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By-law Management and Enforcement Guide

Stratapilot · Help Centre Last updated: June 2026

Overview​

By-laws are the rules that govern behaviour within a strata scheme — how lots are used, what alterations are permitted, pet ownership, noise, parking, and more. Stratapilot lets the committee record and manage the scheme's by-laws, track exclusive use resolutions, and manage by-law breach complaints through a structured workflow.

Platform scope: Stratapilot records by-laws and manages the complaint workflow. Formal enforcement action (contravention notices, tribunal applications) is conducted outside the platform. The platform provides the governance record that supports those external actions.

Who Can Manage By-laws​

ActionExecutiveOrdinary MemberCaretakerViewer
Create / edit by-laws✅❌❌❌
Upload by-law document✅✅❌❌
Submit breach complaint✅✅✅✅
Action breach complaint✅✅ (assigned only)✅ (assigned only)❌
Close breach complaint✅❌❌❌

Part 1 — Creating and Managing By-laws​

By-laws list

By-law types​

Stratapilot categorises by-laws into the following types:

TypeDescription
StandardGeneral conduct and use rules applicable to all lots and common property
Exclusive UseGrants a specific lot owner exclusive use of a common property area (e.g. a courtyard, parking space, storage room) — requires an exclusive use resolution
PetRules governing the keeping of animals on the scheme
ParkingRules governing the use of parking areas
RenovationRules governing alterations and additions to lots or common property
NoiseRules governing noise and nuisance
OtherAny by-law not covered by the above categories

Creating a by-law record​

  1. Go to By-laws in the main navigation.
  2. Click New By-law.
  3. Enter the by-law number, title, and select the type.
  4. Enter the full text of the by-law (or paste from your scheme's registered by-law document).
  5. Set the status:
    • Active — currently in force
    • Repealed — no longer in force (kept for historical record)
    • Proposed — under consideration, not yet passed
  6. Optionally attach a PDF of the registered by-law document.
  7. Save.

By-laws are visible to all committee members. Lot owners with the Viewer role can see by-laws that have Public visibility. Check document visibility settings if your scheme prefers to keep working drafts committee-only.

Part 2 — Exclusive Use Resolutions​

An exclusive use by-law grants a specific lot owner the exclusive right to use a defined area of common property. This is common for:

  • Courtyards adjacent to ground-floor lots
  • Dedicated car spaces not allocated on the plan
  • Storage rooms
  • Garden areas

Platform enforcement​

The platform enforces approval before granting an exclusive use by-law:

  1. A committee executive creates an exclusive use by-law record with a linked lot.
  2. The system requires a Special Resolution poll (GENERAL scope) to be created and passed before the by-law can be set to Active.
  3. Until the linked poll is in CLOSED/PASSED state, the by-law status remains Pending approval.
  4. Once the resolution passes, the executive marks the by-law Active.

Without a passed resolution on file, the exclusive use by-law cannot be activated in the platform. This ensures the committee cannot accidentally grant exclusive use without the required lot owner approval.

Creating an exclusive use resolution​

  1. Create the by-law record (type: Exclusive Use, status: Proposed).
  2. Go to Polls and create a GENERAL poll:
    • Resolution type: Special Resolution
    • Title: e.g. "Exclusive use by-law — Lot 4 courtyard"
    • Attach the proposed by-law document as a supporting document
  3. Follow the standard AGM/EGM process to open and run the vote.
  4. If the poll passes, return to the by-law record and set status to Active.

Part 3 — By-law Breach Complaints​

Step 1 — Member submits a complaint​

Any scheme member (including lot owners with the Viewer role) can submit a by-law breach complaint:

  1. Go to Reports & Complaints.
  2. Click New complaint.
  3. Select type: Complaint and category: By-law Breach.
  4. Enter:
    • Title (e.g. "Unauthorised pet — Lot 12")
    • Description (what by-law is allegedly breached, specific details of the incident)
    • The lot referenced (the lot where the breach occurred)
    • Optional supporting photos or documents
  5. Submit.

The submitter's identity is visible to committee members but not to other lot owners.

Step 2 — Committee acknowledgement and assignment​

  1. The Secretary and Chairperson receive an email notification of the new complaint.
  2. Open the complaint in Reports & Complaints.
  3. Change status to Acknowledged and add a note confirming receipt.
  4. Assign the complaint to a committee member (typically the Secretary) for follow-up.
  5. Send an acknowledgement to the submitter via the platform's response field (they will receive an email).

Step 3 — Investigation​

  1. Update the complaint status to In Progress.
  2. Use internal committee notes (visible only to committee) to record investigation steps:
    • Contact the alleged party
    • Inspect the common property if relevant
    • Review CCTV footage references
    • Document witness statements or photos
  3. Consider whether the breach warrants:
    • An informal warning (note in the platform)
    • A formal written notice (see below)
    • A committee meeting resolution

Step 4 — Formal response and resolution​

Informal resolution: If the matter is resolved informally (the alleged party stops the behaviour):

  1. Record the outcome in the complaint's resolution summary.
  2. Notify the submitter.
  3. Change status to Resolved.

Formal notice (outside platform): If the breach continues and a formal response is required, issue a written notice outside the platform using the procedure for your state (see state enforcement table below). Upload a copy of the notice to the complaint record as an attachment.

Escalation to tribunal: If informal and formal steps fail, the body corporate may apply to the relevant tribunal. Upload a copy of any tribunal application to the complaint record.

Step 5 — Closing the complaint​

  1. When the matter is fully resolved, update the resolution summary for the submitter.
  2. Change status to Resolved → Closed.
  3. Only a committee executive can close a complaint.

State-Specific By-law Enforcement Powers​

StateFormal noticeTribunalMax penalty (by-law breach)Legislation
QLDContravention notice (body corporate can issue)BCCM adjudicator or QCATUp to 20 penalty unitsBCCM Act s182–184
NSWNotice to complyNCATUp to 10 penalty units (enforced by NCAT)SSMA 2015 s146–147
VICWritten complaint, then conciliationVCATNo fixed statutory penalty — VCAT orders complianceOwners Corporations Act 2006 s154–157
WAWritten notice of breachSATUp to $5,000 for by-law breachStrata Titles Act 2020 s154
SAWritten noticeSACATVaries by by-lawCommunity Titles Act 1996
TAS / ACT / NTWritten noticeLocal civil tribunalVaries — consult local legislation—

⚠️ Important: The penalty amounts and procedures above are a summary guide and may change with legislative amendments. Always seek legal advice before issuing formal notices or tribunal applications.

Escalation path diagram​

Breach identified
      ↓
Complaint lodged in Stratapilot
      ↓
Committee investigation (in-platform notes)
      ↓
Informal warning/request to comply
      ↓  [if unresolved]
Formal written notice (state-specific)
      ↓  [if unresolved]
Tribunal application (external to platform)
      ↓
Tribunal order / outcome — upload to platform record

Frequently Asked Questions​

Can the platform send a formal contravention notice? No. Stratapilot generates and tracks complaint records. Formal legal notices (contravention notices, notices to comply) must be drafted and issued outside the platform by the committee or your strata manager. Upload a copy to the complaint record for governance purposes.

Can the alleged party see the complaint? No. The alleged party has no access to the complaint record. Only committee members can see complaint details. The submitter can see the status of their own complaint.

Can we record anonymous complaints? No. All submissions are linked to the submitter's account. Committee members can see who submitted, but this is not disclosed to other lot owners or the alleged party.

What if the breach is also a criminal matter (e.g. assault, theft)? Contact police directly. Record the police report number in the complaint's internal notes. Stratapilot's complaint workflow is for by-law and scheme-related matters, not criminal conduct.

Do we need a GENERAL poll to change a by-law? Yes. By-law changes (other than interim by-laws in some states) require a Special Resolution passed at a general meeting. Create the poll as a GENERAL/Special Resolution before implementing any by-law change in the platform.

This guide documents Stratapilot platform behaviour and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult a licensed strata manager or lawyer for advice on by-law enforcement in your scheme and state.