Frequently asked questions
Plain-English answers to the questions Australian strata committees ask most. Can 't find what you're looking for? Email us and we'll get back to you.
About StrataBody
- What is StrataBody and who is it for?
- StrataBody is purpose-built software for Australian owners corporations who manage their own schemes. It brings everything your committee needs — meetings, documents, compliance, levies, maintenance requests and owner access — into one simple, secure place. It's designed for volunteer committees who want to spend less time on admin and more time actually running their building.
- Does StrataBody work for schemes outside Victoria?
- Yes. StrataBody is built for Australian strata committees across all states. Whether you're in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, or South Australia, the core workflows — meetings, compliance, levies, documents, maintenance, and the owner portal — all apply. Terminology varies slightly between states (owners corporation vs body corporate, for example), but the platform is designed to work across Australian strata legislation.
- Is StrataBody only for self-managed schemes?
- StrataBody is primarily built for self-managed owner-run committees who handle day-to-day administration themselves. That said, strata managers looking for a modern, clean platform to serve their clients will also find StrataBody's workflows well-suited. The core audience is the engaged volunteer committee that wants to run things properly without a massive overhead.
- Does StrataBody work for very small schemes — say, 4 or 6 lots?
- Absolutely. Many of our users are small schemes where two or three committee members are doing everything themselves. StrataBody's per-lot pricing means smaller schemes pay less, and the platform is designed to be low-overhead — you don't need a dedicated administrator to keep things running. Most small schemes are up and running within an hour.
- What is the StrataBody Assistant?
- The StrataBody Assistant (known as LIZ) is your built-in helper — a knowledgeable colleague who knows your scheme and can draft notices, prepare meeting agendas, check compliance dates, and answer strata governance questions. It works within your scheme's actual data and follows the same access rules as everything else in the app. Committees use it most for drafting owner notices, preparing meeting materials, and getting quick answers to 'what does our legislation say about this?' questions.
- Is StrataBody a replacement for a strata manager?
- For most self-managed schemes, yes — StrataBody provides the tools that previously required a strata manager: meeting records and minutes, levy management, maintenance requests, compliance tracking, document storage, and owner communications. Many committees switching from a manager to self-management use StrataBody as their operational backbone from day one. That said, StrataBody is software — it doesn't provide legal advice or professional services. Committees that need those things should engage appropriate professionals.
Pricing
- How does StrataBody pricing work?
- StrataBody charges per lot per month with a small monthly minimum (ex GST). There are two plans: Essentials is perfect for most committees, and Pro adds deeper compliance registers, contractor management, and advanced features. Use the calculator on the pricing page to see your exact monthly cost based on your lot count.
- What is the difference between Essentials and Pro?
- Essentials covers the full suite of committee and owner workflows — meetings, maintenance requests, documents, levies, compliance basics, and the owner portal. Pro adds richer compliance registers, quotes and approved jobs (work orders), advanced notifications, and more powerful assistant capabilities. Most smaller self-managed committees find Essentials more than enough. Pro is best for schemes with active contractor management or more complex compliance needs.
- Do minimum monthly fees apply?
- Yes. Both Essentials and Pro have a monthly minimum (ex GST). If your per-lot charges add up to less than the minimum — which can happen for very small schemes — you pay the minimum. This keeps pricing predictable and simple. The per-lot calculator on the pricing page shows exactly what your scheme will pay.
- Can we switch plans after signing up?
- Yes. You can move between Essentials and Pro at any time as your scheme's needs change. Billing changes take effect from your next billing period. You manage this directly from your tenant settings.
- Is GST included in the listed prices?
- Listed rates on the pricing page are shown excluding GST, which is standard for Australian business software quotes. GST will be shown on your invoice and checkout flow where applicable.
- Is there a free trial?
- StrataBody is currently in beta, which means it's free to join and try. Join the beta waitlist on the homepage — you'll get early access and we'll work directly with your committee to help you get set up. Beta pricing will transition to paid plans as we approach full launch.
See exact monthly costs for your lot count on the pricing page.
Getting started
- How long does it take to set up StrataBody?
- Most committees are operational within an hour. The first 10 minutes covers the essentials: scheme profile, your lot list, key committee members, and one compliance reminder. You don't need to import every historical document before going live — start with what you need for current operations and build from there.
- Do we need to migrate all our historical documents before switching?
- No — and trying to do so before going live is the most common reason migrations stall. The recommended approach is to define a live date, load your current-year and high-value records (approved minutes, current insurance, active compliance items), and backfill historical archives gradually. You'll have immediate operational value without waiting for a perfect archive.
- Can we import data from our existing strata management software?
- StrataBody supports importing buildings, lots, and members from structured data (CSV or similar). For documents, you can upload directly to the folder library. For financial records, your outgoing manager should be able to provide exports that you can use as the basis for your StrataBody setup. We're happy to help — contact us at support@stratabody.com.au.
- Does the whole committee need to be tech-savvy to use StrataBody?
- Not at all. StrataBody is designed for volunteer committees, not IT teams. If your committee members can use email and a web browser, they can use StrataBody. The interface is clean and task-focused — there's no training program required. Most committees get comfortable with their most-used workflows within the first week.
Read the full setup walkthrough in How do you get started with StrataBody in your first 10 minutes?
Features
- Does StrataBody handle levy management?
- Yes. You can set up levy schedules with your frequency (monthly, quarterly, annual), per-lot amounts based on unit entitlements or equal split, and payment due dates. StrataBody tracks payments, flags arrears, and gives you a clear dashboard view of who has paid and who hasn't. You can export arrears reports to CSV for your accountant.
- Can lot owners access StrataBody?
- Yes — the Owner Portal gives lot owners their own login to view notices, access approved documents, see approved meeting minutes, and submit maintenance requests. The portal respects your visibility settings: committee-only documents stay committee-only. Owners see exactly what you intend them to see, nothing more.
- How does compliance tracking work in StrataBody?
- You create a compliance register with all your obligations — fire safety, insurance renewal, lift servicing, pool inspections, governance milestones. Each item has a due date, recurrence, responsible owner, and reminder windows. The dashboard surfaces due-soon and overdue items so nothing slips through. When an item is complete, you attach the evidence (certificate, invoice, service record) directly to the record.
- Does StrataBody support hybrid and video meetings?
- Yes. StrataBody's meeting management supports any meeting format — in-person, video, telephone, or hybrid. You record the meeting details, agenda, motions, and outcomes in the platform regardless of how the meeting is held. Meeting notices can include video links, and the platform handles the document management side regardless of your meeting format.
- Can we manage multiple buildings under one scheme?
- Yes. Many owners corporations in Australia cover multiple buildings or stages. StrataBody lets you set up multiple buildings under your scheme, with maintenance requests, compliance items, and communications targetable to specific buildings. Everything is still under one tenant account for unified reporting and management.
Explore more in our articles library — guides on meetings, compliance, levies, maintenance, documents, and more.
Data & security
- Where is our scheme data stored?
- StrataBody is built on Supabase, which uses AWS infrastructure. Your data is stored securely in cloud infrastructure with tenant isolation — meaning your scheme's data is strictly separated from every other scheme's data. Access is controlled by role-based permissions aligned to each user's committee role.
- Is our data private from other schemes on the platform?
- Yes, completely. StrataBody uses row-level security and tenant isolation, which means your scheme's data is invisible to all other schemes. Even StrataBody staff access data only where operationally required. The StrataBody Assistant only references data that the logged-in user is permitted to see.
- What happens to our data if we cancel?
- Your data is yours. If you cancel, we'll provide you with an export of your scheme's data in a portable format so you can retain your records. We don't delete data immediately upon cancellation — we hold it for a reasonable period to allow you to export everything you need.
Still have questions?
We're a small team and we're genuinely happy to answer questions before you commit to anything. Reach out — we'll get back to you quickly.