Strata Managers in Surry Hills, 2010

Choosing a Strata Manager in Surry Hills

No single manager dominates Surry Hills: the largest, Strata Sense Pty Ltd, holds just 8% of local schemes, giving owners real leverage when negotiating fees and service terms.

With 59 managers competing for 255 schemes in Surry Hills, switching is straightforward — but asking the right questions up front saves time and money. Here’s what to focus on:

• Ask about handover fees — some managers charge a “termination” or “file transfer” fee when you leave. Get this in writing before signing. The Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 requires outgoing managers to hand over records within 28 days.
• Request recent financials — ask shortlisted managers for a redacted copy of a recent treasurer’s report and annual financial statement. The quality and transparency of these documents tells you more than a pitch meeting.
• Check their owner portal — most managers now offer online portals for document access, levy payments, and maintenance requests. Ask for a demo login — a clunky portal means ongoing frustration for your committee.
• Ask for references from similar buildings — a manager who excels with 200-lot high-rises may not be the right fit for a 12-lot walk-up (the average scheme in Surry Hills has 41 lots). Ask for contacts at buildings similar to yours in size and type.
• Review the contract term and exit clauses — standard agreements run 12 months with 3 months’ notice. Be wary of contracts longer than 3 years or with automatic renewal clauses that are hard to exit.
• Mixed-use experience matters — 12% of lots in Surry Hills are commercial. If your scheme includes shops or offices, confirm the manager has experience with separate by-laws, different insurance requirements, and commercial tenant liaison.

All strata managers in NSW must hold a valid licence from NSW Fair Trading. You can verify any manager’s licence status on the StrataHub register. For a detailed walkthrough, see our guide to comparing strata managers.