New committee member information
We’re here to help you get started on your committee journey
You’re in for an exciting journey ahead. Most of us started out not knowing much, but as situations arise, you’ll learn quickly. Our team of experts and professionals are here to help, and we have a range of resources to help you throughout each stage of your committee journey.
What you need to know about being on the committee:
Understanding your role and responsibilities
We all know that to be an effective member of any team you need to be clear about what role you play. Being on your committee is no different.
One of the first steps to being an effective committee member is to ensure that you understand not only the role in which you play on the committee but also the role that the committee plays within your property. It is common for a committee to be made up of a range of roles. Three of the most common roles are chairperson, secretary, and treasurer. If you are not sure what role you were elected to on the committee, ask your strata manager. They will be happy to confirm this for you.
We’ve created the below videos to help walk you through questions in a simple and jargon-free language.
What is the role of the committee?
Who does what on a committee?
Ultimately, it’s a team effort where all members of the committee work together with your strata manager to upkeep a well-maintained property, protect the investment of all owners and enhance community living within your property.
It’s important to remember that committee members are not expected to be industry experts. That’s our job! Your strata manager will be there to help guide your committee throughout their journey, and we provide a range of easy-to-understand resources to help your committee at every stage of their journey.
How to keep up to date with your state’s strata legislation
Understanding and keeping up to date with strata legislation can overwhelming, regardless of whether you are a new or long-term committee member. Each state has its own strata legislation. Therefore it is important that you check that your resource is referencing your specific state’s legislation information. You will not be expected to know your state’s entire legislation by heart, however, you will need to have a basic understanding. Remember that your strata manager is available to help your committee navigate the ins and outs of your state’s legislation.
We’ve created the below videos that explain two state-based legislation questions in a simple and jargon-free language. These are great examples of the type of questions you may face in your time on the committee.
Queensland legislation – What is a standard body corporate agreement?
Victorian legislation – Owners corporation insurance what is and isn’t covered?
You will need to know where to find reliable information when your committee is making decisions. Lucky for you, our team of experts and professionals have all the knowledge and resources required to help you make sense of it all.
Our customers have access to a comprehensive collection of easy-to-understand guides, videos, and online update resources that provide everything you need to know about your state’s legislation and the effect they have on your property and community living.
Helpful resources to help you keep up to date with your state’s legislation
Gaining an understanding of industry terminology
If you are a new committee member, you might be feeling overwhelmed by all the strata terminology. If so, we are here to help you make sense of it all. The first thing you should know is that each state has its own terminology. Therefore it is important that you check that your resource is referencing your specific state’s information.
We know that understanding some of the complex industry terms is a common pain point for both new and existing committee members. You will not be expected to be fluent in industry terminology at your first strata meeting, however, it will help if you have an understanding of the most common terminology. Our customers have access to an easy-to-understand online dictionary.
The below video is a great example of the type of terminology questions that you may face in your time on the committee.
What is a community management statement?
All body corporate properties in Queensland that are regulated by the Body Corporate and Community Management Act must have a Community Management Statement. Learn what a Community Management Statement is and what it includes.
6 things to do during your first few weeks
In order for a smooth transition into your role within the strata committee, there are several things you will need to be across. To help you out, we have made a checklist of the essential details, documents, programs and information you will need access to.
Contact details
Ensure you have access to the required contact details, including emergency numbers.
Role responsibilities
Ensure you understand the responsibilities of your role within the committee.
By-laws
Ensure you are familiar with your property’s by-laws.
CommunityHub
Ensure you have the correct access to your CommunityHub account.
Financials
Review your property’s financial balances.
Information pack
Download and review your committee member information pack here.
Understanding how to use CommunityHub
We strive to give committee members and property owners an easy life. There is so much more to life than worrying about the administrative management of strata—that’s our job!
We have been working behind the scenes to build an all-new CommunityHub that has your needs in mind. CommunityHub gives you access to your strata information at a click of a button via a mobile app or through your desktop at home. CommunityHub makes committee member life easier and more convenient.
Your property’s CommunityHub account
Community Hub is available to all committee members and owners living in a strata property managed by a PICA Group subsidiary and is now available as an app too.
You can view the complete range of user information, guides, and tutorial videos under the “CommunityHub’ tab in our menu bar.
No more waiting for office hours—you can access it all 24/7. With CommunityHub there is no more waiting for office hours or returned phone calls to get information. You can access it all right now. From downloading agendas and minutes from your meetings to viewing your by-laws and levy balance and making levy payments on the go, it’s all at your fingertips.
Ensure you are registered for committee updates
Our team provides committee members with a range of information and updates throughout the year. This information is generally communicated via email.
How to ensure that you receive all committee information and updates?
We find that throughout an owner’s pre-committee journey they may have unsubscribed from some of our email notifications. Then when they join the committee they start to miss out on updates. We suggest that every committee member fills in the resubscribe form here to ensure that they receive all of ur committee information and update emails.
Legislation updates
Community Living update
New resource notifications
Committee tips and helpful information
Service and operational updates
Customer offers
Don’t forget, we’re here to help
If you need help with access to the above essentials, we recommend referring to your committee member education pack or getting in touch with your strata management company.
Helpful resources and services
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