Strata Committee Bullying in NSW: What It Is and What You Can Do

Strata living works best when the committee operates with respect, transparency, and a genuine focus on the building. When that breaks down, and a committee member or group starts using their position to intimidate, exclude, or pressure others, the impact on the building and the people in it is real.

Strata committee bullying is more common than many owners and committee members realise, and it is often misunderstood. This article explains what it looks like in a strata context, what the law says, and what practical steps you can take if you are dealing with it.

What Is Strata Committee Bullying?

Strata committee bullying does not always look the way most people expect. It is rarely overt or physical. In a strata setting, it tends to show up as a pattern of behaviour by one or more committee members that is designed to control, silence, or disadvantage others, whether that is a fellow committee member, a lot owner, or a strata manager.

Common Forms of Bullying in a Strata Committee

Some of the patterns worth recognising include:

Exclusion from decision-making. A committee member is routinely left off meeting notices, not invited to discussions, or told that decisions have already been made without their involvement. Under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), all committee members have the right to participate in meetings and vote on decisions. Systematically excluding a member from that process is not just poor governance: it may constitute a breach of their rights under the Act.

Intimidation or pressure to vote a certain way. Committee members being pressured, threatened, or coerced into supporting a particular position, or told there will be consequences if they do not, is a form of bullying. Committee decisions must be made freely and in the interests of the owners corporation, not under duress.

Targeting individual lot owners. Some bullying is directed at owners rather than committee members. This can include issuing repeated notices to comply against a specific owner without proper grounds, refusing to deal with legitimate maintenance requests, or using committee meetings as a forum to publicly criticise individual residents.

Misuse of committee authority. Using a position on the committee to make decisions that benefit certain owners at the expense of others, without proper disclosure or process, is a form of abuse of power. This is particularly relevant where committee members have financial interests in matters being decided.

Hostile or demeaning communication. Repeated personal attacks in emails, at meetings, or in written correspondence directed at another committee member or lot owner go beyond a difference of opinion. Sustained, targeted hostility is recognisable as bullying regardless of the format it takes.

What the Law Says About Strata Committee Conduct in NSW

The Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW) sets out how committees must operate and what obligations committee members carry. Understanding the legal framework helps you identify when behaviour has crossed from difficult to unlawful.

1. Duties of Committee Members

Committee members in NSW have a duty to act honestly and in good faith in the interests of the owners corporation. They must exercise due care and diligence, and they must not use their position to gain an advantage for themselves or others at the expense of the owners corporation.

These duties apply to every decision a committee makes, including how meetings are run, how correspondence is handled, and how maintenance and financial decisions are reached.

2. Meeting Rules and Procedural Fairness

The Act sets out how strata committee meetings must be conducted, including notice requirements, quorum, and voting procedures. Where a committee is consistently bypassing proper process to push through decisions or exclude members, this is a procedural breach, not just a cultural problem.

Lot owners also have the right to attend committee meetings as observers in most circumstances, and to request access to strata records. Denying these rights without proper grounds is a breach of the Act.

3. The Role of NSW Fair Trading and NCAT

If internal resolution has not worked, there are formal avenues available in NSW.

NSW Fair Trading provides a free mediation service for strata disputes. This is often the first formal step, and for many disputes it is sufficient. A mediator helps both parties reach an agreement without going to a tribunal.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) can hear strata disputes where mediation has not resolved the matter. NCAT can make orders requiring the owners corporation or individual committee members to comply with their obligations under the Act, and can in some circumstances remove committee members from their position.

Steps to Take If You Are Experiencing Strata Committee Bullying

Knowing your rights matters. Acting on them in the right order matters too. These steps apply whether you are a lot owner dealing with a hostile committee or a committee member dealing with a difficult colleague.

1. Document Everything

Start keeping a written record immediately. Note dates, times, what was said or done, and who was present. Save all written communications, including emails and SMS messages. This documentation will be essential if the matter escalates to mediation or NCAT.

2. Raise the Issue Formally in Writing

Put your concerns in writing to the strata committee or the strata manager. This creates a formal record that the issue has been raised and gives the committee an opportunity to respond. A letter or email is sufficient. Keep the language factual and specific, focused on the behaviour and its impact rather than characterising the person.

3. Request a General Meeting

If the committee itself is the problem, a general meeting gives lot owners the opportunity to raise concerns, pass motions, and if necessary, remove committee members by ordinary resolution. Under the Act, lot owners representing at least 25 per cent of the total unit entitlements can requisition a general meeting. Your strata manager can advise on the process.

4. Engage Your Strata Manager

A good strata manager is not a passive administrator. If you are dealing with bullying or a hostile committee dynamic, your strata manager should be actively involved in helping the committee operate properly. That means advising on procedural requirements, ensuring meetings are conducted correctly, and flagging when behaviour is breaching the committee’s legal obligations.

If your strata manager is not doing this, or if they are part of the problem, that is a separate issue worth addressing.

5. Request Mediation Through NSW Fair Trading

Where internal resolution has not worked, NSW Fair Trading’s mediation service is the next step. It is free, confidential, and faster than going to NCAT. Many strata disputes, including committee conduct issues, are resolved at mediation without proceeding further.

To request mediation, lodge a complaint with NSW Fair Trading online. Both parties must agree to participate.

6. Apply to NCAT

If mediation does not resolve the matter, NCAT has the authority to make binding orders. Applications can be made by lot owners or the owners corporation. NCAT can order that the committee comply with the Act, reverse decisions made improperly, and in serious cases remove individual committee members.

What Good Committee Governance Looks Like

The best protection against bullying in a strata committee is a well-run committee that operates transparently, follows proper process, and has a strata manager who keeps it accountable.

1. Clear Meeting Procedures

Every committee meeting should have a proper agenda, be notified to all members within the required timeframe, and follow a structured process for raising, discussing, and voting on items. Decisions should be recorded in accurate minutes and made available to lot owners.

2. Transparent Decision-Making

Decisions about maintenance, finances, and building management should be made openly and in the interests of all owners, not just a subset of the committee. Committee members with a financial interest in a matter must disclose that interest and, in most circumstances, abstain from voting.

3. A Proactive Strata Manager

Your strata manager should be the committee’s guide on proper process, not a rubber stamp for whatever the dominant committee members want. A manager who knows the Act, keeps meetings structured, and is willing to tell the committee when something is not appropriate plays a significant role in preventing the kind of unchecked behaviour that leads to bullying.

At TSM Strata, our managers work with committees across Sydney, Melbourne, and the Central Coast to ensure meetings are run correctly, decisions are made transparently, and every owner’s rights are protected. If your building’s committee is not operating to this standard, we would be glad to talk.

Speak to TSM Strata about your building