Executive Committees gain greater visibility over future maintenance priorities
A strata maintenance plan is a documented schedule that outlines how common property will be inspected, maintained and repaired throughout the life of a building. It helps Owners Corporations plan for routine maintenance, budget for future works and meet their legal obligations.
For Owners Corporations in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), including Canberra and surrounding districts, a strata building maintenance plan is more than good practice. Under the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011, Owners Corporations are required to have a formal maintenance plan in place for common property. Executive Committees and Strata Managers are responsible for ensuring the plan remains current and is used to guide maintenance decisions.
This page explains the ACT requirements for strata maintenance plans, why they matter, and how maintaining accurate building records helps protect your property, your owners and your committee. If your building is located outside the ACT, maintenance requirements may differ depending on your state’s legislation.
It's the Law: What the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 Requires
The Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 requires ACT Owners Corporations to prepare and maintain a formal building maintenance plan for common property. Rather than reacting when problems arise, the legislation encourages a planned approach to maintaining shared assets throughout their lifecycle.
An effective maintenance plan identifies the major building assets that require ongoing attention, estimates their expected service life and outlines when inspections, servicing and replacement works should occur. It also provides a practical framework for forecasting expenditure, helping Owners Corporations budget for future maintenance instead of facing unexpected costs.
Maintaining the plan is an ongoing responsibility. As inspections are completed, maintenance works are carried out or building assets change, the plan should be reviewed and updated to reflect the current condition of the property.
A well-maintained plan supports better decision-making for everyone involved.
Strata Managers have a reliable reference for day-to-day planning
Owners benefit from improved transparency around how their building is being maintained.
What Happens When Building Records Get Lost
One of the biggest challenges facing strata communities isn’t always the condition of the building. It’s the condition of the records.
Over time, buildings accumulate important information including maintenance histories, inspection reports, warranties, service contracts, defect records and compliance documents. When these records are incomplete, difficult to locate or lost during changes in management, it becomes much harder to make informed maintenance decisions.
Maintaining a central, up-to-date record alongside your strata maintenance plan gives future committees access to the information they need to understand previous works, monitor recurring issues and make informed decisions about upcoming maintenance.
A maintenance plan should support the long-term management of the building, not just the current committee.
What's Included in an Effective Strata Maintenance Plan?
Every building is different, but a comprehensive strata maintenance plan should provide a clear picture of the assets that require ongoing care and the actions needed to keep common property safe, functional and well maintained.
A typical maintenance plan should include
An asset register covering common property and shared infrastructure.
Planned maintenance schedules and inspection frequencies.
Expected service life for major building components.
Forecast maintenance and replacement costs.
Service contract records.
Maintenance history and completed works.
Building warranties and operating manuals.
Compliance documentation and inspection records.
A secure location for important building documents.
A process for recording maintenance requests and completed actions.
Keeping this information organised in one place makes it easier for Executive Committees and Strata Managers to understand the condition of the building, monitor upcoming obligations and maintain continuity over time.
The Cost of Not Having One
Why a Maintenance Plan Strengthens Your Insurance Position
Delaying maintenance rarely saves money in the long term.
Insurance claims often depend on being able to demonstrate that a building has been appropriately maintained.
Small issues that go unnoticed can develop into more significant defects, leading to larger repair bills, unexpected special levies and disruption for residents. Without a structured maintenance plan, it's also more difficult to prioritise work, forecast future expenditure and understand which assets require attention first.
When maintenance records are incomplete or difficult to access, insurers may require additional documentation before assessing a claim. Having a well-maintained maintenance plan, supported by inspection records and maintenance history, provides a clearer picture of the building's condition over time.
Incomplete records create another challenge. New committee members or incoming Strata Managers may spend considerable time locating historical information or repeating inspections simply because previous records cannot be found.
Accurate documentation also simplifies insurance reviews by making it easier to show what inspections have been completed, when maintenance occurred and whether recommendations have been addressed.
A long-term building maintenance plan helps reduce these inefficiencies by providing continuity from one committee to the next and ensuring important information remains available throughout the life of the building.
While a maintenance plan cannot prevent every issue, it provides valuable evidence that an Owners Corporation has taken a proactive approach to maintaining common property.
Duty of Care and Legal Liability
Owners Corporations have a duty of care to maintain common property in a safe condition for residents, visitors and contractors.
Failing to address known maintenance issues or neglecting routine inspections may increase the risk of property damage, safety incidents and potential legal disputes. Keeping accurate maintenance records also demonstrates that reasonable steps have been taken to identify and manage risks.
A current maintenance plan supports this responsibility by documenting inspections, planned works and completed maintenance activities. It provides a practical record of how the Owners Corporation is meeting its ongoing obligations while helping committees make informed decisions about future maintenance priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
A strata maintenance plan is a document that outlines how common property will be inspected, maintained and repaired over time. It helps Owners Corporations plan maintenance, budget for future works and keep accurate building records.
Yes. Under the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011, ACT Owners Corporations are required to prepare and maintain a formal maintenance plan for common property.
A maintenance plan should be reviewed whenever inspections are completed, maintenance work is undertaken or significant building changes occur. Regular reviews help ensure the information remains accurate and useful for future decision-making.
Without a maintenance plan, it becomes more difficult to demonstrate compliance, forecast maintenance costs and maintain consistent records of inspections and completed works. This can increase administrative burden and make long-term maintenance planning more challenging.
Executive Committees have overall responsibility for ensuring the maintenance plan remains current. In practice, Strata Managers often assist with coordinating updates, inspections and maintenance records on behalf of the Owners Corporation.
This page provides general information about strata maintenance plan obligations in the ACT and shouldn't be relied on as legal advice. For guidance specific to your building, consult your Strata Manager or a qualified legal professional.
Get Your Maintenance Plan in Place
A well-prepared strata maintenance plan does more than help satisfy legislative requirements. It gives Owners Corporations a practical framework for maintaining their building, protecting shared assets and making informed decisions for years to come.
Arcsite helps Executive Committees and Strata Managers maintain accurate building records, organise essential maintenance documentation and keep maintenance plans current as buildings evolve.
If you’d like to see how Arcsite helps keep your maintenance plan current and your building records secure, learn more about the Arcsite platform or contact our team to discuss your building’s requirements.