FAQ's

A Body Corporate Manager is a company engaged by the Body Corporate, usually under some form of written agreement, to assist with managing the administrative and financial affairs of the Body Corporate.

The Body Corporate Manager will carry out the functions of the Secretary and Treasurer as well as providing advice on Body Corporate issues and The Unit Titles Act and Legislation.

The duties of the Body Corporate Manager are outlined in the agreement they have with your Body Corporate.

Some of the duties are typically as follows:

• Preparation of notices of meetings including nomination forms, agendas, proxy forms, voting papers, budgets and financial statements.
• Preparation and attendance at the Annual General Meeting.
• Preparation of minutes of all meetings.
• Issuing levy notices.
• Issuing reminder notices and when necessary, arranging debt collection.
• Keeping of financial records and account transactions.
• Payment of invoices and accounts.
• Operation of individual bank accounts for each Body Corporate
• Arranging Insurance policies and property valuations and lodging insurance claims.

Body Corporate Managers are paid a fee agreed to by the Body Corporate at the time of their engagement. This fee is included in the Body Corporate budget as a management fee.

Additional fees may be charged by the Body Corporate Managers for carrying out other duties listed as additional services on the agreement.  These are charged at the listed hourly rate and may include a charge for travel.

The committee comprises owners who are elected at the AGM.

Outside of any meetings of your Body Corporate, the committee acts for the Body Corporate on various matters (i.e. building maintenance, budgets, general meeting agendas etc). Once the committee is elected at the AGM, the elected committee runs the Body Corporate for the forthcoming year.

In the first instance, all maintenance issues should be brought to the attention of the Body Corporate Manager. In an emergency this may not always be possible and an owner may be forced to have emergency repairs effected.  The Body Corporate Manager is responsible for overseeing the maintenance of the common areas and overseeing the budget. 

All owners within a Body Corporate have the chance to consider and vote on the proposed annual budget of the Body Corporate. The approved annual budget determines the levies payable by each owner. The annual budget and subsequent levies for the administration fund and sinking fund are determined each year at the AGM. The levy amounts are calculated on the annual expenses of the Body Corporate and include any projected price increases on services or contracts. 

The Unit Titles Act 2010 is the legislation governing how every aspect of a New Zealand Body Corporate is to function.

In the first instance you should discuss the matter with your Chairman, Committee Member or Body Corporate Manager. It is advisable that any dispute matters be put in writing.

Often times there may just be a misunderstanding, or an owner may not realise the procedures and processes that must be followed, and the misunderstanding can be resolved easily.