What is a strata committee and what does it actually do?
Quick answer
A strata committee is the small group of owners elected each year to manage everyday decisions for the scheme between general meetings — approving routine maintenance, engaging contractors, enforcing by-laws and preparing for the AGM — while bigger decisions still go to all owners.
Key takeaways
- The committee acts for owners between general meetings on routine matters
- Powers and terminology differ by state — check your state's legislation
- Bigger decisions still need a general meeting resolution or ballot
Almost every strata scheme in Australia has one, but the practical job it does often surprises new members.
What a strata committee is
It's a group of lot owners (or, in some states, others in limited circumstances) elected by owners at a general meeting to act on the scheme's behalf between meetings. Numbers, terminology and formal powers vary by state — check your state's page for the specifics: [NSW](/strata-committee/nsw), [VIC](/strata-committee/vic), [QLD](/strata-committee/qld) and others.
What it does day to day
- Approves routine, lower-value maintenance and repairs without needing a full owners' meeting
- Engages and manages contractors for approved work
- Handles correspondence, requests and enquiries from owners
- Keeps records — minutes, compliance items, notices — up to date
- Prepares the agenda and paperwork for the AGM and any general meetings
- Deals with by-law compliance issues as they arise
What it doesn't do
A committee generally can't make decisions that are reserved for all owners by legislation — things like large capital works, by-law changes, or spending above a threshold set by the scheme or the Act. Those need a resolution at a general meeting or a ballot, not just a committee decision. Flex Strata doesn't handle the financial side of this — levies, budgets and arrears sit with your treasurer or manager's accounting system.
Why the distinction matters
Confusing "the committee decided" with "the owners decided" is one of the most common governance mistakes in strata. Knowing which bucket a decision falls into avoids resolutions being challenged later for lack of proper authority — see our related item on committee decisions versus owners' votes for the practical line to draw.
Keeping the committee's work organised
In practice, most committee work is coordination: agendas, minutes, maintenance requests, contractor quotes, compliance registers and notices to owners. Flex Strata is built around exactly that workflow, keeping the record attached to the scheme rather than scattered across individuals' inboxes.
A strata committee is a small group of owners elected at a general meeting to manage a scheme's everyday affairs — maintenance, contractors, correspondence and compliance — between AGMs. Its exact powers, size and name vary by state legislation, and major decisions like capital works or by-law changes still require a resolution of all owners.
Related questions
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