Duties of a Strata Manager?

Strata managers are the primary administrative authority within given strata. They are selected by the body corporate or the executive committee. Rather than overrule the owners’ corporation, strata managers work hand-in-hand with them to ensure that the community is well run. Their hiring is based on the need for their expertise in how to effectively manage strata. Let’s see about the duties of a strata manager.

The scope of a strata manager’s role is specific to the strata as a whole. Their responsibilities do not extend to their catering for individual lots within the community. Instead, their obligations are confined to the areas that are recognised as common property; thus falling under the ownership of the body corporate. Singular units or multiple properties belonging to one owner within the strata fall under the purview of a property manager.

A strata manager’s duties can be classified into three main categories: social, administrative, and financial. Each category contains a specific list of responsibilities that the manager can be expected to fulfill. Let us take a closer look at each of them in turn.

Social Duties

A strata manager cannot work towards the best interests of the strata while remaining entirely separate from it. They must interact with the body corporate as well as the residents in general to maintain an understanding of the people they are serving. These interactions take different forms, both formal and informal including:

• Organizing and hosting social occasions which encourage members of the community to interact.
• Mediating disputes brought forward by parties who are at odds.
• Enforcing laws that govern the body corporate.
• Ensuring that everyone is informed of the by-laws which are agreed upon by the owners’ corporation.
• Enforcing the by-laws; making sure they are adhered to.
• Executing amendments to the by-laws when the need arises.

Administrative Obligations

As an administrator, a strata manager oversees the daily operation of the strata. Their managerial responsibilities include:

• Keeping records- they must collect and archive all relevant maintenance, financial and clerical records in an orderly manner. 
• Supervising maintenance efforts- A strata manager certifies that all common property is well maintained. They are responsible for contracting technicians to carry out maintenance and repair tasks as needed.
• Handling insurance requirements- they must maintain a valid up-to-date policy on behalf of the strata. In case a claim is made, the strata manager becomes responsible for following up with the insurance provider.
• Dealing with correspondence- They handle any queries made by interested parties on all matters to do with the strata. 
• Communicating relevant information- The strata manager acts as a central source of essential information like meeting requests and timings, by-laws, ammendments and decisions made after queries and disputes.

Financial Management

A strata manager acts as the strata’s chief financial officer. They bear the bulk of responsibility for managing the funds paid to and utilised by the community. Their obligations in this respect include:

• Managing all invoices submitted by and paid to contractors.
• Collecting dues which are paid by members of the owners’ corporation.
• Creating and implementing budgets that have been approved by the body corporate.
• Certifying that the strata’s insurance policy premiums are paid on time.

As extensive as this list is, it is still a sampling of the duties of a strata manager. Other responsibilities are typically included in their contract based on the requirements of the owners’ corporation.