Building managers vs strata managers vs property managers: What’s the difference
Discover how getting the right team together for the management of your property can transform the value you generate.
Building managers vs strata managers vs property managers: What’s the difference
Discover how getting the right team together for the management of your property can transform the value you generate.
Today, community living—especially via strata schemes—is becoming a popular choice among homeowners across Australia.
Managing and operating a strata scheme effectively requires the concerted efforts of a team of professionals who undertake different roles related to the strata scheme.
Understanding the roles of these professionals can help you ensure the smooth running of your strata scheme and deliver a seamless living experience to all tenants by making sure their needs are met promptly.
While there are many people who are vital to the seamless running of a strata scheme, building managers, strata managers, and property managers are arguably the most crucial.
Understanding who’s responsible for what may seem confusing, but understanding the specific tasks performed by each person is crucial to ensuring that you appoint bonafide professionals to these roles.
Strata manager
Like any community living arrangement, strata schemes are governed by a set of legislative and internal rules.
While legislative requirements and internal policies may differ based on where your strata scheme is located, maintaining day-to-day compliance and making sure all tenants are cared for falls on the shoulders of a licensed strata manager.
A strata manager may also be known as a strata owner’s corporation manager, strata managing agent, or a body corporate manager, and can be appointed by the Strata Committee, owner’s association, or the owner of the strata lot.
The strata manager’s role includes:
- Organising and conducting Strata Committee meeting
- Issuing levy notices on behalf of the Strata Committee
- Handling insurance claims of tenants
- Taking and distributing meeting minutes
- Managing the payment of invoices on behalf of the Strata Committee
- Preparing and managing annual budgets
- Keeping records of the strata roll, registered plans, by-laws, correspondence reports
- Providing guidance to tenants regarding by-laws
- Acting as a mediator between the executive committee and strata residents
Building manager
A building manager, also known as the resident manager, is someone who is responsible for coordinating the maintenance operations of the common facilities in a strata scheme.
The building manager may be appointed by the owner’s corporation, body corporate, or the developer.
They communicate with the strata manager on all maintenance or cleaning requirements and act as the main point of contact between the contractors, who perform maintenance on common facilities, and the strata manager.
The role of the building manager includes:
- Preparing and managing an asset register and preventative maintenance schedule
- Coordinating maintenance and repairs for common facilities
- Issuing maintenance work orders to contractors and verifying invoices for the work performed
- Acting as the on-site contact between tenants and maintenance contractors
- Conducting periodic site inspections on common facilities
- Help identify by-law breaches for escalation
- Positing common notices on the building noticeboard
- Keeping records of all the services performed by maintenance contractors and costs associated with them
- Organising certification inspections for facilities including lifts, swimming pools, fire systems, and roof anchor points
- Obtaining legal documents from maintenance contractors to ensure regulatory compliance
While appointing building managers, a best practice is to do this through your strata manager to ensure frictionless communications and transactions between the Strata Committee, the strata manager, and the building manager.
Property manager
In the context of a strata scheme, a property manager is someone who is appointed by the strata tenants or the developers of the property and is tasked with finding suitable tenants on behalf of the aforementioned parties.
Some of the roles performed by property managers include marketing the strata scheme, managing tenants, collecting rent, conducting inspections to ensure that the property is in good condition, and managing financial records relating to the investment property.
Another key service delivered by the property manager is taking up any complaints or issues raised by the tenants with the strata manager. In most cases, there is no direct communication between strata managers and tenants in the strata scheme.
How can Accord support you?
To run a successful strata scheme, many moving parts need to work together in perfect harmony. At Accord, we understand this and work closely with strata managers and property managers to take care of all your maintenance needs.
Supported by a team of engineers, compliance officers, and maintenance professionals who have over 20 years of experience working with some of the biggest companies in Australia, our strata building management services help you maintain a clean, comfortable, and safe strata scheme for your tenants.
If you’d like to learn more about what we can do for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team.
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FAQs
While you can do it both ways, building management companies give you the opportunity to work with experienced and qualified professionals. In the long run, hiring a building management company is also less expensive than employing an in-house building manager.
First, you need to ensure the building management company of your choice holds all the necessary certifications and a trained team. This will make sure you get the best team to work on your property.
Also, enquire about the reputation of building management companies in your area by looking at their online reviews and checking out their website. You can also ask for referrals from your commercial partners.
Most companies do.
That said, do your research when you’re choosing your building management company to find the right company that meets your needs, including preventative maintenance.
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