Disputes & Living
How to Raise a Strata Dispute Without Making Enemies of Your Neighbours
Strata disputes are inevitable, but how you handle them determines whether you resolve the issue or create a years-long feud. A practical guide to raising disputes effectively while preserving your relationships.
· 5 min read
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Across Australia
The dispute pathway changes by state. NSW owners commonly move from written complaint to mediation and NCAT. Victorian owners use internal dispute steps and VCAT. Queensland owners usually pass through the Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management, with QCAT for some matters. WA uses SAT; SA uses SACAT or court pathways depending on the issue; ACT uses ACAT; Tasmania and NT have their own local processes.
The useful habit is national: write the issue down, attach evidence, ask for a practical outcome, and escalate through the process your state actually uses.
The short version
- The goal is not to win the first argument; it is to create a path to resolution.
- Good disputes have a timeline, documents, proposed outcome and calm escalation.
- Preserving neighbour relationships is easier when the process feels fair.
The tone of the first complaint matters more than people think. A clear paper trail beats a dramatic email almost every time.
Strata owners share walls, hallways, lifts and decisions with dozens, sometimes hundreds, of other people. They cannot prevent every dispute, but they can raise the issue as a solvable problem instead of a personal attack.
Residents who resolve disputes tend to document the issue, communicate calmly and escalate in order. The person on the other side of the dispute is still someone they will see in the lift tomorrow.
The most common strata disputes
Understanding what drives disputes helps you anticipate and manage them:
| Dispute Category | Share of Total Disputes | Typical Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Noise | ~30% | Hard flooring, music, pets, parties, renovations |
| Parking | ~15% | Unauthorised parking, visitor spot abuse, EV charging access |
| Common property maintenance | ~15% | Committee inaction on repairs; disagreement over spending priorities |
| Pets | ~10% | Unapproved pets, barking, common area behaviour |
| Renovations | ~10% | Unapproved works, noise during renovation, structural concerns |
| By-law breaches (other) | ~10% | Short-term letting, smoking, storage on common property |
| Financial / levy disputes | ~10% | Special levies, budget disagreements, committee spending |
The resolution pathway
- Direct conversation with neighbour
- Document dates, times, evidence
- Formal complaint to strata manager
- Mediation through Fair Trading
- Tribunal hearing if unresolved
Step 1: talk first
A calm, respectful conversation can resolve a dispute before it becomes a formal complaint. People often skip it because they want to avoid confrontation.
Approach the conversation with curiosity rather than accusation. "I've been noticing some noise from your apartment in the evenings, is everything okay?" is far more effective than "Your music is too loud and you're breaking the by-laws."
If face-to-face conversation feels uncomfortable, a written note is fine. Keep it brief, factual and friendly.
Step 2: document
If direct communication doesn't resolve the issue, start building a record. Keep a log of dates, times, and the nature of the issue. Take photographs or videos where relevant. Save copies of any correspondence. Note any witnesses. This documentation will be essential if the dispute escalates to mediation or NCAT.
Step 3: complain formally to the strata manager
Lodge a written complaint with the strata managing agent. The strata manager's role is to bring the complaint to the committee's attention and facilitate a resolution. The committee may issue a notice to comply if a by-law is being breached, arrange informal mediation between the parties, or take other action within its authority.
Step 4: mediation through Fair Trading
If the committee can't resolve the issue, you can apply for free mediation through NSW Fair Trading (or the equivalent body in your state). Mediation is a structured, facilitated conversation aimed at finding a mutually acceptable outcome. It is voluntary (both parties must agree to participate) and any agreement reached is only binding if both parties consent.
A neutral third party can break a deadlock and help both sides assess the issue more clearly.
Step 5: apply to NCAT
If mediation fails (or the other party refuses to participate), you can apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. NCAT has broad powers to resolve strata disputes, including ordering compliance with by-laws, imposing financial penalties for breaches, ordering the owners corporation to carry out repairs, and making orders about the use of common property.
Filing fees range from $52 to $104 for most strata matters. You don't need a lawyer for NCAT, though legal representation is permitted and recommended for complex disputes.
| Resolution Stage | Cost | Typical Timeline | Binding? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct conversation | Free | Immediate | No (but often effective) |
| Strata manager/committee | Free | 2–6 weeks | Committee decisions are enforceable |
| Fair Trading mediation | Free | 4–8 weeks | Only if both parties agree to terms |
| NCAT hearing | $52–$104 | 3–6 months | Yes: legally binding orders |
| Supreme Court (rare) | $10,000+ | 12+ months | Yes |
What not to do
Some approaches reliably make strata disputes worse:
- Keep the dispute off social media. Posting about neighbours on Facebook or in a building WhatsApp group escalates conflict and can expose you to a defamation claim.
- Do not retaliate. Responding to noise with more noise, or to a parking dispute with passive-aggressive notes, creates another problem to document.
- Follow the process. Going directly to NCAT without attempting mediation will likely send the application back to mediation.
- Focus on behaviour rather than the person. "The noise between 11pm and 1am is affecting my sleep" identifies an issue. "You're a terrible neighbour" does not.
- Do not let the issue sit indefinitely. If a direct conversation has not worked within a few weeks, escalate to the strata manager.
Preventing repeat disputes
Committees can reduce disputes with clear by-laws, a welcome pack for new residents, regular building updates and a complaint process that explains what happens next. Social events also help residents know the people behind the doors and lot numbers.
How UnitBuddy fits
UnitBuddy's building wellness assessment includes measures for committee response, clear by-laws and communication. These governance measures contribute to the building's overall score.
A useful complaint is specific enough that someone else can act on it. Dates, photos, reports, by-law references and a reasonable requested outcome will usually get further than a long email explaining how angry everyone has become.
Further reading
- NSW: Does NCAT have the power to resolve all strata disputes?, via LookUpStrata
- NSW: High-density, high tension: strata disputes escalate, via LookUpStrata
Keep the scheme file in one place the committee and the manager can both open. Features, pricing, or book a tour.