Inside Our Submission to the ACT Strata Inquiry

As the largest strata management firm in Canberra, we took this opportunity to represent the industry’s voice.

We took this opportunity to offer practical insights into the challenges, complexities, and opportunities shaping the future of strata living in the ACT.

Below is a summary of the key points of our submission:

A Call for Balanced Reform

We support thoughtful regulatory reform that raises professional standards but caution against changes that could unintentionally harm service delivery or increase costs for lot owners. Strata management in the ACT is a complex, evolving profession requiring diverse skills in finance, compliance, project management, and maintenance. Any regulatory changes must reflect this complexity and avoid one-size-fits-all solutions.

Strata Manager Realities

The modern strata manager’s role is ever expanding with the increased complexity and amenity of Canberra’s property developments. A major concern is the lack of formal training, pathways, licensing, and recognition for the strata profession in the ACT, contributing to staff turnover and service strain. While we support licensing and higher standards, we urge a phased approach to implementation, particularly given strata industry staff shortages.

Executive Committees Need Support

We are broadly supportive of improved training and clearer documentation of the responsibilities of Executive Committee (EC) members. We do caution that the requirement for mandatory training, especially if costly or burdensome, may discourage participation, an issue already evident with low AGM attendance and high committee apathy. A tiered training model based on scheme size could provide a possible solution.

Fee Models & Insurance Commissions

Our submission strongly defends the current fee and service model used by local strata firms. We oppose any suggested changes to limit revenue streams (such as banning insurance commissions) and recognise that any such changes could make service delivery financially unviable. Civium emphasises the need for transparency and disclosure rather than regulation that would undermine the industry’s ability to operate sustainably.

Smarter Decision-Making Frameworks

To improve responsiveness, we recommend more flexible and clearly defined decision-making models. In particular, we would advocate for formal recognition of electronic voting and decision-making via email, which is already a common practice for many smaller owners corporations.

Mixed-Use Building Challenges

We raised concerns about insurance and cost equity in mixed-use buildings. We suggest regulatory mechanisms that fairly apportion costs (such as NSW’s Section 82), as well as mandating Building Management Statements (BMS) to help manage the differing needs of residential and commercial stakeholders.

Sustainability Requires Incentives

While supportive of environmental upgrades like EV charging and solar, we are cognisant of the fact that in many cases, these provide minimal benefits to the entire owners corporation. This area still requires clearer government guidance, tangible financial incentives, and strata-specific pilot programs to improve uptake.

A Thoughtful Approach to a Strata Commissioner

While there is support for a Strata Commissioner in principle, Civium raises significant concerns about inadequate funding and scope. For this initiative to succeed, it must be well-resourced, technically capable, and not introduce unnecessary cost burdens on lot owners.

Civium’s submission to the ACT Strata Inquiry is grounded in experience, practicality, and a commitment to better outcomes for all stakeholders.  As Canberra continues to grow and evolve, we believe it’s essential that reform reflects the true complexity of strata management.  

If you’d like to learn more about our submission, or how these proposed changes might affect your property, please get in touch.