What is the role of a body corporate manager?
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Many committee members and owners deal with their body corporate manager regularly, but the boundaries of the role are not always well understood. A body corporate manager can provide important support for those in a community titles scheme, helping the committee manage administration, finances, meetings, records and compliance. However, they do not replace the committee or make decisions on its behalf.
In simple terms, the body corporate manager helps the committee keep the scheme running properly. The committee remains responsible for making decisions, while the manager assists with the practical work required to carry those decisions out.
What does a body corporate manager do?
The exact duties of a body corporate manager depend on the agreement between the body corporate and the manager. In many schemes, a manager is engaged to help with the practical administration required to keep the scheme running properly.
- Coordinating committee meetings, annual general meetings and extraordinary general meetings.
- Preparing and distributing meeting notices, agendas and minutes.
- Issuing levy notices and helping manage levy collection processes.
- Preparing budgets, financial statements and other financial information for committee and owner review.
- Keeping body corporate records and maintaining the roll of owners.
- Managing correspondence from lot owners, occupiers, contractors and other stakeholders.
- Assisting with insurance renewals and insurance claims administration.
- Helping the committee understand procedural requirements, by-laws and compliance obligations.
- Arranging contractor quotes or common property work when instructed by the committee.
Does a body corporate manager make decisions?
Usually, no. In a scheme with an elected committee, the body corporate manager helps the committee carry out its functions but does not take over the committee’s decision-making power. Decisions about spending, maintenance priorities, by-law enforcement, owner requests and other scheme matters generally need to be made by the committee or by owners at a general meeting, depending on the type of decision required.
A manager may provide guidance, prepare information and implement decisions once they have been properly made. This distinction is important because the body corporate remains responsible for the scheme, even when a professional manager is engaged.
Is a body corporate manager the same as a strata manager?
In Queensland, the term body corporate manager is commonly used. In other Australian states, similar roles are often called strata managers or owners corporation managers. The terminology may differ, but the general purpose is similar: helping the owners’ legal entity manage shared property, administration, finances and compliance.
Who appoints a body corporate manager?
A body corporate manager is appointed by the body corporate, usually by ordinary resolution at a general meeting. The appointment must be set out in a written agreement, which should explain the term of the agreement, the remuneration payable, the services to be provided and how the agreement may be ended.
In Queensland, bodies corporate are not legally required to appoint a professional manager. Some smaller schemes self-manage, while others choose to appoint a manager because the administrative, financial and legislative requirements can be time-consuming and complex.
What is the difference between the committee and the body corporate manager?
The committee is elected by lot owners and is responsible for making many day-to-day decisions on behalf of the body corporate. The body corporate manager is a service provider engaged to assist with administration, financial management and compliance processes.
The manager supports the committee; they do not become the owner of the scheme, the committee, or the final decision-maker for ordinary committee matters.
What does a body corporate manager not do?
A body corporate manager does not usually make decisions for the committee, approve major spending without authority, personally carry out maintenance work, enforce by-laws without proper instructions, or act for one individual owner against the interests of the body corporate.
Responsibility for common property remains with the body corporate. The manager may help coordinate maintenance, quotes or contractor communication when authorised, but they are not personally responsible for carrying out the work. Their role is to assist the scheme as a whole, in line with the written agreement and the committee’s lawful instructions.
Why does a professional body corporate manager matter?
Most body corporate committees are made up of volunteer owners. While committee members often understand the needs of their building well, they may not have the time, systems or legislative knowledge required to manage every administrative and compliance requirement confidently. A professional body corporate manager can help reduce that burden by providing structure, reminders, reporting and practical guidance.
Good body corporate management should help committees make informed decisions, communicate clearly with owners, keep records accurate, manage financial processes transparently and maintain confidence that the scheme is operating within the required legislative framework.
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