NSW strata crackdown delivers $125k in fines in first year
NSW’s strata taskforce, established to crack down on dodgy activity, has handed out more than $125,000 in fines in its first year of operation.
NSW Fair Trading’s Strata and Property Taskforce has issued almost 80 fines with a total value of more than $125,000 since it began, in the government’s bid to protect unit owners.
The group was set up in early 2025 to crack down on misconduct, lift professional standards and support better decision making for residents.
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According to Fair Trading, more than 1.2 million people living in apartments, townhouses, duplexes and other shared properties across the state have benefited from the stronger protections.
Within its first year, the taskforce has completed more than 175 ‘Anywhere, Anytime’, unannounced investigations in unit blocks.
Additionally, disciplinary action has been taken against more than 70 licensees across real estate, strata management and conveyancing, with more than 10 operators removed from the industry entirely.
The taskforce has also held 1,440 mediation sessions supporting strata and community title owners to resolve disputes without the need for costly tribunal proceedings.
One strata managing agent, who formerly operated in the Coffs Harbour area, was permanently disqualified from the industry for engaging in serious fraudulent transactions, impacting 66 separate strata buildings and close to 1,000 residents.
Fair Trading said it was focused on early intervention, with independent managers appointed to ensure continuity of essential services where strata managers had failed to do so.
Currently, the fourth and final tranche of legislation as part of the Strata Schemes Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (NSW) is before NSW Parliament.
The government has previously increased penalties for managing agents who didn’t disclose perceived or potential conflicts of interest.
The reforms also allowed Fair Trading to issue compliance notices and enter enforceable undertakings with owners corporations that do not meet their duties to maintain and repair common property.
Better Regulation and Fair Trading Minister, Anoulack Chanthivong, said property purchases were one of life’s biggest financial decisions, and buyers needed to be able to trust property agents were acting fairly, transparently and in line with the law.
“Backed by the Minns Labor Government’s $8.4 million investment, the Strata and Property Taskforce in NSW Fair Trading is making sure people can trust how their homes are managed and how property transactions are conducted,” he said.
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“We’ve taken strong action over the past year to crack down on misconduct and catch the agents who are doing the wrong thing.”
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner, Natasha Mann, said the taskforce enabled the department to step in earlier, take action where needed, and support homeowners and strata residents across NSW.
“We’re delivering practical benefits for homeowners by giving them greater confidence in how their buildings are managed and how property transactions are undertaken,” Mann said.
“These actions are about protecting consumers and maintaining the integrity of the property and strata sectors,” she concluded.
