Quick answer
This almost always comes down to notices going out through inconsistent channels with no record of what was sent, to whom, and when. Fix it by using one method for formal notices, keeping a record of every notice sent, and giving owners a single place to check current and past communications for themselves.
Sounds familiar?
- An owner disputes a notice or a decision, insisting they were never told
- Notices go out through whichever method was convenient at the time — email one month, a notice board flyer the next
- There's no record of who was actually sent a given notice or when
- Owners find out about works or decisions from each other rather than from the committee
- The committee can't quickly produce evidence that a notice was sent when a dispute arises
Why it happens
- Notices are sent through mixed channels — email, letterbox drops, noticeboards — without a consistent method
- There's no record kept of what was sent, when, or to which owners
- Contact details for owners are out of date or incomplete
- Committee members send informal updates personally instead of through a proper notice process
- Owners have no ongoing place to check past notices, so they rely entirely on remembering an email from months ago
Key takeaways
- Disputes over notice usually come from inconsistent channels, not deliberate omission.
- Notice methods and timing requirements vary by state — check your legislation for what applies to each type of notice.
- Keep a record of every notice sent, including the method, date and recipients.
- Give owners a standing place to check past and current notices themselves.
- Informal updates from committee members shouldn't replace a formal notice when one's required.
What to do about it
- 1Agree one primary method for formal notices to owners and use it consistently
- 2Check your state's legislation for what notice methods and periods are actually required for different types of communication
- 3Keep a simple record every time a notice goes out — what it was, when it was sent, and to whom
- 4Update owner contact details regularly, and follow up with owners whose details bounce or are missing
- 5Give owners a place to see current and past notices themselves, rather than relying only on what lands in their inbox
- 6Avoid informal one-off updates from individual committee members for anything that should be a formal notice
- 7Confirm any notice about works or decisions before they proceed, not only after
- 8Keep evidence of sending — not just the content — so a dispute over whether a notice went out can be resolved quickly
Why "we were never told" keeps coming up
This complaint is rarely about a single missed email. It's usually a sign that a scheme has no consistent way of getting information to owners, and no record it can point to when someone disputes that they received something. If one notice went out by email, another by letterbox drop, and a third was mentioned briefly at a meeting the owner didn't attend, it's genuinely possible — and entirely believable — that some owners missed it.
Committees are often confident they communicated something because they remember sending it. But memory isn't evidence. When a dispute arises, what actually matters is being able to show what was sent, through what method, and when.
Know what your state actually requires
Notice requirements — methods, timing, and what must be included — vary between states and depend on the type of notice (a general meeting, a by-law change, a levy notice, and so on). Don't assume a method that worked for one type of notice is adequate for another, and don't rely on informal channels like a noticeboard or a verbal mention at a meeting to satisfy a formal requirement. Check your state's strata legislation or regulator for what applies, and if in doubt, ask a strata manager or the relevant authority rather than guessing.
Pick one method and stick to it
Consistency matters more than which specific method you choose. If owners know that formal notices always come through the same channel, they're more likely to notice and read them — and the committee has a much simpler story to tell if a notice is disputed later. Mixing methods project to project makes it easy for a notice to blend into the background or be missed entirely.
Keep evidence, not just intentions
A record of what was sent should include the content, the date, and ideally the list of owners it went to. This doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need to exist somewhere reliable. When an owner says they were never told, the committee should be able to answer in minutes, not by trying to reconstruct events from memory or scattered email threads.
Give owners somewhere to check for themselves
Even with the best process, some owners will miss an individual notice — an email lands in spam, someone's travelling, a letterbox drop gets lost with the junk mail. A standing place where owners can see current and past notices reduces disputes because owners can check for themselves rather than relying entirely on catching every individual message.
Don't let informal updates replace formal notice
It's common and reasonable for committee members to chat informally with owners about what's coming up. The risk is when an informal chat becomes the only communication about something that should have gone out as a formal notice. Keep the two separate: informal updates are useful, but they don't replace a proper, recorded notice when one is required.
How Flex Strata helps
Flex Strata keeps notices to owners in one place with a record of what was sent and when, so the committee always has evidence to point to rather than relying on memory. Owners also get a standing place to check current and past notices themselves, which cuts down on disputes over whether something was communicated in the first place.
Where Flex Strata fits
Flex Strata sends notices to owners through one consistent channel and keeps a record of exactly what was sent and when, so the committee has evidence rather than memory when a dispute arises. Owners can also check current and past notices themselves in one place, reducing the chance something gets missed.
Common follow-up questions
Related answers
Step-by-step guides
How Strata Committees Communicate With Owners
Notices, requests and ballots are the three main channels a committee uses to talk to owners — here's how to keep them clear, fair and on the record.
Strata Committee Meeting Minutes: What Must Be Recorded
A practical template and checklist for strata committee meeting minutes — what to capture, how to word motions, and how long to keep records.
Cite this page
Flex Strata (2026). Owners Say They Were Never Told. Flex Strata by Strata Pages. https://flexstrata.com.au/committee-problems/owners-say-they-were-never-told
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