Online body corporate training can help Queensland lot owners and committee members understand how bodies corporate operate and where to find reliable information. The Queensland Government provides free online training about community titles schemes and other body corporate topics.
This article explains what training is available, who it is for, what it covers and what to do next if you need guidance about a specific issue.
What online body corporate training is available in Queensland?
The Queensland Government provides a free online training program to help body corporate members, committees and industry groups understand body corporate legislation. The courses cover community titles schemes, buying, selling and renting within a body corporate, dispute resolution, and building units and group titles.
The community titles scheme course is likely to be the most relevant option for many Queensland lot owners and committee members. It covers committees and committee meetings, general meetings, financial management, maintenance and by-laws.
The Queensland Government describes these courses as a basic introduction and overview of each topic. The training can be a useful starting point if you are new to a committee, preparing for a general meeting or trying to understand how a body corporate issue should be managed.
You can find course information and access options on the Queensland Government online body corporate training page. The page also includes information about registration and privacy.
The buying, selling and renting course covers points to consider when dealing with property within a body corporate and includes a quiz at the end. The dispute resolution course covers self-resolution, conciliation, adjudication and interim orders.
The building units and group titles course is based on the Building Units and Group Titles Act 1980 and specified Acts. It covers committees and committee meetings and by-laws.
Who can use Queensland Government body corporate training?
The Queensland Government says the courses are designed for committee members in Queensland, although anyone with an interest in bodies corporate can complete them.
The training may be useful if you:
- have recently joined a committee
- are considering nominating for a committee
- want to understand how your body corporate makes decisions
- need to prepare for an annual general meeting
- want a clearer understanding of levies, budgets or maintenance
- are trying to understand the information in a meeting notice or motion.
A committee member may use the training to develop a general understanding of the committee’s role. The committee is responsible for the administrative and day-to-day running of the body corporate, making decisions on its behalf and putting lawful decisions into place.
The training can also help lot owners participate more confidently in general meetings. Many body corporate decisions must be made at a general meeting where owners can vote. Each lot generally has 1 vote on each motion listed on the voting paper.
You should still check the information that applies to your own scheme. Different regulation modules and plans of subdivision can affect how particular requirements operate. For example, the committee role information explains that other Acts can apply to some bodies corporate.
If you are unsure which legislation applies to your body corporate, check the community management statement or obtain guidance about your scheme before relying on general training information.
What does the online body corporate training cover?
The community titles scheme course covers 5 broad areas:
- committees and committee meetings
- general meetings
- financial management
- maintenance
- by-laws.
The Queensland Government may also provide links to related information, including adjudicator orders, other legislation and webpages.
Committee roles and meetings
Committee training can help explain how the committee operates and the responsibilities associated with different positions. A committee usually includes a chairperson, secretary and treasurer, although the structure can vary depending on the regulation module applying to the scheme.
The committee can make decisions by calling a committee meeting or by voting outside a committee meeting when the relevant legislation permits that process. A committee cannot make every decision on behalf of the body corporate. Some matters, such as changing levies or the rights and obligations of lot owners, are outside the committee’s decision-making powers.
This part of the training can help you understand the difference between a committee decision and a matter that must be considered by owners at a general meeting.
General meetings and voting
The general meetings section explains how meetings are called, held and recorded, and how owners participate in decisions. Depending on the circumstances, voting may take place in person, by written vote, by proxy or electronically if electronic voting has been authorised.
The rules about voting can be detailed. For example, a voter for a lot with a body corporate debt may be restricted from voting on some motions. Proxy arrangements also have their own requirements and limitations.
The training can give you an overview before an annual general meeting or extraordinary general meeting. For a particular motion, you should still read the meeting notice, voting instructions and applicable legislation carefully.
Financial management
Financial management training covers how a body corporate plans and manages its funds. A body corporate must have an administrative fund and a sinking fund, with budgets prepared for those funds each financial year for the relevant regulation modules. The budgets help forecast expected spending and influence the levies paid by owners.
The committee prepares proposed budgets for owners to consider at the annual general meeting. The proposed budgets must be included with the notice of the annual general meeting.
The training can help you understand the relationship between budgets, levies and spending. Including an item in a budget does not, by itself, authorise the body corporate to spend the money. Spending must be authorised by the body corporate or by the committee within its spending limit.
If you want to understand your body corporate’s finances in more detail, review the budget, levy notices, financial statements and meeting minutes for your scheme.
Maintenance
Maintenance is an area where owners and committees often need to work together. The body corporate and lot owners can each have maintenance responsibilities. The answer depends partly on the plan of subdivision and the regulation module applying to the scheme.
The survey plan shows the boundaries between lots and common property. Once those boundaries and the applicable regulation module are known, you can work out which maintenance responsibilities belong to the body corporate and which belong to a lot owner.
Generally, the body corporate must maintain common property in a good and structurally sound condition, while a lot owner must maintain their lot in good condition. Maintenance can also include work needed to prevent damage, such as steps to prevent termite damage.
For more information about the general concept, see our guide to what is a body corporate.
By-laws
The course also covers by-laws, including what they are, how they can be made or changed, exclusive use by-laws and how by-laws can be enforced. By-laws are rules made by a body corporate to control and manage common property such as driveways, car parks and swimming pools.
If you are dealing with a by-law issue, our by-laws explained guide may help you understand the topic before you read your scheme’s own by-laws.
How does the training relate to the BCCM Act and regulation modules?
The community titles scheme course is based on the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 and the Body Corporate and Community Management (Standard Module) Regulation 2020.
The BCCM Act provides the broader legal framework for community titles schemes. The regulation module supplies more detailed rules about committees, meetings, finances and maintenance. The Standard Module is one of the regulation modules that may apply to a body corporate.
Not every body corporate operates under the same module. The Queensland Government explains that the information about committee roles applies to schemes with a community management statement and that other Acts apply to some bodies corporate.
The regulation module for a community titles scheme is set out in its community management statement. For maintenance questions, the survey plan and community management statement help identify the boundaries, applicable module and responsibilities.
Online training should therefore be used alongside the legislation and documents applying to your own scheme. The training can explain the general structure, but it cannot determine the answer to every question about a particular building, motion, levy or maintenance problem.
For a broader overview of compliance issues, you can also read our body corporate compliance factsheet.
What should you do after completing the training?
Completing the training is a useful first step, but it should not be the last step when you are dealing with a specific issue.
After completing a relevant course, consider:
- identifying the regulation module that applies to your scheme
- reading the relevant part of your community management statement
- checking the survey plan when the issue involves boundaries or maintenance
- reviewing your body corporate’s by-laws
- reading the meeting notice, motion and voting instructions carefully
- checking the budget, levy information and minutes for financial matters
- keeping a written record of the question and the documents you have reviewed.
It can also help to discuss the issue with your committee or body corporate manager. A practical discussion may clarify whether the matter needs a committee decision, a general meeting or further information from a qualified professional.
The training does not replace the legislation or the documents applying to your scheme. If you are unsure about your rights, responsibilities or obligations, take additional steps to understand the issue. You may need independent legal advice for a specific matter.
Try to separate general information from advice about your own circumstances. For example, learning how body corporate budgets work may help you understand a levy notice, but it does not determine whether a particular budget or expenditure is valid.
Where can you find further body corporate guidance?
The Queensland Government provides access to body corporate legislation and information about its services. Its body corporate information pages also provide guidance about committees and meetings, by-laws, maintenance, finances, records and disputes.
Useful topics to explore include:
- the role and responsibilities of the committee
- how general meeting voting works
- preparing and changing body corporate budgets
- maintenance of common property and lots
- body corporate by-laws
- dispute resolution options.
You can also compare the government guidance with your scheme’s own records. The community management statement, survey plan, by-laws, budgets and meeting minutes often provide the details needed to apply general information to your building.
Online body corporate training is a practical starting point for understanding Queensland body corporate legislation, meetings, finances, maintenance and by-laws. If you need help applying the information to your scheme, contact our team at reception@stratacare.com.au.
