Quick answer
Before engaging a strata contractor, check they hold a current licence for the work, valid public liability insurance (typically at least $10-20 million for common property work), workers compensation cover if they employ staff, and a certificate of currency that hasn't lapsed. Keep these on file and re-check before every significant job, not just at first engagement.
Key takeaways
- Always sight a current certificate of currency, not a verbal assurance of insurance.
- Licences and insurance expire — recheck cover before every significant job, not just at first engagement.
- A useful contractor register tracks licence, insurance expiry and job history, not just contact details.
- Quotes and comparisons should stay attached to the job, protecting the committee if a decision is questioned later.
Why vetting contractors matters
Common property is shared risk. If an uninsured or unlicensed contractor causes damage or an injury while working on the building, the owners corporation can be left exposed. A five-minute check before engaging someone is far cheaper than the alternative.
What to check before engaging a contractor
Licensing
Confirm the contractor holds the correct trade licence for the work — electrical, plumbing, gas fitting and building work generally require specific licences in every state. A licence check with the relevant state authority takes minutes.
Public liability insurance
Most schemes require contractors working on common property to carry public liability insurance, commonly at a minimum of $10-20 million depending on the scope and risk of the work. Ask for the certificate of currency, not just a verbal assurance.
Workers compensation
If the contractor employs staff, they should carry workers compensation cover. Sole traders may hold personal accident cover instead — check what applies in your state.
Certificate of currency, and its expiry date
A certificate of currency is only proof of cover as at the date it was issued. Insurance lapses, and a contractor engaged six months ago on a valid certificate may no longer be covered today. This is the single most common gap in strata contractor management — nobody re-checks after the first job.
Building a contractor register that actually works
A useful register isn't just a list of names and phone numbers. It should track:
- Licence details and expiry
- Insurance type, cover amount and certificate expiry date
- Past job history and any issues raised
- Notes from the committee on reliability and quality
Red flags worth pausing on
- Reluctance to provide a certificate of currency
- A licence that doesn't match the trade being performed
- No fixed business address or ABN
- Pressure to start work before paperwork is confirmed
- No history or references for larger jobs
Getting quotes without losing the paper trail
For anything beyond routine work, get quotes from more than one contractor and keep them attached to the job, not scattered across separate emails. This also protects the committee if a decision is later questioned — the quotes on file show the comparison that was actually made.
Re-checking cover, not just at onboarding
Insurance and licences expire. A register that only checks cover the first time a contractor is engaged will quietly go stale. The safest approach is to flag cover that's expired or expiring soon before a new work order is issued, not after the job is already underway.
How Flex Strata helps
Flex Strata's contractor register holds licence and insurance details, cover dates and job history in one place, with cover badges that flag an expired certificate of currency before a work order is sent — so an out-of-date insurance certificate doesn't slip through because nobody thought to check. Contractors can submit quotes through a public link without needing their own login, keeping the quote attached to the right job from the start.
A quick pre-engagement checklist
- Is the trade licence current and does it match the work?
- Is public liability insurance current, with cover appropriate to the job?
- Is workers compensation (or personal accident cover) in place if required?
- Has the certificate of currency been sighted, not just claimed?
- Is there a note of past performance if this contractor has worked for the building before?
Keeping the committee's own risk in check
Even with a solid register, the committee should keep its own insurance — including office bearers' liability — current and understand what it does and doesn't cover when engaging outside contractors. That's a conversation worth having with your broker, not something to assume.
Common follow-up questions
Cite this page
Flex Strata (2026). Choosing and Vetting Strata Contractors: An Insurance Checklist. Flex Strata by Strata Pages. https://flexstrata.com.au/blog/choosing-and-vetting-strata-contractors
Committee updates
The committee playbook, by email
One short email a month: meeting templates, compliance reminders and plain-English strata explainers for committees. No sales spam.
Keep reading
Strata Maintenance Work Orders: A Clear Process
From a resident's report to a signed-off invoice — the stages a strata maintenance work order should go through, and why skipping steps causes disputes.
Strata Compliance Register: A State-Agnostic Checklist
The recurring obligations most Australian strata schemes need to track, from fire safety to insurance renewal, and how to build a register that actually catches them.
How to Set Up a Maintenance Request Process for Your Strata Scheme
A clear intake path, sensible triage and honest updates turn maintenance requests from a source of complaints into a process owners trust.