Owners Corporation Committee for Melbourne Apartment Buyers

The question usually lands when the Section 32 turns up and the committee minutes are carrying the clues about whether the building is being run well.

The short answer: In Victoria, an owners corporation committee is the smaller elected group that handles day to day decisions for an apartment, unit or townhouse building. Owners corporations with 10 or more lots must elect a committee at each annual general meeting, and the committee must have three to seven members unless the owners corporation resolves to lift that number to a maximum of 12. The committee can manage routine matters such as maintenance, contractors and budget follow up, but major decisions still need the right owner vote: 50 per cent for many ordinary resolutions, 75 per cent for special resolutions, and 100 per cent for unanimous resolutions.

What is an owners corporation committee in Victoria?

An owners corporation committee is the elected group that deals with the practical running of the building between general meetings. If you buy an apartment, unit or townhouse affected by common property, you automatically become a member of the owners corporation once you become the registered owner.

Think of the owners corporation as the whole group of lot owners, and the committee as the people who keep things moving. They deal with the manager, chase maintenance, review quotes, organise meetings and keep an eye on the budget.

For Melbourne apartment buyers, the committee minutes often say more than the sales brochure. A fresh coat of paint in the foyer can look reassuring, but the minutes might show lift faults, water leaks, unpaid levies or balcony disputes.

Does every Melbourne apartment building need a committee?

Owners corporations with 10 or more lots must elect a committee at each annual general meeting. Buildings with fewer than 10 lots can choose to have a committee, but they don't have to.

This matters because a missing or inactive committee can point to poor records, delayed maintenance or owners who don't engage until something breaks. A small block of eight villas in Reservoir may be fine with owners making decisions together; a 42 unit block in Hawthorn with no active committee is a different risk.

Victorian owners corporations are grouped into tiers by lot numbers. Tier 1, 2 and 3 owners corporations must elect a committee at the AGM. Tier 4 and Tier 5 owners corporations can choose whether to do so.

Who can be on the owners corporation committee?

A committee member must be a lot owner or hold a written proxy for a lot owner. There can only be one committee member for each lot, so two co owners of the same apartment do not both get seats.

Committee members hold office until a new committee is elected. They also need to act honestly, in good faith, with due care and diligence, and in the interests of the owners corporation. If a committee member has a financial interest in a contractor or quote being discussed, that should be disclosed and recorded.

The committee must have a chairperson and a secretary. In a busy CBD building with lifts, fire systems, cleaning contracts and short stay issues, good records can make a real difference.

How are owners corporation committee members elected?

Committee members are elected at the annual general meeting. The AGM is where owners review financial statements, approve budgets, consider resolutions and choose the committee for the next term.

A lot owner, or a person holding the lot owner's proxy, can nominate before or at the AGM. Voting depends on the type of resolution being put forward, and votes are tied to lots or lot entitlements rather than the number of people living in the building.

If you're buying just before an AGM, ask whether the meeting notice, agenda, budget and committee nominations have already been circulated. You might settle just after a budget is approved, or just before a special levy vote for roof works, façade repairs or a lift upgrade.

What can the owners corporation committee decide?

The committee usually deals with everyday building management, not big structural changes. It can arrange maintenance, deal with contractors, follow up budget items and report back to owners.

Common committee tasks include reviewing cleaning, gardening, lift and fire service contracts, chasing quotes for common property repairs, responding to routine rule breaches, checking approved budget items and keeping owners updated between general meetings.

The committee cannot take over decisions that the Act reserves for the whole owners corporation. Selling common property, altering lot entitlements or lot liabilities, and some major decisions need stronger voting thresholds.

What decisions still need owners to vote?

Major decisions usually need an ordinary, special or unanimous resolution. The committee may recommend a course of action, but the whole owners corporation often needs to vote. A committee discussion saying 'roof works to proceed' may mean quotes are being gathered, a maintenance plan is being updated, or a general meeting vote is coming.

What should apartment buyers check in the owners corporation certificate?

The owners corporation certificate and attachments should show whether the committee is active, records are current, and future bills are likely. For a fuller buyer checklist, see our guide on how to read an owners corporation certificate.

When reviewing the certificate, look for:

A current AGM. If there has not been a recent AGM, ask why. A stale AGM record can suggest decisions are being made late or informally.
A valid committee. For a building that needs a committee, check whether there are at least three members and whether the chairperson and secretary are recorded.
Clear minutes. Good minutes should show what was discussed, what was decided, who voted and what action follows.
Maintenance planning. Repeated comments about leaks, concrete, cladding, lifts, balconies or drainage need follow up.
Financial pressure. Low funds, unpaid levies and repeated deferred works may lead to special levies.
Disputes and complaints. A building can have disputes and still be well managed, but silence, missing records or vague minutes are warning signs.

We've seen buyers focus on the quarterly owners corporation fee and miss the bigger story sitting in the committee minutes. A low fee can look appealing, but if the building has an old lift, no maintenance fund and repeated water ingress notes, the real cost may be waiting until after settlement.

Why do committee minutes matter before you sign?

Committee minutes matter because they show whether issues are fixed early, postponed, argued over or ignored.

Look for practical phrases such as 'quote requested', 'engineer report received', 'urgent works', 'further funding required', 'insurance excess', 'legal advice' and 'owner arrears'. None of these automatically mean you should walk away. They do mean you should ask sharper questions before signing or before your cooling off period ends.

For older walk ups in Elwood, St Kilda, Carlton or North Melbourne, maintenance history is often the key. Roof leaks, balcony membranes and old pipes can sit quietly in minutes for years before owners receive a large levy notice.

What if the committee looks inactive or dysfunctional?

An inactive committee is not always a deal breaker, but it should slow you down. The risk is higher where the building has shared services, lifts, basements, ageing common property or a history of unpaid fees.

Signs of an inactive owners corporation include missing AGM minutes, no current committee list, no recent budget, no maintenance plan where one would be expected, or decisions being left entirely to one owner or the manager.

If you still like the property, ask for more records before signing where possible and factor the risk into your price, loan comfort and settlement planning.

How does the committee affect maintenance and future levies?

The committee does not own the building's maintenance problems, but it often controls how early those problems are identified and priced. A good committee keeps maintenance on the agenda, gets proper reports and avoids leaving every repair until it becomes urgent.

Tier 1 and Tier 2 owners corporations must prepare and approve a maintenance plan. Other owners corporations can choose to have one. If there is a plan, the owners corporation should also have a maintenance fund to cover planned works.

This is where sinking fund checks are useful. The question isn't just 'how much is in the fund?' It is also 'what works are coming, what has been costed, and are current fees enough to pay for them?'

What can you do after settlement if the committee won't act?

Start with the owners corporation's internal complaints process. Put the problem in writing, keep records, attach photos or reports where useful, and ask for the issue to be listed for the next committee or general meeting.

If the problem is not resolved, the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria may help if the parties agree to take part. For serious common property repair failures, VCAT can hear owners corporation disputes, including repair and maintenance issues, rule breaches and manager disputes.

If water is entering your apartment, common stairs are unsafe, or urgent works are being ignored, get advice early so your complaint is clear, documented and sent to the right people.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an owners corporation committee in Victoria?

An owners corporation committee is the elected group that handles day to day decisions for a Victorian apartment, unit or townhouse building affected by common property. It usually deals with maintenance, records, budgets, contractors and communication with the owners corporation manager.

Do all Melbourne apartment buildings need an owners corporation committee?

No. In Victoria, an owners corporation with 10 or more lots must elect a committee at each annual general meeting. Owners corporations with fewer than 10 lots may elect a committee if they choose, but it is not compulsory.

Can a first home buyer join the owners corporation committee?

Yes. Once your transfer is registered and you're the lot owner, you can nominate for the owners corporation committee at the next AGM. You don't need years of experience, but you should be ready to read minutes, ask questions and act in the interests of the owners corporation.

What's the difference between an ordinary resolution, a special resolution and a unanimous resolution?

An ordinary resolution is used for many routine decisions and often needs 50 per cent support. A special resolution generally needs 75 per cent support and is used for more serious decisions. A unanimous resolution needs 100 per cent agreement and is used for major matters such as selling common property or changing lot entitlements and lot liabilities.

How often does an owners corporation committee meet?

Victorian law does not set one fixed meeting schedule for every committee. Active Melbourne buildings often meet quarterly or when maintenance, budget or dispute issues need attention. Notices should include the time, place, agenda, previous minutes and proxy information.

Can the owners corporation committee force me to pay a special levy?

A committee usually cannot create a new major special levy by itself unless the required authority already exists. Extra levies normally need the right owners corporation resolution, and the voting threshold can depend on the amount and purpose. Check the AGM minutes, budget, levy notice and maintenance plan before assuming the committee had power to approve it alone.

What can I do if the owners corporation committee won't fix common property?

Put your complaint in writing and use the owners corporation's internal complaints process first. If that does not resolve the issue, you may seek help through the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria or apply to VCAT for an owners corporation order. For urgent safety, water entry or damage issues, get tailored advice quickly so the request is properly framed.

About the Pearson Chambers Conveyancing team

Pearson Chambers Conveyancing works with Melbourne buyers, sellers and first home buyers across apartments, units, townhouses and family homes. Our team reviews Section 32 statements, contracts of sale, owners corporation certificates and settlement documents every day. Owners corporation committee records are part of the practical risk check we carry out when a client is buying into a shared building.

Sources we consulted

Need help reviewing the owners corporation committee records?

Before you sign an apartment contract, ask Pearson Chambers Conveyancing to review the Section 32 statement, contract and owners corporation certificate. We offer a complimentary Section 32 contract review for Melbourne buyers and can help you understand whether the committee records point to a well run building or a costly surprise.

Call 03 9969 2405 or email contact@pearsonchambers.com.au.

General information only, current as at the date of publication. Victorian conveyancing rules and legislation change frequently. Please contact the Pearson Chambers Conveyancing team for advice on your specific contract.