Owner’s Corporations (also called Body Corporates) consist of members, a committee and executive positions. The Chairperson is one of the more prominent executive roles in the committee, and a good Chairperson can be the difference between a committee that runs smoothly, and one that seems to be struggling to make progress.

What the Chairperson does:

The Chairperson must be a member of the Owner’s Corporation and the committee. They are charged with running the committee meetings in such a way that the committee has all the relevant information necessary, without becoming bogged down in the minutia of the decisions.

They must always act honestly, and in good faith. While they can have some decision making capabilities delegated to them, they must act according to the wishes of the committee at all times.

They are also in charge of convening meetings, arranging ballots, and if a vote results in a tie, they can cast a deciding vote.

Skills of a good Chairperson:

There is more to the role than just letting people know when a meeting is coming up. A good Chairperson needs to be very organised, meetings should always begin with the necessary resources already at hand. For example, if one of the items on the agenda is lawn maintenance, there should already be some quotes, estimates of times, frequency and information on any potential disruption to the lot owners or tenants. Without this information, an informed decision will not be reached, and must be deferred for another meeting later, delaying the resolution.

Being able to liaise between different people of all cultures, professions and ages is also vital. The members of the committee can literally be anyone, so becoming an agent for quick, effective action can often mean acting as an intermediary between different groups of members.

Perhaps most importantly though, is a familiarity with the rules and regulations involved. This includes the bylaws passed by the committee, the methods of enforcing them and also the relevant government legislation, such as the Owners Corporations Act 2006, the Owners Corporations Regulations 2007.

We can help you

While it may seem quite a daunting position, we can help your Chairperson become as effective as possible. With our up-to-date knowledge of the relevant legislation, as well as years of experience, we can offer you advice to keep your actions legal, efficient and effective. The decisions are still yours to make, but we can make sure you know everything you need to know to take the best course of action for your Owner’s Corporation, while minimising the risk and worry.