What Does a Strata Management Company Actually Do?

If your building is newly formed, recently grown, or your council is simply reviewing whether professional management is worth it, you may be wondering what a strata management company actually does day to day. Here is a clear breakdown of the work — and where the lines are drawn.

The short version

A strata management company is hired by the strata corporation to handle the administrative, financial, and operational work of running the building. Critically, they do not run the strata — your strata council makes the decisions. The management company carries them out and advises along the way.

Financial management

This is the core of what most companies do, and often the main reason councils hire one:

• Collecting monthly strata fees from owners and following up on arrears
• Paying the strata corporation's bills — utilities, insurance, contractors, services
• Preparing monthly financial statements so council can see the building's financial position
• Helping prepare the annual budget
• Managing the contingency reserve fund (CRF) and tracking special levies
• Coordinating the annual financial review or audit

Administration and record-keeping

• Maintaining the strata corporation's official records, meeting minutes, and bylaws
• Preparing and distributing notices for general meetings
• Issuing Information Certificates (Form B) and other documents required when units are sold
• Keeping an up-to-date registry of owners and their contact information
• Handling correspondence with owners, the council, and outside parties

Meetings and governance support

The manager supports the democratic running of the strata. They prepare for and often attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and any Special General Meetings (SGM), help draft agendas, record minutes, and advise council on proper procedure under the Strata Property Act. They do not vote — that is the owners' role — but they keep the process compliant and orderly.

Maintenance and operations coordination

• Arranging routine maintenance and repairs on the council's instruction
• Obtaining quotes from contractors for larger projects
• Coordinating service providers — landscaping, cleaning, elevator servicing, and similar
• Responding to maintenance issues raised by owners
• Helping plan for major repairs identified in the building's depreciation report

Emergency response

Many management companies provide after-hours emergency response — a line owners can call when a pipe bursts at 2am or the building loses heat in winter. The manager coordinates the immediate response to protect the building. This is one of the features worth confirming when choosing a company, since not all offer 24/7 coverage.

Bylaw administration

The manager helps administer and enforce the strata's bylaws and rules on the council's direction — issuing notices for violations, tracking fines, and maintaining consistency. Again, the council sets the policy; the manager carries out the administration.

What a strata manager does NOT do

Understanding the limits is just as important:

• They don't make decisions for the strata. Spending, rule changes, and major projects are decided by council or by owner vote.
• They don't resolve disputes between owners. They administer the process, but neighbour disputes ultimately rest with the parties, council, or the Civil Resolution Tribunal.
• They aren't responsible for individual units. Their remit is common property and the corporation's affairs, not what happens inside a privately owned unit.
• They don't set their own scope. What they handle is defined by the management contract — which is why reading it carefully matters.

Full management vs financial-only

Not every building needs the full package. Some councils — often in smaller, well-run buildings — engage a company for financial-only management, handling the money side while the council manages everything else. This is more affordable and can be a good fit for engaged councils that simply want the bookkeeping and compliance handled professionally.