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Finance & Levies guides.
Clear, useful reading for owners corporations and the people who run them.
27 guidesRSS
Finance & Levies
NSW 10-Year Capital Works Fund Plan: How to Prepare It in the Standard Form and Keep It Current
Since 1 April 2026, a new or revised NSW capital works fund plan must use the prescribed standard form. This guide explains the rules in section 80, what the form asks for, how to use the Strata Hub planner, the Word and Excel versions or UnitBuddy's 10-year planner, and how to keep the plan current between five-yearly reviews.
20 October 2026 · 14 min read
Finance & Levies
Queensland Sinking Fund Forecast: Is a 10-Year Forecast Required, and How to Budget It
Queensland law doesn't require a professional sinking fund forecast. It does require the sinking fund budget to reserve for major spending over at least the next 9 years. This guide explains the rule, what the sinking fund can pay for, how to estimate and budget it, and what buyers see.
20 October 2026 · 10 min read
Finance & Levies
Strata Admin Fund Budget Template and How to Set Next Year's Levies (NSW, Vic, Qld)
A blank administrative fund budget template for strata committees and treasurers, the steps for turning it into next year's levies, and the rules in NSW, Victoria and Queensland on who sets the budget, how levies are shared, notice periods and interest.
20 October 2026 · 11 min read
Finance & Levies
Unpaid Owners Corporation Fees in Victoria: Fee Notice, Final Fee Notice and VCAT
When a lot owner doesn't pay, a Victorian owners corporation has to follow a set path: a fee notice, a final fee notice, then VCAT. This guide covers the timeline, interest and costs, who decides to go to VCAT, what VCAT needs, the new hardship payment plans that haven't started yet, and what owners who can't pay should do.
20 October 2026 · 11 min read
Finance & Levies
Victorian Owners Corporation Maintenance Plan: Who Needs One and How to Prepare It
Tier 1 and tier 2 owners corporations in Victoria must have an approved maintenance plan, and every other owners corporation can choose to have one. This guide explains what the plan must cover, how to prepare and approve it, Consumer Affairs Victoria's template, and how the maintenance fund works.
20 October 2026 · 10 min read
Finance & Levies
What Does a Strata Treasurer Do? NSW Duties Explained
Just elected strata treasurer in NSW? Section 44 of the Strata Schemes Management Act sets out the job: levy notices, banking, accounting records, financial statements and strata information certificates. This guide explains each duty, the deadlines and rules that come with it, what a strata manager can take over, and how it works in Victoria and Queensland.
20 October 2026 · 9 min read
Finance & Levies
How to Read Strata Minutes and Financial Statements: A Realistic Example
We follow one made-up 40-lot NSW building through a full AGM pack: the minutes, the chart of accounts, the income and expenditure statement, the balance sheet, the ledger, the bank reconciliation and the arrears report. Every line is explained, with the NSW rules that apply and the checks that catch real problems.
19 October 2026 · 15 min read
Finance & Levies
Negative Gearing and CGT Changes From July 2027: What They Mean for Apartment Owners
From 1 July 2027, negative gearing on residential property is limited to new builds and the 50% capital gains tax discount is replaced with indexation and a 30% minimum tax. Here is who keeps the old rules, what counts as a new build, and why a new apartment loses its tax treatment the first time it is resold.
19 October 2026 · 10 min read
Finance & Levies
How to deal with a Victorian maintenance plan before it sets your levy
A Victorian levy is worked out from a maintenance plan most owners never see. This is how to get that plan, separate a renovation from the plant replacement, and get the question onto a meeting.
29 September 2026 · 11 min read
Finance & Levies
Inside NSW's $45 Million Strata Defect Bill
Only 54% of the serious-defect costs recorded in NSW's 2025 survey went to rectification. Reports, lawyers, insurance pressure and delayed capital works explain why the repair quote is rarely the full budget.
27 August 2026 · 13 min read
Finance & Levies
Admin Fund vs Sinking Fund: What Each One Pays For, State by State
Every Australian strata scheme runs two funds: one for the bills that arrive every year, one for the big works that arrive every decade. Most levy problems trace back to money sitting in the wrong one. Here is what belongs in each fund, how to sort the grey areas, and what the funds are called in every state and territory.
29 July 2026 · 15 min read
Finance & Levies
How to Reduce Strata Levies: A Committee's Practical Guide for Australian Apartment Buildings
How to reduce strata levies without short-changing your building. A practical guide covering insurance, management fees, energy, maintenance contracts, waste, capital works planning and income generation. Realistic savings ranges for each lever, and the political effort required.
30 June 2026 · 17 min read
Finance & Levies
What Is a Healthy Capital Works Fund? How to Tell If Your Building Has Enough Saved
What is a healthy capital works fund? Most owners never ask until a special levy lands. Here is how to check your building's fund, what the numbers actually mean, and how to spot underfunding before it becomes a problem.
30 June 2026 · 16 min read
Finance & Levies
Special Levies in Strata: What Owners Can Do Before, During and After the Vote
A special levy is not just another quarterly bill. It usually means the building has run out of ordinary money for a specific problem. Here is how owners should read the papers, question the numbers, vote, and protect themselves afterward.
11 June 2026 · 18 min read
Finance & Levies
Unit Entitlements Explained: Why Your Strata Levies May Be Higher Than Your Neighbour's
Two owners can live in the same building and pay very different levies. Unit entitlements, lot liabilities and contribution schedules explain why. This guide shows how the numbers affect levies, voting and owner disputes.
11 June 2026 · 16 min read
Finance & Levies
What Happens If You Can't Pay Your Strata Levies?
Falling behind on strata levies can cost more than the original bill. This owner-focused guide explains voting rights, interest, payment plans, debt recovery, and the practical steps to take before the problem escalates.
11 June 2026 · 16 min read
Finance & Levies
Making Money From Your Building: Roof Leases, Signage, EV Charging and the Other Revenue Levers Strata Buildings Miss
Roof space, roadside walls, basement power, parking bays, parcel lockers, function rooms — most strata buildings own income-producing assets that aren't earning. What each is worth in Australian capital cities, how the contracts work, and the traps that turn a good deal into a 15-year headache.
19 May 2026 · 12 min read
Finance & Levies
After the PEC Report: What a Post-Commission Strata Industry Actually Looks Like in NSW
The NSW Productivity and Equality Commission's March 2026 final report estimates a ban on strata manager commissions could deliver $300 million in net benefits over 15 years. This is what the four options actually mean, what's already happening voluntarily, and what committees should do while the legislation is drafted.
5 May 2026 · 11 min read
Finance & Levies
Sinking Fund vs Capital Works Fund: How Strata Terminology Differs Across Australia
The long-term reserve fund that pays for major building works has a different name in every Australian state: sinking fund, capital works fund, reserve fund, maintenance fund. The mechanics are identical. Here is what each one means, why the labels differ, and why what your fund is called matters less than what's actually in it.
5 May 2026 · 11 min read
Finance & Levies
How to Benchmark Your Strata Levies: A Committee's Methodology
Most strata levy benchmarks you'll find online are vendor marketing or industry surveys behind paywalls. This is a different approach: a methodology your committee can apply to your own building's data to work out whether levies are realistic, low, or high, without relying on a single industry-wide number that probably doesn't fit your scheme anyway.
30 April 2026 · 16 min read
Finance & Levies
The 10-Year Capital Works Plan: How to Read One and Spot the Red Flags
From 1 April 2026, NSW schemes must move to the standard form when preparing, revising, or replacing their 10-year capital works plan. This is how to read one properly, what a healthy plan looks like, and the warning signs that tell you a building is heading for a special levy crisis.
13 April 2026 · 11 min read
Finance & Levies
Embedded Networks Explained: Why You're Paying Above-Market Rates for Electricity, Gas and Hot Water
More than 49,000 NSW households are locked into embedded utility networks that bypass the standard retail market, usually paying significantly more than they would otherwise. From April 2026, this must be disclosed on every Section 184 certificate. This is what owners need to know.
7 April 2026 · 9 min read
Finance & Levies
Schedule B Fees: The Silent Budget Killer in Australian Strata
How 'additional service' charges quietly drain your building's funds, and seven things your committee can do to take back control.
4 March 2026 · 7 min read
Finance & Levies
The Hidden Fees in Your Strata Contract: Understanding Schedule B, C, D, E & F
Your strata management fee is just the beginning. Learn how Schedule B through F charges in Australian strata contracts can double your real costs, and what to do about it.
4 March 2026 · 8 min read