Strata title vs body corporate

For a buyer, the bigger question is what comes with the unit: ongoing levies, responsibility for repairs and a say in shared decisions. I would check those costs before stretching the budget to win the property. A unit you can afford to buy should also be one you can afford to own.

For the wider purchase process, our home-buying guide explains the steps from setting your budget to settlement.

The terms describe different parts of the same arrangement. You own a lot within a strata scheme, and the owners collectively make up its body corporate or owners corporation.

The NSW Government's guide to strata roles explains the distinction between owners, committees and managers. Terminology and detailed rules vary across Australia.

A strata lot might be an apartment, townhouse, villa or another property within a larger scheme. You own the lot shown on the registered plan and have an interest in common property, such as a shared driveway or lift.

Check the car space and storage area carefully. They may be part of your lot, a separate lot or common property allocated for exclusive use. A parking bay in the sales photos does not establish which arrangement applies.

Queensland commonly uses the term community titles scheme. Most are governed by the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997, but some developments fall under other legislation. The community management statement identifies the regulation module for a community titles scheme. Queensland Government: buying into a body corporate.

In Queensland, the usual term is body corporate. NSW and Victoria use owners corporation. Western Australia uses strata company for strata titles schemes. These are broadly comparable owner bodies, although their legal powers and obligations are not identical. Consumer Affairs Victoria, Landgate's strata guide.

A strata lot can be held as freehold. Freehold describes the tenure; strata describes the subdivision and shared ownership arrangement. If you want a house without shared costs, check the title and plan for a body corporate or owners corporation. The appearance of a freestanding house does not settle that question. Landgate: how strata ownership works.

In everyday property listings, both usually mean the levies owners pay to run and maintain the scheme. There is not normally a separate strata fee and body corporate fee for the same service. Check the actual levy notice for what is included.

In Queensland, most schemes have an administrative fund for running costs and a sinking fund for future capital expenses. NSW calls the latter a capital works fund. Special rules apply to some small schemes. Queensland Government: body corporate budgets, NSW Government: strata finances.

I would compare the levies with the work the building needs. Low fees can look attractive, but they may leave you funding a larger bill later. A healthy balance also needs context: how much is already committed to a lift, roof or other planned work?

Suppose an apartment's regular levies are $1,200 each quarter. The scheme then approves an extra contribution of $6,000 for that lot, payable during the same year.

Example only. The $6,000 is an assumed contribution for this lot, not a building-wide bill divided equally between owners. Actual contributions depend on the scheme's entitlements and the rules applying to that expense. The due dates may require the cash sooner than a monthly savings plan would provide it.

Your mortgage repayments, council rates, utilities, contents cover and maintenance within your responsibility sit outside this example. Use the actual levy notices when building your budget.

Ask whether a special levy has been approved, proposed or discussed in meeting papers. Also ask about body corporate borrowing and repayments. If a major repair remains unpriced, keep that uncertainty in the purchase decision. A statement that there is no approved special levy does not tell you what the next meeting might decide.

Your solicitor should check how the contract deals with existing arrears and levies around settlement. Do not assume the seller pays every bill connected with an earlier decision. Queensland Government: owner contributions.

The registered plan, legislation and any relevant by-laws determine responsibility. The position can differ between 2 townhouses that look much the same.

In a Queensland standard format plan, an owner is generally responsible for the building within their lot, including its roof, exterior and foundations. A building format plan can place more of that responsibility on the body corporate. Shared pipes and wiring can also be a body corporate responsibility even when they pass through a lot. Queensland Government: maintenance by plan type.

Before buying, have your solicitor explain responsibility for the roof, balcony waterproofing, windows and any exclusive-use courtyard or parking area. Where there is an existing leak or defect, obtain the relevant inspection or engineering report and the proposed repair scope. The repair obligation and insurance cover are separate questions.

If an inspection finds a problem, read about renegotiating after a building inspection before discussing your contract options with your solicitor.

Queensland bodies corporate generally insure buildings in building format plans. In standard format plans, the compulsory building cover generally applies to buildings that share a common wall. An owner of a freestanding building in a standard format plan may need their own building insurance.

Avoid assuming that everything inside the apartment is excluded. The statutory building definition includes certain fixtures and improvements, with specified exclusions such as carpets and air conditioning serving a particular lot. Check the policy itself, including flood cover, exclusions and excesses, and arrange the additional cover you need. Queensland Government: building insurance.

For a Brisbane property, our guide to FloodWise property reports explains how to check flood information alongside your insurance enquiries.

Ask for the current insurance schedule and replacement valuation. A certificate showing the building is insured is the starting point; you still need to know what is covered.

Get the records reviewed while you still have a choice about proceeding. A strata records search and a physical building inspection answer different questions. One looks at the scheme's history and commitments; the other assesses the property within the inspector's scope. NSW Government: buying a strata property.

As a starting request, seek the last 2 years of meeting records, then go further back if they refer to unresolved work or an older report. That is a practical starting point, not a legal minimum or a complete search.

Compare recent sales in the building as well as nearby properties. Visit the area at different times to judge noise, access and whether living there would suit you. The owner-occupier mix can be useful context, but it does not prove that a building is well managed. Decisions, maintenance and finances give you better evidence.

Queensland's seller disclosure scheme started on 1 August 2025. Subject to the applicable exceptions, the seller must give the required disclosure documents before you sign the contract.

For a community titles property, these generally include the seller disclosure statement, a body corporate certificate and the community management statement. Check the certificate's issue date and ask your solicitor whether updated financial information is needed before settlement. Exceptions can allow a prescribed statement explaining why a certificate cannot be supplied. That needs careful review. Queensland Government: selling a body corporate property.

The disclosure statement does not establish the building's structural soundness or give its flooding history. Arrange the separate searches and inspections your solicitor recommends. Queensland Government: seller disclosure guide.

Send us the property listing, floor plan and levy information before committing. We can check the finance side, including whether the property fits the lenders being considered and what the ongoing costs do to your budget.

Some apartment types, sizes and locations need closer lender assessment. Home loan pre-approval does not confirm that every property you find will be acceptable security.

Before making an offer, check the deposit and upfront cash you need alongside the regular levies.

Your solicitor should advise on contract conditions and deadlines, including finance, inspections and any further due diligence. If the information is incomplete, allow time to resolve it before you become unconditionally committed. Our guide to putting together your home buying team explains who helps with each part.

Read the rules against your actual plans. If you have a dog, want timber flooring or intend to let the property, find out what approval is needed before you buy.

Queensland community titles schemes cannot validly impose blanket prohibitions on animals. They can require approval and impose reasonable conditions, and there are specified grounds for refusing a request. If a recorded by-law looks invalid, get advice on resolving it rather than simply ignoring it. Queensland Government: animal by-laws.

Short-term letting needs a separate check of planning approvals, local requirements and the scheme's legal position. Under Queensland's BCCM Act, by-laws cannot restrict the type of residential use of a residential lot. A blanket statement that the body corporate can always ban Airbnb is misleading. Queensland Government: limits on by-laws.

Yes. Start with a written request that identifies the decision, the problem and the outcome you are seeking. Keep the correspondence and follow the process that applies to the dispute.

For many Queensland BCCM disputes, the route is self resolution, then conciliation through the Commissioner's office and, where needed, adjudication. QCAT deals with particular matters, including certain complex disputes and appeals; it is not the automatic next stop for every disagreement. Queensland Government: adjudication applications, QCAT: body corporate disputes.