Some responsibilities are easier to take on when you know exactly what you’re signing up for. If joining a strata committee is something you’re considering, or something you’ve already taken on, you may have heard some changes are coming. From 1 October 2026, NSW is introducing mandatory annual training for both new and returning members.

At All Suburbs Strata Management, we have provided premier strata management services across Greater Sydney, the Nepean and the Central Coast for over 40 years. We know there is a lot to understand when you take on the role. Committee members regularly make decisions that affect owners’ finances, common property and the general operation of the scheme, so additional training and awareness is a positive step. Here’s what you need to know, including who has to complete the training, when they need to do it, what it covers and the exemptions.

The training coming in October for new and returning strata committee members will be online. The first course, ‘Introduction to Strata Committee Rights and Responsibilities’, will take about an hour to complete and can be done at your own pace. Access will be through the Strata Hub, although the link won’t be available until launch day.

Some of the content areas that will be covered include legal duties and governance, budgets and financial matters, repairs and maintenance, dispute resolution, risk management and longer-term planning. This will give members better context around these matters and establish a common base of knowledge for people coming into the role with very different levels of strata experience.

No one is expected to become a strata expert! The new course provides the foundational knowledge relevant to a committee role. It’s not a strata management qualification. Licensed strata managers have separate training and ongoing professional development obligations, so the two shouldn’t be confused.

Anyone appointed or reappointed to a strata committee on or after 1 October 2026 will be given three months from the date of their appointment to complete the training. For people already on a committee before the new rules come in, the clock isn’t magically ticking. They will not have to do the training until they are next appointed to the committee. And because elections take place at AGMs, when that happens will be different from one strata scheme to another.

The new system has been described by NSW Fair Trading as annual training for new and returning committee members. While the introductory unit will commence in October, further training will be made available each year, with the exact details still to come.

You also don’t have to wait until you fall into the compulsory category. It’s never a bad thing to learn more. Once the training launches, anyone can complete it online for free, including existing members who have yet to be reappointed, as well as owners who may be considering joining the committee in the future.

Not every strata committee member will have to complete the new training. NSW Fair Trading has confirmed exemptions for:

• committee members in two-lot strata schemes
• strata managing agents who are also committee members
• members of the Australian College of Strata Lawyers
• people filling a temporary vacancy for less than three months

Anyone relying on an exemption should provide evidence to the committee secretary. It’s also important to note that the new training applies to strata committees in strata schemes, not association committees in community land schemes.

Two-lot schemes are affected by another change from the same date. From 1 October, they will no longer be required to complete annual strata reporting through the Strata Hub. According to the NSW Government, this recognises that two-lot schemes, which include many duplexes, are typically lower risk and less complex to manage.

The reporting exemption is specific to two-lot schemes and does not remove their other obligations under strata law. Schemes with more than two lots will continue to complete annual reporting, which is due within three months of the AGM.

As mentioned, people join strata committees with vastly different levels of knowledge and experience. And those with less familiarity can still quickly find themselves dealing with budgets, quotations, repairs and other major decisions with big implications. The new training recognises this. Ultimately, you shouldn’t feel like you need decades of experience to join a committee. But having an understanding of how things work can certainly make the role a little easier to navigate.

Strata managers can help owners understand the new rules and when they apply. In fact, NSW Fair Trading has specifically asked us to raise awareness and respond to questions from within our schemes. While we can remind, educate and keep owners and committee members informed about the changes and training requirements, actually completing it remains the responsibility of each individual member.

For existing committee members, 1 October isn’t a deadline to stress about. What it means is that from this date, there will be a more formal expectation that people making decisions on behalf of their scheme have some basic strata knowledge behind them. For owners, that’s a positive direction to be heading in.

At All Suburbs Strata Management, we have more than 40 years of experience working with residential, community, commercial and industrial properties. We can help owners corporations understand changing strata requirements, keep committee members informed and make sure they know what’s expected of them as new obligations come into effect.

If your current strata manager is not meeting expectations, contact our experienced team to discuss your options. We can assist with a smooth and straightforward handover.