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More small and medium NSW schemes are choosing to run themselves — cutting the management fee and keeping control. It is very doable for a straightforward scheme with a willing committee, especially with the right tools. This guide ties together everything self-management involves.
The big picture
Self-management means the committee performs the owners corporation’s administration itself instead of paying a licensed agent. There is no licence required to do so — but the legal obligations are identical, so the committee carries the responsibility.
Is it for you?
Self-management suits smaller, simpler schemes with an engaged treasurer; larger or complex buildings often benefit from a manager’s expertise. Our honest comparison — cost, control and trade-offs — is in self-managed strata vs a strata manager.
What you take on
The day-to-day of running a scheme — levies, funds, insurance, repairs, meetings and reporting — is covered step by step in how to self-manage your strata.
Self-manage without the grind
OneStrata gives a volunteer committee the levies, funds, records and transparency a manager provides — for a fraction of the fee.
The committee
Self-management runs on the committee and its office-holders. What the roles involve, and the duties members owe, are in strata committee responsibilities — and continuity depends on a clean treasurer handover when people change.
Leaving a manager
If you are currently with a manager, the move in-house is timed to your agreement and settled by a vote. The notice, the vote and getting your records back are in how to change or leave your strata manager.
The tools
The thing that has made self-management practical is software that does the admin grind. What to look for is in the best strata software in Australia.
Doing it the easy way with OneStrata
OneStrata is built for exactly this committee: it calculates levies, keeps the two funds separate, tracks payments and maintenance, stores records, runs meetings and votes, and shows every owner where the money goes — the work a manager charges for, in software your committee controls, for a fraction of the fee.
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This guide is general information for NSW strata committees, not legal, financial or tax advice. Strata obligations are governed by the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, its Regulation and recent amendments, alongside NSW Fair Trading (nsw.gov.au); always confirm current requirements for your scheme. OneStrata is record-keeping and management software for small to medium size strata schemes; it is not a licensed strata managing agent and never holds your funds.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to have a strata manager in NSW?
No. An owners corporation can self-manage; there is no requirement to appoint a managing agent, though the legal obligations are the same.
Is self-managing strata hard?
For small to medium, straightforward schemes with a willing treasurer it is very manageable, especially with software that handles levies, funds, records and reporting.
How do you switch from a strata manager to self-management?
Time it to your agreement’s expiry, vote at a general meeting to end the agreement and self-manage, and get the scheme’s records and funds transferred back.
What does it cost to self-manage with software?
Far less than a manager’s fee — OneStrata is $10 per lot per month, or $8 billed annually, with owners included free.