Can someone who isn't an owner be on the strata committee?
Quick answer
Generally, strata committees are made up of owners or their nominated representatives (such as a company nominee or a person holding power of attorney), not unrelated non-owners. A few states allow limited exceptions. Check your state's legislation for exactly who is eligible.
Key takeaways
- Committee membership is generally limited to owners and their formal nominees
- Company nominees and powers of attorney are common recognised exceptions
- Strata managers and building managers are not committee members even if they attend meetings
Eligibility rules exist to keep the committee accountable to the people it represents — the owners — but there are recognised categories of representative that aren't the owner in person.
The general rule
Most state legislation limits committee membership to owners of lots in the scheme. Someone who isn't an owner and has no formal nomination relationship to one generally can't sit on the committee.
Common recognised exceptions
- A company or corporate owner can usually nominate an individual representative to sit on the committee in its place
- A person holding a valid power of attorney for an owner may be able to act on their behalf, depending on the state
- Some states allow a mortgagee in possession, or in specific circumstances a tenant, limited voting rights, but this is not the same as full committee eligibility everywhere — check your state's rules carefully
Strata managers and building managers
A strata manager or building manager is not a committee member, even where they attend meetings and carry out functions on the committee's behalf. Their role and access are separate from committee membership, and should be set up through their own manager access rather than a committee seat.
Why this varies by state and matters to check properly
Because eligibility affects whether resolutions passed by the committee are validly made, getting this wrong isn't a minor technicality — an improperly constituted committee can have its decisions challenged. Check your state's legislation or regulator, and your state's page — [NSW](/strata-committee/nsw), [VIC](/strata-committee/vic), [QLD](/strata-committee/qld) — before appointing anyone whose eligibility isn't straightforward.
Setting up access correctly
Whatever the committee's actual composition, Flex Strata's access settings should mirror it accurately — nominee representatives given a proper seat, managers given manager-level access rather than a committee seat, and anyone without eligibility for the committee kept out of committee-only spaces like Committee Hub.
Strata committee membership is generally restricted to owners of lots in the scheme or their formally recognised representatives, such as a company nominee or someone holding power of attorney. Strata managers and building managers are not committee members even when they attend meetings. Exact eligibility rules vary by state, so committees should confirm eligibility before appointing anyone in an unusual situation.
Related questions
Want this handled for your building? See what Flex Strata costs or ask us directly.