What a property manager is
Premium Strata, a strata management company, says in its guide that the role is usually based in a real estate agency. In that guide's account, the manager acts mainly for the property owner or landlord, and for the tenants. The guide also sets out how this role differs from a strata manager and a building manager.
The home in question may be a house, a unit, or a lot in a strata scheme. The guide says the manager looks after the tenants, gathers the rent, settles certain bills and arranges repairs and upkeep.
“The guide draws the line at common property: work inside a unit falls to the property manager, while the shared parts of the building fall to the strata manager.”
How the role usually works
The guide draws the line at common property: work inside a unit falls to the property manager, while the shared parts of the building fall to the strata manager. Where a tenant raises something to do with the strata scheme, the guide says the property manager takes it up with the strata manager.
On the guide's account, tenants usually do not deal with the strata manager directly, since that role acts only for lot owners.
Property manager, strata manager and building manager
The guide also covers two neighbouring roles. It describes a strata manager as running the daily business of a scheme or building that is strata titled or community titled, with duties it lists as holding meetings, gathering levies, arranging repairs and upkeep, and looking after the scheme's finances and its strata insurance.
The guide describes a building manager, also called a caretaker, as usually stationed onsite at a building and carrying out cleaning and upkeep each day. That person reports repairs that need doing to the strata manager. Contractors who work on common property go through that person.
The guide notes that it does not take in the NSW Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, which took effect on 30 November 2016. Its account rests on the 1996 Act.
Names for the roles
The same guide lists other titles for a strata manager: owners corporation manager, strata managing agent, and body corporate manager. It says the choice of title tends to vary between states and often follows state legislation or wording used in the past.
Questions
What is a property manager?
Premium Strata, a strata management company, describes a property manager as usually employed by a real estate agency. In its account, the manager acts mainly for the property owner or landlord, and for the tenants.
How does a property manager work?
The guide says the manager looks after the tenants, gathers the rent, settles certain bills and arranges repairs and upkeep. Where the property is a unit, work on the space inside the apartment is handled by the property manager, while anything to do with common property goes to the strata manager.
What is the difference between a property manager and a strata manager?
The guide places a property manager in a real estate agency, acting mainly for the owner or landlord and for the tenants. A strata manager, it says, runs the daily business of a scheme or building that is strata titled or community titled.
Does a tenant deal with the strata manager?
On the guide's account, tenants usually do not deal with the strata manager directly, since that role acts only for lot owners. Something about the strata scheme that a tenant raises goes to the property manager, who takes it up with the strata manager.
What does a building manager do?
The guide describes a building manager, also called a caretaker, as usually stationed onsite at a building and carrying out cleaning and upkeep each day. That role reports needed repairs to the strata manager, and contractors doing work on common property go through that person.