Help shape the future of strata in NSW

Strata laws affect more than one million people living and working in strata schemes across NSW, which will increase as our population grows.

Strata living can provide a friendly community-style environment and as strata living continues to change, we want to understand your experience.

We are reviewing the laws under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and Strata Schemes Development Act 2015.

Our wide-ranging review covers diverse areas of interest – including managing common property, resolving disputes, by-laws including animals, committee and owners corporation meetings, mixed-use schemes, strata renewal and much more.

For more information on the review, please read the discussion paper.

New laws for pets in strata

Since new laws started on 25 August 2021, owners corporations can't refuse the keeping of an animal in a strata scheme unless the animal unreasonably interferes with another resident's use and enjoyment of their lot or the common property.

Your feedback on the review of these laws has helped the NSW Government develop the Strata Schemes Management Amendment (Pets) Regulation 2021, which sets out the circumstances in which an animal causes an unreasonable interference.

The Government also tabled a report on the review of the Strata Schemes Management Act, as it relates to the keeping of animals, in NSW Parliament on 20 August 2021. The report sets out the public feedback we received as part of the pets in strata survey and how the circumstances prescribed in the new pets regulations were developed.

For more information on what the new laws mean for you, visit the NSW Fair Trading website.

Next steps

This engagement closed on 7 April 2021. Thank you to all participants for providing input.

The NSW Government tabled a report on the findings of the review in NSW Parliament on 29 November 2021. Legislation to implement the recommendations of the review will be prepared in 2022.

Strata laws affect more than one million people living and working in strata schemes across NSW, which will increase as our population grows.

Strata living can provide a friendly community-style environment and as strata living continues to change, we want to understand your experience.

We are reviewing the laws under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and Strata Schemes Development Act 2015.

Our wide-ranging review covers diverse areas of interest – including managing common property, resolving disputes, by-laws including animals, committee and owners corporation meetings, mixed-use schemes, strata renewal and much more.

For more information on the review, please read the discussion paper.

New laws for pets in strata

Since new laws started on 25 August 2021, owners corporations can't refuse the keeping of an animal in a strata scheme unless the animal unreasonably interferes with another resident's use and enjoyment of their lot or the common property.

Your feedback on the review of these laws has helped the NSW Government develop the Strata Schemes Management Amendment (Pets) Regulation 2021, which sets out the circumstances in which an animal causes an unreasonable interference.

The Government also tabled a report on the review of the Strata Schemes Management Act, as it relates to the keeping of animals, in NSW Parliament on 20 August 2021. The report sets out the public feedback we received as part of the pets in strata survey and how the circumstances prescribed in the new pets regulations were developed.

For more information on what the new laws mean for you, visit the NSW Fair Trading website.

Next steps

This engagement closed on 7 April 2021. Thank you to all participants for providing input.

The NSW Government tabled a report on the findings of the review in NSW Parliament on 29 November 2021. Legislation to implement the recommendations of the review will be prepared in 2022.

  • Report recommends improvements to strata community living

    Thank you for sharing your feedback on strata laws in NSW as part of the statutory review.  It helped the NSW Government develop recommendations which will improve the lives of those of us who live and work in strata communities.

    The report on the outcome of the statutory review of the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 and Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 was tabled in NSW Parliament by the Hon. Kevin Anderson MP, Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, on Monday, 29 November 2021.

    Extensive feedback from across the community informed the report recommendations. We received more than 2,300 online survey responses and 230 submissions.

    Key recommendations included in the report:

    • new powers for NSW Fair Trading to order owners corporations to rectify common property defects to ensure the safety and amenity of strata buildings
    • detailed minimum requirements in 10 year capital works fund plans
    • changes to governance and disclosure arrangements to balance diverse interests in mixed use schemes
    • digitising key strata records to save strata communities time, effort and money
    • providing enhanced training for strata committees and streamlined mechanisms to resolve disputes.

    We will continue to update this page to provide further information about the legislation to implement the recommendations and any further opportunities to have your say in 2022.

    Access the report on the statutory review of the Strata Schemes Development Act 2015 and Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (1.46 MB) (pdf)

    New laws for pets in strata started on 25 August 2021

    A report was also tabled in NSW Parliament in August 2021 on the review of the Strata Schemes Management Act, as it relates to the keeping of animals. The report sets out the public feedback we received as part of the pets in strata survey and explains how the 'unreasonable interference' circumstances included in the new regulation were developed.

    The new laws about the keeping of animals in strata schemes in NSW started on 25 August 2021. These laws bring new requirements for owners corporations that recognise the changing nature of strata living and the increasing shift towards pet ownership.

    To find out more information on the new laws mean for you, visit the NSW Fair Trading website.