A strata manager handles governance, finances, records and delegated decisions for an owners corporation. A building manager oversees common property, contractors and daily site operations. Many schemes need both roles because they solve different problems. Clear boundaries help committees assign work, track responsibility and prevent gaps. In New South Wales, the owners corporation remains responsible for the strata scheme. It may appoint either manager, or both, to support that work. The contract and approved delegations define each person’s authority.
What Does a Strata Manager Do?
A strata manager helps the owners corporation administer the strata scheme. NSW Government guidance also calls this role a strata managing agent. The owners corporation decides which duties to delegate. Those duties often concern meetings, money, insurance, records and statutory administration.
Common strata manager responsibilities may include the following tasks:
Preparing notices, agendas and minutes for meetings.
Collecting levies and managing administrative or capital works funds.
Arranging insurance and handling insurance claims.
Maintaining financial records and the strata roll.
Issuing notices linked to by-laws when authority permits.
Completing required Strata Hub reporting and scheme administration.
A strata manager does not own these powers personally. The owners corporation delegates specific functions through an approved agreement. Some decisions must still return to a general meeting or the elected strata committee.
NSW requires a strata managing agent licence for anyone overseeing strata schemes. The role carries formal duties, reporting requirements and limits under state law.
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What Does a Building Manager Do?
A building manager looks after the property’s common areas and daily operations. The role stays closer to the physical building. It covers inspections, maintenance coordination, contractor access, presentation, safety observations and onsite communication.
A building manager may handle these practical responsibilities:
Inspecting common areas and identifying repair or safety issues.
Organising contractor access and supervising work onsite.
Monitoring lifts, lighting, fire systems and shared facilities.
Logging maintenance requests and following them through completion.
Updating committees, owners and residents about scheduled work.
Keeping entrances, car parks, waste rooms and shared spaces presentable.
Under NSW guidance, a building manager must act in the owners corporation’s best interests. They must report known maintenance, repair and safety issues promptly. They should also recommend a practical response.
A contractor who performs one repair service does not automatically become a building manager. The person must manage or control common property under an appropriate agreement.
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Strata Manager vs Building Manager Key Differences
The simplest distinction concerns administration and physical operations. The strata manager administers the scheme’s governance and finances. The building manager manages the shared property’s daily condition and performance. Their work overlaps through communication, budgets, repairs and compliance.
How Do the Two Roles Work Together?
Good coordination turns two separate roles into one practical workflow. The building manager identifies onsite issues and gathers evidence. The strata manager checks budgets, authority and meeting requirements. The owners corporation then receives clear information for an informed decision.
A typical repair process may follow these steps:
The building manager finds a leak during a common-area inspection.
They record its location, urgency, photographs and immediate risks.
The building manager obtains quotes or coordinates suitable contractors.
The strata manager confirms available funds and delegated spending authority.
The committee considers the recommendation when approval remains necessary.
The building manager supervises access, work quality and final completion.
The strata manager records invoices, approvals and financial transactions.
This division keeps technical observations connected with proper financial and governance controls. It also gives contractors one operational contact and committees one clear administrative record
Where Do Responsibilities Commonly Overlap?
Repairs, safety, compliance and contractor management can involve both roles. Confusion begins when contracts use broad language or teams rely on informal assumptions. A written responsibility matrix can prevent duplicate work and missed actions.
Committees should clarify ownership for these shared areas:
Who receives, logs and prioritises maintenance requests.
Who obtains quotes and checks each contractor’s scope.
Who can approve spending at each financial threshold.
Who communicates planned work to residents and tenants.
Who stores inspection reports, certificates and completion records.
Who escalates urgent risks to the committee or owners corporation.
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We coordinate inspections, contractors, maintenance requests and stakeholder updates. We also use the MYBOS CRM platform to document tasks, records and progress.
Does Every Strata Scheme Need Both Managers?
No law requires every scheme to appoint both managers. Building size, facilities, risks and committee capacity should guide the choice. A small complex may manage onsite tasks through contractors. A larger property may need regular operational oversight.
Both roles become more useful when a building has these conditions:
Multiple lifts, plant rooms or essential service systems.
Frequent contractor activity and controlled access needs.
Large residential populations or mixed commercial uses.
Complex maintenance schedules and capital works planning.
Committees with limited time for daily operational follow-up.
Detailed communication needs across owners, residents and tenants.
The appointment decision should start with the work, not the job title. Committees should map required tasks, legal authority, reporting lines and available resources.
How Should an Owners Corporation Define Each Role?
Clear agreements should describe duties, authority and reporting expectations. They should also show how each manager communicates with the committee. Vague contracts can leave urgent work waiting between administration, approval and onsite delivery.
Before appointing either role, review these practical points:
The exact services included and excluded from each agreement.
Delegated financial limits and approval pathways.
Reporting frequency, format and responsible recipient.
Emergency procedures and after-hours escalation contacts.
Contractor procurement, supervision and conflict disclosures.
Record ownership, system access and handover requirements.
Performance measures for response, completion and communication.
Committees should review current NSW requirements before signing or renewing an agreement. Professional advice may help when authority, conflicts or contract terms remain unclear.
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Why Building Management Needs Its Own Focus
Governance cannot replace daily knowledge of a building’s condition. Small signs often appear before a major failure. These include unusual plant noise, recurring water ingress or repeated access faults. Regular observation helps teams respond before disruption grows.
We combine onsite oversight with facilities management and long-term asset management planning.
Our approach connects daily maintenance with lifecycle forecasts, budgets and risk priorities. It also gives committees better evidence when they assess repairs, upgrades or contractor performance. Looking for strata building management Sydney professional committee support. Read here!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a strata manager also act as the building manager?
One provider may perform both roles through separate appointments and clearly defined duties. The agreement must preserve each role’s authority, obligations and reporting lines.
Who manages repairs to common property?
The owners corporation remains responsible for common property. A building manager often coordinates repairs, while the strata manager may handle approvals and payments.
Who should residents contact about an onsite maintenance problem?
Residents usually contact the building manager for onsite faults or access issues. The scheme’s communication policy should confirm the correct contact.
Who manages levies and strata meetings?
The strata manager commonly handles levies, records and meeting administration under delegated authority. The owners corporation controls the final scope of that delegation.
Is a building manager the same as a property manager?
No. A property manager represents a landlord and manages a tenancy. A building manager oversees common property and shared building operations.
Choose Clear Operational Accountability
A strata manager and building manager support different parts of the same scheme. Clear role boundaries protect decisions, budgets and common property. We provide practical oversight for buildings across Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong. Contact our team to discuss a tailored approach for your property.
