Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to apply foundation knowledge to work effectively and efficiently in the strata community management sector. It covers the basic entry-level functions to enable compliance with legislative, ethical and procedural requirements. It requires the ability to identify the role of strata communities, access information on by-laws relating to those communities, and clarify the roles and duties of strata managers and resident managers.
The unit supports the work of those involved in applying foundation knowledge to work effectively and efficiently in the strata community management sector. It applies to strata managers.
Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit in some States and Territories. Relevant state and territory regulatory authorities should be consulted to confirm those requirements.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Access information on strata. | 1.1. | Legislation relevant to strata communities is identified. |
1.2. | Developments that may exist under strata plans and the management issues associated with different types of development are identified. | ||
1.3. | Own interpretation and application of legislation relating to strata communities are confirmed to ensure consistent and accurate understanding. | ||
1.4. | Procedures for use of the strata community’s common seal are identified and checked for compliance with legislative requirements. | ||
1.5. | Strata community decision-making processes, including meeting requirements and meeting procedures for lot owners and owners committee, are identified and checked for compliance with legislative requirements. | ||
1.6. | Situations requiring specialist advice are identified and assistance is sought as required. | ||
2. | Identify role of the owners committee. | 2.1. | Membership, role and responsibilities of owners committee are identified and checked for compliance with legislative requirements. |
2.2. | Key provisions of code of conduct for owners committees are identified and followed. | ||
2.3. | Process for appointment, operation and powers of owners committee responsible for administering owners corporation is identified and checked for compliance with legislative arrangements. | ||
2.4. | Process and powers of owners committee to raise funds by levying contributions against lot owners are identified and checked for compliance with legislative arrangements. | ||
2.5. | Process for removal of owners committee or committee member is identified and checked for compliance with legislative arrangements. | ||
2.6. | Situations requiring specialist advice are identified and authorised, and assistance is sought as required. | ||
3. | Access information on by-laws for strata communities. | 3.1. | By-laws relevant to strata communities are identified, accessed and interpreted to clarify rules that owners and tenants in strata communities must follow. |
3.2. | Process for changing or amending by-laws is identified. | ||
3.3. | Availability of model by-laws prepared by state or territory governments is determined, and suitability for use or amending for use with strata communities is assessed. | ||
3.4. | Situations requiring specialist advice are identified and assistance is sought as required. | ||
4 | Identify role of strata managers. | 4.1. | Role and duties of strata manager are identified and checked for compliance with legislative requirements and contract with strata community. |
4.2. | Relationship between strata manager and the owners committee is identified. | ||
4.3. | Roles and duties of strata manager and resident manager are determined and verified with owners committee. | ||
4.4. | Role and duties of strata manager in facilitating meetings of owners and owners committee are identified and verified with owners committee. | ||
4.5. | Role of strata manager in resolving disputes in strata communities is identified. | ||
4.6. | Key provisions of the code of conduct for strata managers are identified and followed in all dealings with the owners corporation, lot owners and other parties. | ||
4.7. | Own interpretation of the role of strata managers is confirmed with relevant people to ensure consistent and accurate understanding. | ||
4.8. | Own professional development needs in relation to role as strata manager are determined and appropriate sources of continuing professional development are accessed. | ||
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy all of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.
The person must also apply foundation knowledge to work effectively and efficiently in the strata community management sector.
The person must demonstrate this performance by responding to four routine workplace situations, one relating to each of the following aspects of work in the strata community management sector:
complying with legislative requirements associated with strata communities
clarifying the role of the owners committee
accessing and interpreting by-laws for a strata community
identifying the duties of strata managers.
In doing the above, the person must:
comply with relevant legislative requirements and confirm own understanding and application with relevant people
comply with ethical practices and code of conduct, and check own understanding and application with relevant people
identify the role and duties of lot owners, owners committee, strata manager and resident manager in strata communities
identify by-laws applying to individual strata communities and the processes involved in changing and amending them
access and use industry employment and professional development guidelines and benchmarks, and seek assistance from own organisation and statutory organisations to ensure own continuing professional development
identify and verify own role and responsibilities and demonstrate an understanding and respect of individual differences in carrying out work tasks.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
code of conduct relating to:
owners committees
strata managers
limitations of own work role, responsibilities and professional abilities
relevant federal, state or territory legislation and local government regulations relating to strata communities, including:
Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and Foreign Investment Review Board requirements
Australian standards
common law relating to working in the strata community management sector
consumer protection laws and guidelines
court and tribunal precedents
environmental and zoning laws affecting access security, access and property use
freedom of information
home building requirements
licensing requirements
privacy and confidentiality requirements and laws applying to owners, contractors and tenants
public health requirements
quality assurance and certification requirements
federal, and state or territory legislation and regulations affecting organisational operation, including:
anti-discrimination and diversity
Acts Interpretation Act
environmental issues
equal employment opportunity (EEO)
electronic transactions
industrial relations
work health and safety (WHS)
federal and state taxation requirements
industry codes of conduct covering areas such as market sector, financial transactions, taxation, environment, construction, land use, native title, zoning, utility use (water, gas and electricity), and contract or common law
relevant local government policies and regulations
strata, community and company titles
tenancy agreements
social and ethical practices and business standards relevant to strata managers
strata communities:
decision making processes in strata communities
distinction between the various strata title types
meetings, including:
meeting procedures
legislative requirements relating to notification and conduct of meetings
processes for appointing and managing owners committees
role and duties of resident manager
role and duties of strata manager
role of lot owners
role of owners corporation
situations in which common seal may be used
types of developments under strata plans
WHS issues and requirements relating to working in the strata community management sector.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
computer system with internet access and printer to access legislation, ethical and conduct standards, and policies and procedures
specifications:
strata community by-laws
relevant codes, standards and regulations relevant to the strata community management sector
relationship with team members and supervisor:
member of a work team in a strata community management context under supervision of the strata manager.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Learning skills to: | assess personal knowledge of legislation applying to strata communities and identify appropriate sources of professional development identify and use reliable sources of information to confirm details of duties of strata managers and resident managers. |
Numeracy skills to: | interpret routine numerical and graphical information on levies determined by the owners committee. |
Oral communication skills to: | ask questions to clarify procedures relating to the routine administration of strata communities. |
Reading skills to: | read and interpret: by-laws for strata communities industry competency standards industry code of conduct. |
Writing skills to: | prepare minutes of meetings of owners committees and lot owners. |
Technology skills to: | use business technologies to: access information complete standard forms lodge electronic documents search online databases. |
Range Statement
This section specifies work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Legislation relevant to strata communities must include: | Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and Foreign Investment Review Board requirements Australian standards common law relating to working in the strata community management sector consumer protection laws and guidelines court and tribunal precedents environmental and zoning laws affecting access security, access and property use freedom of information home building requirements licensing requirements privacy and confidentiality requirements and laws applying to owners, contractors and tenants public health requirements quality assurance and certification requirements federal, and state or territory legislation and regulations affecting organisational operation, including: anti-discrimination and diversity Acts Interpretation Act environmental issues equal employment opportunity (EEO) electronic transactions industrial relations work health and safety (WHS) federal and state taxation requirements industry codes of conduct covering areas such as market sector, financial transactions, taxation, environment, construction, land use, native title, zoning, utility use (water, gas and electricity), and contract law relevant local government policies and regulations strata, community and company titles tenancy agreements. |
Developments that may exist under strata plans must include: | agriculture caravan parks commercial hotels layered schemes mixed use, such as retail, and/or commercial, and/or residential residential resorts retail retirement villages serviced apartments viticulture. |
Duties of strata manager must include: | arranging payment of all invoices attending to correspondence attending to orders, submissions and appeals ensuring strata community complies with WHS regulations maintaining the strata community register organising and coordinating repairs and maintenance of common property, including following a preventative maintenance program preparing and distributing: notices, including contribution notices financial statements and budgets meeting agendas and minutes providing advice in handling difficult or complex strata issues setting dates for committee meetings, annual general meetings, and extraordinary meetings. |
Sectors
Property services
Competency Field
Strata community management