Tips for Managing Difficult Owners at Strata Meetings

We can’t get through life without experiencing conflict or having interactions with other people that can be unpleasant. Being part of strata management as a lot owner serving on a Strata Committee, there is potential for disagreements with other non-committee lot owners about processes, procedures, or decisions being made by the Strata Committee. It is very rare for everyone to agree on everything and, therefore, disagreements are to be anticipated and expected. However, there are processes you can put in place to help manage this and it is the responsibility of a good Strata Committee to take their position of service to the Strata Community seriously - that they are familiar with the rules and laws applicable to their position and their respective roles and that they always act in the best interests of the Strata as a whole, with no conflict of interest. 

To help navigate managing a difficult lot owner with strata complaints at meetings and strata mediation, it is important to understand the different strata meeting types and the role lot owners can play at these meetings.  There are 2 main meeting types:

• Strata Committee Meetings
• General Meetings

General Meetings are broken down further into:

• First Annual General meeting
• Annual General Meeting (AMG)
• General Meetings - held as and when needed and sometimes called extraordinary meetings or special meetings

Strata Committee meetings are to be held when required and by the rules applicable to each State or Territory. The secretary of the committee should be familiar with these requirements to ensure adherence to the rules.  Only committee members attend the Strata committee meetings as a rule, however, lot owners are allowed to request permission to attend a committee meeting as a silent observer.   As a general rule, they would only be allowed to speak at a Strata committee meeting if given permission to do so at the meeting.

The Strata General Meeting is held when required and the AGM is held annually. All lot owners are entitled to attend.  They can follow the required process and have motions included in the agenda which can be addressed and voted on at the AGM.  Lot owners can speak at these meetings and address and respond to issues listed on the Agenda. It is important that they are given a ‘voice’ in this forum using the correct procedures and channels. Explaining the process in the lead up to the AGM or Strata General Meeting will be helpful in ensuring the lot owners know they have an opportunity to be heard of any strata management complaints and in what capacity.

Our tips for managing difficult lot owners at these meetings are:

• Make sure the person presiding over the meeting (which should be the Chairperson of the Committee) understands the rules and has the right skills to preside over the meeting.  Alternatively, they can delegate the role to the strata manager on pre-agreed conditions set out in the manager’s contract.
  
  
• Start the meeting with a gentle reminder about the process, the requirement to work through the Agenda items, and for the meeting to be conducted in a formal and orderly manner without the need of strata mediation.
  
  
• At a Strata Committee meeting there is no official requirement to allow a lot owner to speak as they are there merely as an observer.  If the chair of the meeting does not feel that allowing the lot owner to speak will be productive or useful, then it would be best to disallow it.  However, allowing a lot owner to speak can be helpful for a number of reasons:

1. They will feel like they are being heard and this could be the one thing that helps settle the conflict.
2. Allowing them to speak may actually save time as it can reduce the email and other correspondence that could take place if they don’t have the opportunity to speak at the meeting.
3. They may have expertise in an area that is lacking in the committee which can then help with decision making and be in the best interests of the Strata Community.
   
   

• At General Meetings and AGMs, having the lot owner present their motion and express themselves would be a productive method of moving through the Agenda, however, the Chair of the meeting will need to ensure that this is done respectfully and appropriately and also that it is done expediently.  No one likes to sit through hours of incessant rambling or unnecessary detail.
  
  
• As a Strata Committee, agree in advance on a strategy with limits and standards for what is acceptable behaviour and what isn’t acceptable behaviour at the meeting.  If the lot owner fails to meet those agreed standards and limits, then you have the option to ask them to leave the meeting.

You can also source some overall tips and information online to provide additional support on dealing with difficult people generally, however, below are three common solutions for ensuring you are able to be calm when the situation arises:

• Keep the lines of communication open
• Listen to make sure you get to the heart of the issue
• Be respectful and treat others as you would like them to treat you

Need help?

We have been in the Strata Living industry since 1995 and have an expert team of Ace Body Corporate Managers here to help provide guidance and support for tricky issues like these. Get in contact with your local manager today.