The Queensland government has rolled out a modernised set of body corporate regulations that would support unit owners in the state.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Shannon Fentima said the new set of regulations will lay out key changes that will strengthen transparency, reduce body corporate costs, and enhance protection for unit owners.
"Transparency will be strengthened with body corporate managers now required to disclose any commissions received before a body corporate enters any contracts, including for insurance," she said.
According to the government, the new set of regulations will:
- facilitate electronic voting and attendance at meetings, including the use of “live” electronic voting and remote personal attendance by teleconference or videoconference
- encourage the use of email and other forms of electronic communication for the exchange of information and documents within bodies corporate
- clarify and improve the list of documents that original owners or developers must provide to the body corporate to facilitate effective governance of the scheme
- encourage early identification and remedy of building defects by requiring a body corporate to consider a motion to prepare a defect assessment report at its second annual general meeting
- require the body corporate manager and the caretaking service contractor for the scheme to disclose any associated commission, payment or other benefit received, including the amount of the benefit if it’s monetary, before a body corporate decides to enter into a contract, including for insurance
Fentima said the government is also working on establishing a Community Titles Legislation Working Group.
“This group of key stakeholder representatives will provide advice to the government on a range of issues impacting the community titles sector so we can continue to improve regulations," she said.
