Owning a unit
Strata, known as ‘unit title’ in the ACT, is where you own a specific unit in a larger property of other units. This larger property is called a units plan.
The Units Titles (Management) Act 2011 contains the laws for managing units plans in the ACT.
Types of units
A unit can be an apartment, townhouse, dual occupancy or a shop. They are part of either a Class A or Class B units plan.
In a Class A units plan:
- you own your individual unit to the midpoint of the floor, walls and ceiling
- you own any additional spaces, known as subsidiaries, that come with the unit like car parking spaces, balconies or storage cages
- the units are generally apartment type units where units are on top of one another.
In a Class B units plan:
- you own your unit
- you own any other buildings or outdoor space within your unit boundary, including garages, gardens or carports
- these units are generally townhouses or dual occupancies with no units above.
All unit owners share the ownership of common areas in the units plan. These common areas include places like:
- hallways
- driveways
- gardens
- lifts
- car parking
- common facilities such as gyms and pools.
Different types of developments can be under a unit title scheme including:
- residential only developments with apartments and townhouses
- commercial developments which could include offices, shops or hotels
- retail developments with multiple shops
- mixed use developments with a combination of retail, commercial or residential units
- serviced apartments
- retirement villages
- caravan parks
- resorts.
Managing a unit complex
All unit owners are part of a group known as the owners corporation. In other states an owners corporation may be called a body corporate.
The owners corporation maintains the common property and makes decisions about the management of the units plan.
You automatically become part of your owners corporation when you buy a unit.
The owners corporation elects a smaller group to manage its daily work. This group is the executive committee.
Together the owners corporation votes on big decisions, like the budget and changing rules. The executive committee handle the daily tasks from these decisions and other smaller jobs.
Rules for living in a unit
Owners corporations have a set of rules for their units plan respect everyone’s rights. The rules also help make sure the complex is safe and enjoyable to live in.
There are default rules for owners corporations. You can find these in Schedule 1 of the Unit Titles (Management) Regulation 2011.
Owners corporations can vote to change the default rules by special resolution (more than 75% of the owners agreeing). They must register any new rules for them to be effective.
To register new rules owners corporations must:
- go to our ACT building and property forms, and complete form 94 - Special resolution by owners corporation
- pay the fee to file the form and register the special resolution.
Guidance notes are available to help complete the form.
You can ask your executive committee or strata manager for a copy of the rules for your units plan.
Help to manage a unit complex
Owners corporations may hire a strata manager to handle the daily tasks for the units plan. The strata manager follows the directions of the owners corporation and their executive committee.
A strata manager’s work can vary. Sometimes, the owners corporation gives many tasks to the strata manager. Other times, the executive committee does more work themselves and tells the strata manager what to do when needed.
Strata managers may help with:
- managing money
- insurance claims
- office work and follow-up
- regular building maintenance and contracts
- arranging and managing meetings of the owners corporation
- helping residents and managing relationships between residents and the executive committee.
To make a complaint about a strata manager visit the Access Canberra website.
Unit owners responsibilities
Unit owners need to pay for shared responsibilities at the units plan.
These responsibilities include:
- building insurance
- maintenance and repairs to common property
- utilities on common property, such as lighting
- cleaning and gardening of common property
- strata management fees.
Owners pay for these things through levies. As a unit owner, you pay levy contributions to the owners corporation.
All unit owners vote on the budget, which determines how much each unit pays through their levy contributions.
If there is a problem
Disagreements can happen between owners and owners corporations, the executive committee or the strata manager.
If you can, you should try to resolve the disagreement directly by either:
- contacting the other person or group in writing
- holding a face-to-face meeting.
If you still can’t resolve your dispute, you can make an application to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT).