WA strata review proposes clearer buyer disclosures, fees and voting rules

Western Australia has opened consultation on a broad package of proposed strata reforms that could change what apartment and villa buyers are told before signing, how schemes approve renovations and how owners scrutinise fees, levies and voting arrangements.

The State Government said on Thursday that the second phase of its five-year review of the Strata Titles Act covers 22 reform topics. Submissions are open until 26 November 2026.

The proposals are not yet law. Feedback will inform final recommendations to be tabled in Parliament, meaning owners, tenants, buyers, strata managers and developers still have an opportunity to influence the details.

The review matters beyond Perth’s apartment towers. Planning and Lands Minister John Carey said WA has close to 350,000 strata properties and around one-quarter of Western Australians live in strata communities.

More information before buying

Landgate’s summary guide says feedback from the first consultation phase showed current disclosures do not always give buyers enough information to understand a lot and its wider scheme.

Options now proposed include a plain-language summary of key information alongside the full documents, disclosure of embedded utility networks and heritage status, and inclusion of the scheme’s 10-year maintenance plan.

Different disclosure statements could be developed for established and off-the-plan properties. Buyers could also be required to confirm they have read and understood important information before entering the contract.

Those changes would not remove the need for independent legal review or a strata records inspection. They could, however, make it easier to identify unusually high levies, future maintenance work or service arrangements before a buyer becomes committed.

Levies and management costs under scrutiny

The review proposes minimum presentation standards for budgets and levies, including clearer itemisation of expenses. Owners could receive additional notice when spending significantly exceeds the approved budget or when one item represents a large share of total expenditure.

Schemes may also be allowed greater flexibility to offer payment plans to owners experiencing financial hardship.

For strata managers, proposed reforms include clearer breakdowns of fees and charges in management contracts, notification when costs arise outside the original scope and annual reporting of commissions and benefits. A permanent annual-return requirement for strata managers is also proposed.

Mandatory independent trust-account audits and a recommended schedule of common management fees are listed as areas requiring further consideration rather than immediate reforms.

Voting, renovations and short stays

Proxy voting is another major focus. Options include limiting the number of proxies one person can hold, setting a one-year expiry and ending developer-held proxies once every lot has been sold and handed over.

The government is also considering a sliding approval scale for renovations, with voting requirements matched to the significance of the work. That could create a clearer route for alterations while preserving the rights of neighbours and the scheme where common property or another lot is affected.

For short-term accommodation, a strata company could be required to decide its position at its first annual general meeting. Schemes could receive stronger powers to recover costs or common-property damage attributable to short-term guests.

Other proposals address modernised by-laws, conflicts of interest on strata councils, insurance quotes, unreasonable behaviour and the right of a strata company to pursue rectification of building defects.

What happens next

The consultation is seeking views on which proposals deserve priority and how they should operate. The State Government says the early reforms are intended to improve governance without adding costs for owners, although the eventual financial effect will depend on which measures proceed and their final design.

Prospective buyers should continue examining meeting minutes, budgets, insurance, maintenance plans, by-laws and any recorded disputes. The review itself is also a useful checklist of the areas where strata ownership can carry obligations beyond the purchase price.

What it means for you

• WA strata buyers could receive clearer information about levies, maintenance, utilities and scheme obligations before signing.
• Owners may gain more visibility over manager fees, commissions, budgets and unexpected spending.
• Proposed changes to proxies, renovations and short stays are not yet law.
• Submissions on the review close on 26 November 2026.