Who makes the decisions: the Strata Council or the Property Manager?
An owner says: the way our Strata Council runs our strata is to simply do whatever the Property Manager tells them they should do. Some of their decisions seem wrong to me and I think we might get sued.
In this two-part article we will give you a brief overview of the role of strata council and the role of a property manager in the administration and management of a strata corporation.
Part 1: The Role of the Strata Council
Members of council must act in the best interests of the strata corporation. The strata corporation is made up of the owners.
Significant decisions for the strata will require either a majority or ¾ vote of the owners to pass. Many other decisions affecting the owners are made by the strata council, often on a majority vote.
The owners should elect council members who they think will do the best job for all the owners. Unfortunately, many members of council are elected and re-elected because no one else wants to commit the time, effort and energy to the strata. Sometimes, those elected have a personal agenda that is not necessarily in the best interests of the strata corporation.
The Strata Property Act does provide owners with the power to have the conduct and actions of their strata council reviewed by the court and to even have council replaced by an administrator in the worst situations. But these kinds of applications are expensive and often lengthy. They are not for the faint-hearted.
As an owner you have a responsibility to vote and to ensure that you elect a committed, motivated and reliable council. The council spends your money and makes decisions that can affect you in your home on an ongoing basis. Putting the best people on your council will benefit you and the strata corporation.
You should consider getting involved and, if you do, think about serving on council for more than just one term – it is important to have some continuity on council from year to year so that the work of past councils is not wasted.
If you have any questions about strata council, its members, how it operates, or problems that your council may be involved in, contact us. We can help.
Read Part 2 here: Role of the Property Manager