NSW Strata Committee Training Starts 1 October 2026 What Agents Need to Know

NSW Fair Trading will introduce annual training for strata committee members from October 1, 2026, adding a new compliance step for many schemes across New South Wales.

The change matters because strata committees make decisions that affect people’s homes, levies, repairs, budgets, insurance, and shared property. The new training aims to give committee members a clearer understanding of their role, while also making day-to-day committee support easier for strata managing agents.

For agents, the key task is simple: know who must complete the training, who is exempt, and how to explain the new rules to owners and committees before questions start coming in.

New training rules will affect many NSW strata communities from October 2026.

What changes on October 1, 2026

From October 1, 2026, NSW Fair Trading will launch a free online training course for strata committee members.

The course is:

• Free

• Online

• Self-paced

• About one hour long

• Designed to cover foundational strata knowledge

  
  

The training is intended to help committee members understand their obligations and make better-informed decisions for their owners corporations.

It will cover core topics that often sit at the center of committee work, including:

• Budgets and financial decision-making

• Repairs and maintenance responsibilities

• Common strata issues and how to resolve them

• The role of committee members within the scheme

• Practical expectations around governance and decision-making

  
  

This is especially relevant because committee members are often volunteers. They may have strong views and good intentions, but limited experience with strata law, meeting procedure, budgets, or building management. A short, consistent training course gives everyone a common starting point.

Who must complete the training

The new requirement applies to committee members appointed on or after October 1, 2026.

Those committee members must complete the training within three months of being appointed, unless an exemption applies.

That means agents should pay close attention to appointment dates after the rule begins. The requirement is triggered by appointment to the committee, not simply by living in a strata scheme.

A committee member appointed before October 1, 2026 does not have to complete the training unless they are appointed again after that date. Even so, they can still choose to complete the free course voluntarily.

That may be useful for long-serving committee members who want a refresher, or for schemes that have struggled with repeated disputes, unclear repair decisions, or confusion around budgets.

The training will be online, free, and self-paced.

Who is exempt from the training

Not every committee member will need to complete the course.

The exemptions include:

• Committee members in two-lot schemes

• Members of the Australian College of Strata Lawyers

• Committee members filling a temporary vacancy for less than three months

• Strata managing agents who are also committee members

  
  

These exemptions are important for agents to understand because they will shape how the new rule applies across different schemes.

For example, a standard apartment building that appoints a new committee after October 1, 2026 will likely need to factor the training requirement into its post-AGM follow-up. A duplex committee member, by contrast, will fall outside the training requirement because two-lot schemes are exempt.

Where someone fills a short temporary vacancy for less than three months, they will also be exempt. If that person later takes on a longer appointment, the position may need a fresh look under the training rules.

Why this helps strata managing agents

The new Strata Committee training requirement is not only about compliance. It should also help improve communication between agents, owners, and committees.

Many disputes in strata communities start with a knowledge gap. A committee might misunderstand what repairs the owners corporation must handle. An owner might expect the committee to act outside its powers. A treasurer might not fully understand how budget decisions affect levies.

Training does not remove every disagreement, but it can reduce avoidable confusion.

For strata managing agents, better-informed committee members can mean:

• More focused committee discussions

• Clearer instructions to the agent

• Fewer repeated explanations of basic concepts

• Better understanding of budgets and maintenance planning

• More realistic expectations about timelines and responsibilities

  
  

This can support healthier Strata living, especially in schemes where committee members change regularly or where owners are new to apartment ownership.

Agents should still expect questions. Some owners may ask whether the training is mandatory for them. Others may ask whether failing to complete the course affects a committee member’s role. NSW Fair Trading is expected to provide the training framework, so agents should rely on official guidance as the start date approaches.

Better-informed committees can help shared property run more smoothly.

The extra change for two-lot schemes

A second change also starts on October 1, 2026.

Two-lot schemes, such as duplexes, will no longer have an obligation to report annually. This change is designed to make compliance easier for owners in smaller schemes.

That will be welcome news for many duplex owners, where the formal reporting burden can feel out of step with the scale of the property. It also gives strata managing agents a clear update to share with clients who manage or own in two-lot schemes.

The two-lot change sits neatly beside the training exemption. Committee members in two-lot schemes are exempt from the training requirement, and two-lot schemes will also be relieved from annual reporting obligations from the same date.

Agents should avoid assuming that all small schemes are two-lot schemes. A three-lot or four-lot scheme may still have different obligations. The lot count matters.

What agents should do before the rules begin

The start date may seem some time away, but agents can prepare well before October 2026.

A practical preparation plan could include:

1. Update internal checklists

   
   

Add a training reminder to AGM and committee appointment workflows for meetings held on or after October 1, 2026.

1. Identify two-lot schemes

   
   

Mark two-lot schemes in your portfolio so staff can respond quickly to questions about training exemptions and annual reporting changes.

1. Prepare owner-friendly wording

   
   

Committees will need plain-language explanations. Avoid legal-heavy summaries unless a scheme specifically asks for that level of detail.

1. Track appointment dates

   
   

The appointment date will matter. Keep clear records of when a person joins or rejoins the committee.

1. Encourage voluntary training where useful

   
   

Committee members appointed before October 1, 2026 may not need to complete the course, but some may still benefit from doing it.

Simple records will help agents manage the new appointment-based training rule.

The key takeaway

From October 1, 2026, many newly appointed NSW strata committee members will need to complete a free one-hour online training course within three months of appointment. The main exemptions cover two-lot schemes, Australian College of Strata Lawyers members, short temporary vacancies, and strata managing agents who are committee members.

The same date also brings relief for two-lot schemes by removing their annual reporting obligation.

For agents, the best next step is to build the new rules into appointment processes early. Clear records, simple explanations, and early communication will make the transition much easier for owners, committees, and managers.

This article is general information only and is not legal advice. For scheme-specific questions, check NSW Fair Trading guidance or seek qualified advice.