Annual training becomes compulsory for most NSW strata committees

Most NSW strata committee members appointed from 1 October must complete annual training within three months, under new rules aimed at improving decisions about apartment buildings and owners’ money.

The free online course is delivered through NSW Fair Trading’s Strata Hub. It takes about one hour and covers committee duties, repairs and maintenance, financial management, meetings, records and dispute resolution.

The requirement applies to both new and returning committee members, meaning long-serving volunteers are not automatically exempt. It is annual training tied to appointment, rather than a once-only qualification.

For apartment owners, the practical significance is that the people voting on repair contracts, insurance, renovation applications, budgets and by-law disputes will receive a common introduction to their responsibilities.

Who must complete the course

A strata committee is elected by an owners corporation to handle many of the routine decisions involved in operating a scheme. Members are commonly unpaid owners volunteering their time rather than professional building managers.

Under the rules that began on 1 October, affected members have three months from appointment to complete the Introduction to Strata Committee Rights and Responsibilities course.

The requirement does not apply to:

• committee members in two-lot strata schemes
• NSW strata managing agents serving on committees
• members of the Australian College of Strata Lawyers
• people filling a casual vacancy for less than three months.

The NSW Government said further free modules would begin rolling out from 2027, making the introductory course the first stage of a broader education program.

Two-lot schemes receive separate relief

The October changes also remove annual strata reporting requirements for two-lot schemes, which commonly include duplexes divided under a strata plan.

These smaller schemes were exempted on the basis that they are generally less complex and lower risk than large apartment buildings. Their committee members are also excluded from the annual training requirement.

The exemption does not remove the need to operate the owners corporation, maintain common property or comply with other applicable strata laws. Owners in a two-lot scheme should still understand their insurance, repair and decision-making obligations, particularly where driveways, roofs, walls or services are shared.

Why committee knowledge matters

Strata decisions can have substantial financial consequences. Delayed waterproofing repairs, inadequate capital works planning or poorly scoped contracts can turn a manageable problem into a large special levy.

Committee members also deal with records that prospective buyers may inspect before purchasing. Minutes, budgets, defect reports and correspondence can reveal whether a building is addressing problems promptly or allowing disputes and maintenance liabilities to grow.

Training will not guarantee that every decision is correct, nor does it replace specialist legal, engineering or financial advice. It should, however, give volunteers a clearer understanding of when an issue needs professional input and how decisions should be documented.

The NSW Government said more than 1.2 million people live in apartments across the state. The training sits within a wider series of strata reforms covering managing-agent conflicts, financial-hardship payment plans, initial levy estimates for new buildings, insurance commissions, minor renovations and sustainability infrastructure.

What buyers should check

Prospective apartment buyers should continue to obtain a strata report rather than assuming the training requirement has removed governance risk.

Useful questions include whether the committee has completed required training, whether its minutes show recurring disputes, whether major repairs are funded and whether the capital works plan reflects the building’s actual condition.

Owners considering election to a committee should allow time to finish the course soon after the annual general meeting and ensure their appointment date is recorded accurately.

What it means for you

• Most new and returning NSW strata committee members now have three months to finish the annual course.
• Buyers should still review meeting minutes, finances, defects and planned works before purchasing an apartment.
• Two-lot schemes are exempt from both the training requirement and annual strata reporting.
• Training improves baseline knowledge but does not replace professional advice on major repairs, contracts or disputes.