As of 1 October 2026, NSW Fair Trading has introduced a new mandatory training requirement for strata committee members.
The online training ‘Introduction to Strata Committee Rights and Responsibilities’ forms part of recent strata legislation reforms and is intended to help committee members better understand their roles, responsibilities, and decision-making obligations within a strata scheme.
According to NSW Fair Trading, the introductory training is completed online via the Strata Hub portal, it’s free of charge, and is expected to take around one hour. Further training modules are to become available over time as part of an ongoing annual training framework.
While the training requirement primarily applies to strata committee members, the changes may affect all owners within an owners corporation.
Since 1 October 2026, newly appointed or reappointed committee members are required to complete NSW Fair Trading’s compulsory online strata committee training within three months of their appointment.
The training requirement forms part of broader strata law reforms aimed at supporting informed decision-making, improved governance, and greater understanding of the responsibilities associated with serving on a strata committee.
NSW Fair Trading has advised that the introductory course will be available through Strata Hub, with further training requirements potentially introduced in future years.
NSW Fair Trading is developing and administering the strata committee training program, including registration, training requirements and future training modules.
Committee members appointed before 1 October 2026 are not required to complete the introductory training unless they are subsequently reappointed.
However, owners joining a committee after 1 October 2026, including returning committee members following an election or reappointment, will be required to complete the training within the required timeframe.
Committee members seeking information about exemptions, eligibility, or training requirements should refer to the guidance published by NSW Fair Trading.
For many committees, this will become an additional step in the appointment process following annual general meetings or committee elections.
For owners considering joining their committee in the future, now may be a good opportunity to become familiar with the responsibilities that come with the role and the new training requirements that will apply following appointment.
As NSW Fair Trading continues to develop the training framework, committee members may also wish to stay informed about future annual training requirements and updates.
For help and guidance with finding or getting started with the training, contact NSW Fair Training on 13 32 20 or complete the online form.
While the training requirement only applies to certain strata committee members, the changes may affect everyone within an owners corporation.
Strata committees make decisions on behalf of the owners corporation about repairs and maintenance, financial management, compliance obligations, by-laws, and the day-to-day operation of the scheme.
The introduction of compulsory training is intended to help committee members better understand these responsibilities and make informed decisions on behalf of all owners.
Owners who are not currently serving on the committee may also wish to understand the new requirements, particularly if they are considering nominating for election in future years.
For owners corporations, this is more than an administrative issue. Committee members play an important role in managing the day-to-day affairs of the scheme.
If multiple committee members become ineligible by failing to complete the training, the committee may face challenges maintaining sufficient membership to carry out its responsibilities.
This may result in additional committee meetings, the appointment of replacement members, or, in some circumstances, more matters needing to be referred to general meetings of the owners corporation for decision. These processes can increase costs, create delays, and place additional administrative responsibilities on the scheme.
NSW Fair Trading’s introductory strata committee training will be accessible to anyone who wishes to learn more about strata living and governance, even if they are not required to complete it. Owners considering a future committee position may find the training particularly valuable.
NSW Fair Trading has advised that committee secretaries will play an important role in helping committee members understand and meet the new training requirements.
Once a committee member completes the training, NSW Fair Trading is expected to issue a Certificate of Completion.
NSW Fair Trading recommends that strata schemes keep records of training completion and that committee members provide a copy of their Certificate of Completion to the committee secretary.
Committee members should follow any process established by their scheme for submitting evidence of completion and maintaining up-to-date training records.
Where training has not been completed within the required timeframe, NSW Fair Trading has also advised that committee secretaries will be required to issue notices to affected individuals that they are no longer eligible to remain on the committee.
NSW Fair Trading has published guidance, templates and supporting information to help secretaries manage training records and communications.
NSW Fair Trading advises that committee members required to complete training have three months from their appointment date to do so.
If the training is not completed within the required timeframe, the legislation provides that the individual automatically ceases to hold their committee position.
If a committee member later completes the required training, they may be eligible for reappointment to the committee. However, any appointment must be made in accordance with the requirements of the scheme and the legislation.
Where a vacancy needs to be filled, the owners corporation may need to convene a committee meeting and pass the appropriate resolution to appoint an eligible replacement committee member.
NSW Fair Trading has also noted that if a vacancy arises, committee secretaries are encouraged to notify the remaining committee members as soon as practicable so the committee can continue to operate effectively.
In schemes where vacancies result in the committee no longer meeting the requirements of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), the owners corporation may need to convene general meetings to make decisions that would otherwise be dealt with by the strata committee. This can increase costs, delay day-to-day decision-making, and create additional administrative burdens for the scheme.
For these reasons, all committee members are strongly encouraged to complete their training well before their individual deadline and promptly provide evidence of completion.
As the training program is administered by NSW Fair Trading, committee members and owners can access the most up-to-date information on exemptions, compliance, training access, and future requirements through NSW Government resources.
NSW Fair Trading has acknowledged that some owners corporations may choose to engage their strata manager to assist with administrative activities associated with the new training requirements.
Where the functions of the secretary have been delegated to a strata manager, the strata manager may be able to support the committee with activities such as maintaining training records, issuing reminders, collecting Certificates of Completion, and assisting with compliance processes.
In other schemes, owners corporations may choose to engage their strata manager to perform some or all of these administrative tasks.
However, NSW Fair Trading notes that these activities are recommended as good practice rather than legal requirements, and strata managers may charge fees for carrying out this work.
As each scheme is different, owners corporations should carefully consider which administrative tasks are necessary and who is best placed to undertake them before assigning additional responsibilities.
NSW Fair Trading has also recommended a range of administrative measures to support compliance, including maintaining training records, retaining Certificates of Completion, issuing reminder notices before training deadlines, and updating relevant records where committee appointments change.
If we are your strata manager and the owners corporation chooses to delegate these administrative functions to your branch, we can help streamline the administration of the new training requirements.
This includes providing a process for collecting and tracking Certificates of Completion, issuing reminders to committee members approaching training deadlines, and supporting committee secretaries with training record management.
By implementing a consistent tracking and reminder process, we can help schemes monitor compliance and reduce the administrative burden associated with the new requirements.
Owners corporations interested in delegating these functions should speak with their strata manager to discuss the support available, any required approvals, and whether additional fees may apply.
While NSW Fair Trading recommends a number of administrative practices to support compliance, owners corporations should clearly determine who will be responsible for these activities and whether any additional strata management fees may apply before engaging a strata manager to undertake the work.
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The new compulsory strata committee training requirements represent an important change for strata schemes across NSW. While the training requirement applies primarily to committee members, the impacts may extend more broadly to owners corporations through committee governance, decision-making, compliance processes and administrative responsibilities.
As NSW Fair Trading continues to release information on training access, exemptions, and future annual training modules, committee members are encouraged to consult the official NSW Government resources for the latest guidance and updates.
This article is edited by Lauren Shaw Regional General Manager and Licensee-in-Charge on October 2026.
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