NSW strata committees now need training: what it means for repairs and remedial work

From 1 October 2026, people joining a strata committee in NSW must complete a short online training course. It is a governance change, but it has practical consequences for how buildings are maintained, how repairs are prioritised and how remedial work is planned.

For committees, strata managers and building managers, it is a good moment to look at how maintenance decisions are made and recorded.

What has happened

NSW Fair Trading has confirmed that the strata committee training requirement commenced on 1 October 2026. The key points are:

• Committee members appointed on or after 1 October 2026 must complete the training within 3 months of being appointed.
• The course, “Introduction to Strata Committee Rights and Responsibilities”, is free, self-paced and takes about an hour.
• It covers committee members’ legal duties and governance role, managing repairs, maintenance and disputes, and managing risks to help keep schemes financially stable.
• Members appointed before 1 October 2026 do not need to complete it until their next appointment, although they can choose to.
• Some people are exempt, including members of two-lot schemes, NSW strata managing agents, members of the Australian College of Strata Lawyers, and people filling a casual vacancy of less than 3 months.
• A member who does not complete the training in time automatically stops being a committee member. NSW Fair Trading says it does not enforce this itself, so schemes need to monitor completion.

The requirement is one stage of a wider set of NSW strata law changes that have been rolling out since 2025, including changes to capital works and maintenance planning that started on 1 April 2026.

What it means in practice

NSW Government guidance on strata repairs and maintenance states that the owners corporation or strata committee must repair and maintain common property, such as roofs, gutters, balconies, windows and concrete slabs. Owners corporations must also have a 10-year capital works plan to forecast major repairs and their costs.

Training gives committee members a shared starting point on these obligations. In practice, that can mean:

• Clearer decisions at meetings, because members understand who is responsible for what.
• Earlier action on issues such as water leaks, cracking or balcony deterioration, before they become larger and more expensive repairs.
• Better use of the capital works plan as a working document rather than a compliance form.
• More consistent procurement. NSW Government guidance states that all schemes must obtain at least two independent quotes for work valued at $30,000 or more.

Because members who do not complete the training automatically leave the committee, schemes holding annual general meetings in the coming months may want to plan for this so that decisions on repairs are not delayed by a short-handed committee.

What committees may want to consider

This is general information, not advice. Committees and strata managers may find it useful to:

• Note each new member’s appointment date and the 3-month training deadline.
• Review the capital works plan and maintenance schedule after new members join, so everyone works from the same information.
• Keep a simple log of reported issues, inspections and repairs on common property.
• Get a condition assessment before approving major works, so quotes are based on the same scope.
• Be aware that remedial work on Class 2 (apartment) buildings is regulated in NSW and generally requires registered practitioners and regulated designs.

How Beams & Dreams can help

Beams & Dreams Constructions is a Sydney-based builder (NSW Builder Licence 397915C, Registered Building Practitioner BUP4253866). We work with owners corporations, strata managers and building managers on building maintenance, defect rectification and remedial works. We can help committees understand the condition of their building, scope works clearly and plan them in a practical order.

Next step

If your committee is reviewing its maintenance plan or has repairs to schedule, talk to our team.

This article is general information only. It is not legal, financial, planning, engineering or compliance advice. Rules and timeframes can change. Check the official sources linked above and get advice from a qualified professional about your building or project.