Canberra Owners of South Coast Strata | Meetings and Repairs
Canberra Owners of South Coast Strata: How to Attend Meetings, Vote and Follow Up Repairs from the ACT
A practical guide for Canberra owners with strata apartments in Batemans Bay, Narooma, Bermagui and Merimbula
Owning a South Coast apartment while living and working in Canberra can make an ordinary strata task feel unnecessarily difficult. An annual general meeting may fall on a weekday when you cannot drive to Batemans Bay. A contractor may need access to a building in Narooma while you are in an ACT office. A water stain in a Merimbula apartment may be discovered by a guest, neighbour or property manager before you see it yourself.
Distance does not remove your place in the owners corporation. The practical answer is to keep your contact details current, read meeting papers early, use the participation method stated in the notice, and keep repair reports and decisions in writing. This guide explains those steps for owners of NSW strata properties along the South Coast, including Batemans Bay, Narooma, Bermagui and Merimbula. It concentrates on meetings, voting and common property repair follow-up. For the separate issues of leaving a holiday apartment vacant or hosting guests, see our South Coast holiday apartment guide.
Start with the right state and the right people
Your home or workplace may be in the ACT, but a strata scheme located in NSW operates under NSW strata law. The owners corporation comprises the lot owners and is responsible for decisions about the scheme, including its finances and common property. The elected strata committee handles many day-to-day matters. A strata managing agent carries out the functions delegated under the management agreement. These roles matter because an email to a manager does not, by itself, approve a major project or replace a required owners corporation vote.
Keep the scheme's strata plan number, the manager's contact details, any after-hours emergency procedure, and your own lot details in one place. Ask how meeting notices and documents are delivered, what owner portal or document access is available, and who receives a report when a repair appears urgent. If a letting agent looks after your apartment, confirm that they know how to contact you and the strata manager without assuming they can cast your owner vote.
Tell the strata manager or secretary promptly when your Canberra postal address, email or ownership details change. Ask them to check the strata roll and your preferred service details. If ownership is shared, clarify which owner will attend, vote or execute any proxy, and check the meeting instructions for your circumstances. A missed notice can turn a manageable decision into an expensive surprise.
Make meeting notices useful before the meeting
NSW requires written notice of an annual general meeting at least 14 days beforehand and of another general meeting at least seven days beforehand. The notice and agenda tell you what will be considered and how the meeting and any electronic participation or voting will work. Allow time to ask for missing attachments rather than opening the papers on the morning of the meeting. The NSW Government guide to running strata meetings explains these notice rules and meeting methods.
Read the agenda in this order. First, identify motions that affect what you will pay: the administrative and capital works fund budgets, proposed levies, special levies and insurance. Next, look for work that affects the building or your lot: roof, waterproofing, balconies, drainage, fire safety, access and proposed capital works. Then read the supporting financial statements, quotes and reports, rather than judging a motion only by its short heading. Finally, check any committee election, managing agent appointment, by-law proposal or other decision that needs your input.
Mark each motion with one of three simple notes: ready to vote; need a document or answer; or need a change to the proposed wording. Ask specific questions by email before the meeting, with the motion number and the document you are referring to. For example: "For motion 8 on balcony waterproofing, does the quoted scope include the unit above mine, and which report identifies the source of the leak?" That gives the committee or manager a fair chance to obtain an answer and gives you a written trail.
An AGM is also a useful annual check on the building. Compare the capital works plan with repairs owners have reported, ask how completed work was verified, and look at whether the proposed funding fits the planned work. A cheap quote may exclude investigation, access equipment or reinstatement. A large reserve balance may already be committed to another project. Request the relevant scope, not a promise based on a headline number.
Attend from Canberra when the notice permits it
NSW strata meetings can be held with electronic participation. The meeting notice should set out the way to join and vote. Check whether your scheme is offering a video link, telephone participation, a meeting platform or an in-person meeting with a remote option. Do not assume that an email reply saying "I agree" counts as a vote. Follow the method and timing in the notice and ask the secretary or manager for accessible instructions if they are unclear.
Before the meeting, test the link and audio, find the agenda and attachments, and have your lot and strata plan numbers to hand. If several people own your lot, resolve who will exercise the vote. Join a few minutes early, identify yourself, and ask the chair how remote attendees should request to speak or signal a vote. If you lose the connection, contact the meeting organiser promptly through the alternative number or email supplied in the notice. Do not assume a disconnected owner has remained present for every motion.
Prepare two or three concise questions tied to agenda items. Ask about the decision, evidence, cost, authority and next step. You can contribute from an ACT desk without dominating a meeting about a building you cannot see that day. Equally, a remote owner should not feel obliged to approve an unclear repair quote merely because the meeting is about to end. Ask what information is missing, whether a motion can be amended or deferred, and when owners will receive an updated proposal.
The chair manages the meeting, keeps to the agenda and declares results. Some matters require a particular resolution and voting method. The NSW Government's strata meetings guide explains general meeting, committee meeting and voting basics. Read the exact motion and any explanation before deciding; a vote on a budget, a by-law and an election are not interchangeable.
Choose the correct voting path if you cannot join
There are three common ways an ACT-based owner may participate in a general meeting: join and vote using the meeting's stated method; use pre-meeting electronic voting where the scheme has approved and offered it for that matter; or appoint a proxy in the required form. They have different rules. Pre-meeting electronic voting is not automatically available for every scheme or motion, and it cannot be used for the election of a strata committee. A proxy is a person authorised to attend and vote for you, subject to the form, timing and legal limits that apply.
If pre-meeting voting is offered, read the final motion and supporting papers, submit your vote through the specified system before its closing time, and retain the confirmation. Check the notice for whether discussion or an amendment at the meeting could affect the result of a pre-meeting vote. If you intend to join live as well, ask how the organiser will avoid counting your vote twice. The manager or secretary should give clear instructions that allow eligible owners to take part.
If you need a proxy, choose someone you trust to read the papers and follow your instructions. Use the approved proxy form, complete any directions on motions carefully, and return it using the notice's instructions before the applicable deadline. Check restrictions on who can hold proxies and how many in your scheme. A proxy is especially useful when a motion may change after discussion, but it leaves another person to exercise your vote. Speak with them about any issue on which they may need judgment.
Check levies ahead of time. Unpaid contributions can affect whether an owner is entitled to vote on a motion, with some statutory exceptions. If your account appears wrong, raise it before the meeting rather than discovering a voting problem while the chair is counting. Voting power also varies with the type of resolution; ask the organiser for the applicable rule if a close vote is likely. NSW's meeting guidance covers electronic voting, proxies and eligibility in more detail.
Put an issue on the agenda with a workable motion
A question from Canberra may reveal a problem, but a meeting can only make a useful decision if the issue is properly put before owners. NSW guidance allows an owner to give the secretary a motion for a general meeting, accompanied by their name and an explanation of up to 300 words. Ask for the submission cut-off early enough for the motion to be included in the next notice. The exact wording should say what decision is requested, who will act, and what information is needed before money is committed.
For example, after repeated water entry you might propose: "That the owners corporation obtain an independent report identifying the source of water entry affecting the common hallway and the adjoining lots, and ask the strata committee to bring a costed repair recommendation to owners." This seeks an investigation and a later decision. It does not assume the leak's cause, promise a repair date or authorise an unknown cost.
Attach dated photographs, the building location, earlier work orders and any relevant contractor findings. Explain why the motion matters to the building as well as your own lot. If the immediate issue is a safety hazard or active water entry, report it under the emergency procedure at once; do not wait for an AGM motion. An agenda item is a route to a collective decision, not a substitute for responding to an urgent problem.
Report a South Coast repair from the ACT
The first task is to describe the problem accurately without deciding responsibility too soon. The owners corporation generally maintains common property, while an owner generally maintains their lot. Boundaries depend on the registered strata plan, by-laws and the particular building element. A ceiling stain might come from a roof, a common pipe, another lot or an appliance inside your own apartment. The first report should describe what is happening, not assert a cause that has not been established. NSW's repairs and maintenance guidance sets out the basic responsibility and reporting path.
Send the strata manager or committee the strata plan and lot number; exact location; when the issue was noticed; whether water is active or there is an electrical, slip or structural concern; clear photos or video; who is on site; and a reliable access contact. Say whether an apartment above or a shared area may be affected. If you have a managing or letting agent, ask them to give the same facts and coordinate entry with occupants, while copying you on material updates. An ACT mobile number alone is insufficient when a contractor arrives at a locked South Coast building.
For an immediate danger, use the scheme's emergency contact procedure and relevant emergency services as appropriate. If no scheme contact can be reached, take sensible steps to prevent further harm and record the circumstances and advice received. An owner who arranges emergency work may be able to seek reimbursement in some circumstances, but it is not automatic; approval, responsibility and reasonableness matter. Keep invoices, photographs, the tradesperson's findings and a record of who you tried to contact. For non-urgent work, ask the manager who is assessing it and what approval is required before a trade is booked.
Distinguish diagnosis from the final repair. Stopping a leak or drying an area may be urgent, while investigation, permanent waterproofing, insurance assessment and repainting can involve different decisions and contractors. Ask for the proposed scope, the party responsible for authorising it, and how owners will know the work has solved the original defect. Our South Coast strata repairs guide covers the broader regional repair process.
A realistic remote repair follow-up
Imagine you live in Canberra and a neighbour sends you a photograph of water near the ceiling of your Batemans Bay apartment after heavy rain. You contact your occupant or local agent to establish whether water is still entering and whether the electrical fittings are affected. You report those facts immediately through the scheme's contact channel, send the image and ask for the emergency contact if conditions worsen. You do not wait until the next drive to the coast.
The next communication should identify who will inspect, when access is possible, and what the first contractor is being asked to determine. After the visit, request the written finding or a short summary: where water was observed, what temporary action was taken, what source is suspected, and whether another inspection is necessary. If the source may involve the roof or another common element, ask how the matter will be presented to the committee or owners corporation for the required decision.
Keep one email thread or simple dated log. Record the initial report, acknowledgement, inspection, decision, work order, proposed attendance, completion evidence and any remaining damage. Set a reasonable date to seek an update based on the urgency and the manager's stated next step, rather than sending daily messages with no new information. If water is still entering or a safety risk changes, update the report immediately with new evidence. If the issue has been made safe but a permanent repair is pending, ask for the decision date and the reason for any delay.
The same approach works in Narooma, Bermagui or Merimbula. The location changes the trades and access arrangements; the information an owner needs is consistent. A clear written trail makes it easier for a Canberra owner to distinguish a job that has been inspected from one that has been approved, scheduled and completed.
Check what the meeting actually decided
Minutes are the record of a meeting's resolutions, rather than a general guarantee that every issue raised during discussion will be completed. NSW guidance says general meeting minutes must be given to owners within seven days. Read the final resolution, any amendment, the vote outcome and the person or body authorised to act. If your requested repair was discussed but no motion passed, ask what decision-making path comes next. If a resolution approved only an investigation, do not assume the permanent works were also approved.
For a substantial project, ask for the agreed scope, quote or procurement step, funding source, expected decision or work schedule, access plan and method for reporting completion. The committee may need to compare quotes or return to owners for another decision. NSW requirements for quotes and approvals can depend on the value and circumstances; a manager can explain which rule applies to the proposed work. Your role as a remote owner is to make the next decision observable, not to demand a date that the scheme has not yet established.
If a record is missing, owners can request access to strata records, including the strata roll, financial records and relevant correspondence. There is a formal inspection process and fees can apply; ask about electronic access when you are in the ACT. The NSW record keeping guidance explains what is kept and how owners can inspect it. A record request can clarify whether a report was received, a motion was passed, a quote was accepted or a work order was issued.
What to do when a repair stalls
Begin with a factual follow-up to the strata manager and committee. Restate the issue, the risk, the dates of earlier reports and the specific next step you seek. Ask whether the delay is caused by access, diagnosis, funding, a quote, an approval or a dispute about responsibility. These are different problems with different solutions. If a fresh hazard arises, use the urgent reporting path again rather than relying on an old email chain.
If the matter remains unresolved, request that an appropriately worded motion be considered and review the records. NSW Fair Trading provides a free strata mediation process for many disputes. The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal can consider strata matters, and mediation is generally required before many applications, subject to exceptions. Get advice about the appropriate route for a serious or disputed defect. Keep your chronology, photographs, expert reports, correspondence and minutes together so the issue can be understood by someone who was not present on site.
There is a difference between following up a common property repair and complaining about a particular manager's conduct. Ask what the owners corporation decided and whether its decision has been acted on before treating every delay as a personal failure by an agent. If the concern specifically involves management service or conduct, NSW has separate guidance on strata manager complaints. The right escalation depends on what actually went wrong.
Connect your Canberra routine to local knowledge
Remote participation works best when someone near the building can provide facts, access and evidence, while the owner remains involved in decisions. An on-site occupant, caretaker or letting agent can take a photograph or let a tradesperson in. The strata manager can coordinate matters within the scheme's authority. The committee and owners corporation make decisions according to their roles. None should be assumed to stand in for your vote without a valid arrangement.
Essential Strata Management works with schemes across the NSW South Coast, with local pages for Batemans Bay, Narooma, Bermagui and Merimbula. Our Canberra owners page explains the broader ACT-to-coast connection. If your building is considering management or you need to understand how its current process works, contact the team through the Batemans Bay, Narooma or Merimbula office relevant to the property. Your scheme's existing manager and emergency contacts remain the first point for an active repair.
Frequently asked questions
Can I attend a NSW strata AGM from Canberra?
Yes, if the meeting is arranged for electronic participation. Read the notice for the approved video, phone or other method, joining instructions and way to vote. Ask the organiser about accessibility or an alternative if the instructions are unclear. Being an ACT resident does not itself prevent you from participating as an owner.
How much notice should I receive for a meeting?
The written notice period is at least 14 days for an AGM and at least seven days for another general meeting under NSW guidance. Check that your strata roll contact details are current and ask promptly for the agenda and attachments if anything is missing. A committee meeting has a different purpose and participation rules from a general meeting of owners.
Can I vote by email if I cannot make the meeting?
Do not assume an ordinary reply email counts. Use the method specified in the meeting notice. A scheme may offer pre-meeting electronic voting after the required resolution, or you may appoint a proxy on the approved form. Ask the secretary or managing agent which options apply to the particular motion and when each closes.
Is pre-meeting electronic voting the same as a proxy?
No. A pre-meeting vote is your own vote submitted by the approved electronic process before the meeting. A proxy authorises another eligible person to attend and vote for you under the proxy rules. Pre-meeting electronic voting cannot be used to elect the strata committee. Read the notice carefully if a motion may be amended at the meeting.
Can my Canberra-based property manager vote for me?
Managing your rental or holiday bookings does not automatically give an agent your strata vote. If you want a person to act as proxy, check eligibility, use the approved form and give clear instructions. A letting agent may still help report an issue or arrange access without holding voting authority.
How do I raise a repair before the next AGM?
Report an urgent problem immediately through the scheme's repair or emergency channel, with photographs, location, safety facts and an access contact. For a matter needing an owners corporation decision, ask the secretary about submitting a motion. Do not let a future meeting date delay reasonable steps to address an active hazard.
Who pays if the leak affects my apartment?
Responsibility depends on where the defect lies, the strata plan and by-laws, and the facts established by inspection. Common property is generally the owners corporation's responsibility; work within a lot is generally the owner's. Damage, insurance and temporary measures can raise separate questions. Record the source and scope before assuming who must pay.
What should I ask for after reporting a repair?
Ask who is assessing the issue, the first inspection or make-safe step, how access will be arranged, what the contractor found, what approval is needed for permanent work, and when the next update will come. A written work order or meeting resolution helps distinguish a proposed job from an approved one. Save the final completion evidence and report any continuing defect.
What if the strata manager or committee does not reply?
Send a concise written follow-up with dates, new evidence and the decision you need. If the issue remains unresolved, review the records, request a motion where appropriate, and consider NSW Fair Trading mediation or advice about further options. Use the emergency path again if the risk becomes immediate. The route depends on whether the dispute is about a repair decision, responsibility or a manager's conduct.
A practical next step
Before your next South Coast meeting, check that your ACT contact details are recorded, save the agenda and reports, and choose how you will attend or vote. For a repair, send a precise report with a local access contact and follow the issue through diagnosis, approval and completion. That small amount of preparation lets you take part in your NSW building's decisions while your daily life stays in Canberra.
Source links for editorial verification
NSW Government strata meetings
NSW Government how to run a strata meeting
NSW Government repairs and maintenance
NSW Government record keeping requirements
