Dear Auntie
I am so over our strata manager. Calls go unanswered for days—sometimes weeks. The advice? Useless. And the fees? Let’s just say we’re paying champagne prices for lukewarm tap water. In the corporate world, underperformers get their marching orders—often with a swift ‘don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out’. Can we do the same with our strata manager?
Regards, Gazza
Dear Gazza
Auntie loves a good door-hitting-arse scenario, but alas, sacking your strata manager isn’t as simple as handing them a cardboard box and a security escort. It all comes down to the contract—and contracts, dear Gazza, are tricky beasts.
You mention the corporate world. Well, even in those ruthless boardrooms, there’s usually a performance review process: concerns get raised, chances are given to improve, and then —if all else fails—the chopping block is wheeled out. Have you had that conversation yet? If not, start there.
Try escalating to their manager, head office, or—if you’re feeling brave—the CEO. If the problem persists, then yes, there’s a legal process for parting ways. But be warned: at its ugliest, it can land you in QCAT, which translates to time, money, and stress: three things no one has enough of.
Your best bet? Fix the relationship first. Get clear on what’s actually in the contract (Auntie has seen more misunderstandings about strata management contractual terms than she cares to count). If needed, bring in a mediator. Our friends at Strata Solve do this for a living. It might save you a fortune in legal fees and headaches.