From 1 October 2026, new and returning strata committee members in NSW will be required to complete mandatory training.

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Strata committee members make important decisions about finances, repairs, maintenance, governance and the long-term management of their buildings. The new training requirements are intended to give committee members the foundational knowledge they need to understand their role and make informed decisions on behalf of their owners corporation.

What are the new training requirements?

Committee members appointed or reappointed between 1 October 2026 and 30 September 2027 will need to complete the NSW Fair Trading online course, “Introduction to Strata Committee Rights and Responsibilities”, within three months of their appointment.

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The training will be:

• Free
• Completed online
• Self-paced
• Approximately one hour in duration
• Available through Strata Hub from 1 October 2026

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Once committee members have completed the introductory course, they will have access to additional training in subsequent years. NSW Fair Trading will provide further information about the additional training requirements for 2027.

Does the requirement apply to existing committee members?

Yes, but it will apply when they are next appointed or reappointed.

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Strata committee members are generally elected at each annual general meeting. An existing member who is re-elected on or after 1 October 2026 will need to complete the training within three months of their reappointment.

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A committee member appointed before 1 October 2026 will not be required to complete the training until they are next appointed, although they may choose to complete it voluntarily once it becomes available.

Who is exempt?

The mandatory training requirement will not apply to committee members:

• Serving on a two-lot strata scheme
• Who are strata managing agents
• Who are members of the Australian College of Strata Lawyers
• Filling a casual vacancy for less than three months

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Committee members relying on an exemption should provide evidence of the exemption to the strata committee secretary.

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The training requirements apply to strata committees in strata schemes. They do not apply to association committees under community land schemes.

What happens if the training is not completed?

A committee member who does not complete the mandatory training within three months of their appointment automatically stops being a member of the strata committee.

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This occurs even if the committee secretary does not issue a formal notice to the member.

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Once the committee becomes aware that a person has failed to complete the training, it should prevent that person from participating in future committee decisions and consider whether the resulting vacancy needs to be filled.

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A previous committee decision involving a person who had not completed the training will generally remain valid if the committee acted in good faith and did not know that the person had ceased to be a member.

What records should be kept?

NSW Fair Trading recommends that committee members provide their Certificate of Completion to the committee secretary within the three-month training period.

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The secretary is encouraged to keep:

• The date each committee member was appointed or reappointed
• The date by which their training must be completed
• A copy of each Certificate of Completion
• Copies of reminder notices sent to committee members
• Details and supporting evidence of any exemption
• Copies of any notices issued for failure to complete the training

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Certificates and notices should be retained for at least one year to avoid uncertainty about who has completed the training and remains eligible to serve on the committee.

What should committee secretaries do?

NSW Fair Trading recommends that the committee secretary send each committee member a reminder no later than two months after their appointment.

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The reminder should:

• State the date by which the training must be completed
• Ask the member to provide their Certificate of Completion
• Explain the consequences of not completing the course on time

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If a member does not provide their certificate by the deadline, the secretary should issue a notice advising that the person has automatically ceased to be a committee member. The remaining committee members should also be notified of the vacancy.

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NSW Fair Trading is expected to publish templates for reminder and failure-to-complete notices closer to the commencement of the requirements.

What will the training cover?

The course will help committee members:

• Understand their legal duties and the governance role of the strata committee
• Manage repairs and maintenance
• Navigate and resolve disputes within their scheme
• Understand and manage risks
• Support the financial health of their owners corporation
• Make more informed decisions on behalf of owners and residents

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The course will provide a useful foundation, particularly for owners joining a strata committee for the first time.

Why is the training being introduced?

Strata committees are responsible for decisions that can have significant financial, legal and practical consequences for owners and residents.

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Committee members are volunteers and may join with very different levels of strata knowledge and experience. Mandatory training is intended to establish a more consistent level of understanding across NSW strata committees and support better governance and decision-making.

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It should also help committee members understand the distinction between the responsibilities of the owners corporation, the strata committee and the strata managing agent.

How Netstrata will support its committees

Netstrata will help its managed schemes understand and prepare for the new requirements.

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Your strata manager can assist with general information about the training requirement, relevant completion dates and the records recommended by NSW Fair Trading.

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The Netstrata Learning Portal will continue to provide practical articles and educational resources to help committee members understand their broader responsibilities.

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These resources support committee members in their roles but do not replace the mandatory NSW Fair Trading training.

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Further information is available on the NSW Government strata committee training page.

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If you have questions about how the changes will apply to your scheme, please contact your Netstrata strata manager or learning@netstrata.com.au.

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This article provides general information only and should not be relied upon as legal advice. Training and administrative requirements may be updated as further guidance is released by NSW Fair Trading.

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