BCS Strata Management Questions & Answers

Hi, Thank you for sharing your comments and thoughts. Yes, owners or an authorised person can make a written request to their owners corporation to inspect the records. Your committee should respond and agree to you inspecting the records, and their response should be within 10-days of receiving the request. It is the owners corporation, and not the strata manager, who can set the terms of the document inspection such as time, place, online or in person. We hope that helps to answer your question. If you are a BCS customer and are still looking for assistance and advice, please feel free to reach out. Our customer experience team or branch staff are always able to help by providing your details here: external link  Regards, BCS.

No owners were made aware that the HUGE electricity bill is directly from the electricity metres of shops 1-5. When I spoke to some owners about this, they were shocked. Why have the owners not been told the source of the bill before having them vote??We should not have to cover this cost. The shop owners should. As I stated previously, the lawyers BCS have employed suggested this bill be covered by insurance, why are we expected to cover this bill- BCS/Energy Australia should be sending this bill to the shops that accrued this debt. We want to know why we weren't told that the shops owe this money- the lighting shop. dentist, 'massage parlour' etc- owners had no idea of this! I have not been present at the meetings however, I know that ideas are brought forward by the Strata managers and the TRUSTING committee members are following the suggestions made by BCS management and voting for the suggestions made. I have spoken to a number of owners, they report many owners have little understanding of the legalities and how to get the money problems resolved and are therefore looking to the Strata managers to help, however it seems that the suggestions made by BCS employees are pushing us into further debt. Looking at the books/expenses, so much money is being wasted- tens of thousands to continuously fix a lift that floods with water... Consultants that have not done what they should have etc.

Hi Yvonne, The chair may run a meeting, but they don't have a deciding vote. What's more, you don't always have to depend on your one chairperson. For example, if the chair is away, the people present can choose someone to chair that particular meeting.

When it comes to voting, different types of votes require a different majority. The different votes include: general resolution - a one lot/one vote format which requires a majority (over 50 per cent); special resolution - a vote by unit entitlement, with no more than 25 per cent of the votes cast against it; unanimous resolution - where every vote has to be the same.

We hope this helps to answer your question. If you are a BCS customer and would like further help, please don't hesitate to reach out. Our customer experience and branch staff are always here to help.

Regards, BCS.

Hi Mahmmod e., Thanks for sharing your comment, we're sorry to hear you had a negative experience. If you are still having difficulty, please provide your details here: external link  . When you have submitted your details, our customer experience team can look into your issue and see what we can do to resolve it.

Regards, BCS.

Why is "ARCHERS" NOT LISTED in your product review? Please "TEAM" without a face answer this question?

Maybe because this page isnt about Archers?

Hi Paulette, Thanks for the post, however, this is the Body Corporate Services review page. Archers is a separate strata management company, and we have no affiliation with them. Unfortunately, I don't think we can be much help to you. If you ever have a BCS related question, please feel free to reach out.

Regards, BCS.

I was part of the BC Committee for 8 years as a Member and Treasurer under ARCHERS' different BC Managers who were very deceitful and unethical. They protected the Developer/Builder appointed also Caretaker who breached the BCCM Act1997 due to conflict of interests. The complex has 92 units and townhouses which are run down. The complex received recently compliance notices from the Shire. They were related to untidy backyard, hazardous spelling concrete under the balconies and inadequate drainage causing flooding.

The CEO does not respond to Owners' concerns. Archers should be closed down by the Queensland BCCM Commissioner.

Ha, Holma how long have you worked for Archers! :)

Hi Holma, I was part of the BC Committee for 8 years as a BC Committee Member and Treasurer with ARCHERS' having different "kids" as BC Manager. "kids" meaning year 10 level students standards and unqualified to conduct meetings without any target dates or commitments.

Strata community Australia won't investigate them as the chief executive officer of bcs is the president of strata community Australia

ACCC asked us to refer them to Department of Fair Trading recently. So did the Police and Department of Land (for illegal registration of several by-laws in large strata complex). If anyone really wants hard-core proofs that can be forensically verified and examined, search internet for keyword "nswstratasleuth".

The evidence is there and cannot be disputed...

It seems more and more owners are taking actions to deal with BCS Strata Management.

Why waste time .. lets collaborate & put a VCAT case againts BCS .

Let's take this to the media!! We have a similar issue with them we're happy to work hand in hands to ensure we noise it and ensure everyone knows about this especially their high profile clients.

As business affairs by BCS Strata Management affect thousands of owners and investors, it is valid and proper effort to highlight their shortcomings publicly. For almost five years files have been collected about BCS:

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BCS Strata Management and Pica Group could not provide any evidence to show duty of care in many complexes.

Just during 2014, 2015 and 2016, 37 reports were written for [name removed] at Pica Group (also COO of NSW BCS). He was even offered to attend AGM 2014, which he silently declined.

One of latest examples: for 2015 AGM, an owner published plan for proper management of a large strata complex and submitted candidacy for EC membership. Strata Manager at BCS silently hid it from the agenda. Over $560,000.00 was spent during 2015 without tenders and quotes (including two major contracts for caretaker and strata manager). At rushed AGM 2015, unaudited report was provided to owners to vote on (only 10 owners attended in person, out of 218).

To this day, four months later, audit accounts are hidden from owners, in spite of PAID document search as per SSMA 1996 S108. And that has happened for fifth year in a row. Department of Fair Trading recommended engagement of forensic auditor, and that was also not allowed at AGM 2015.

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If you want to know what an owner requested in advance for AGM or EGM 2016, view it here. It has been published so that enough witnesses can confirm it.

external link 

This is what reputable strata Inspector [name removed] from Strata Property Inspections Pty Ltd wrote the following to Minister for Fair Trading NSW in 2013:

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The power of public coordinated efforts can make the difference. It worked for Vodafail, for example, in spite of Vodafone initially ignoring the customers.

In the 2004 case of BCS Strata Management vs [name removed], the strata manager attempted to defend their actions by claiming protection under indemnity.

The facts of the case are as follows:

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[name removed] had injured herself in a lift.

The floor of the lift did not settle level with the floor of the building. It dropped down some 18cm.

When [name removed] stepped into the lift, she fell and injured her leg.

[name removed] sued the Owners Corporation and BCS Strata Management,

[name removed] won her case in the lower court and it was appealed in the Supreme Court.

[name removed] claimed that the Owners Corporation and the Strata Manager had breached their duty under section 62 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 1996.

The Owners Corporation and BCS cross claimed against each other. One of the claims by BCS was that they were indemnified under their managing agent’s agreement.

The Court of Appeal found that there was no breach of statutory duty.

The Court held that a strata manager could not claim protection under indemnity where the strata manager was sued in their own capacity for their own negligence.

Two important outcomes:

No indemnity will protect a strata managing agent from their own negligence.

The protection is only relevant where an Owners Corporation is sued by an injured party and the Owners Corporation makes a claim on the strata manager under a cross claim. In other words, Owners Corporations are prevented from blaming their strata manager where only the Owners Corporation is sued.

Considering the fact that any good litigator would sue both the agent and the Owners Corporation, indemnities are almost of little relevance. They provide no protection to the strata manager if sued directly and the strata manager has done something wrong.

Where to start with an answer to this. "prodreview-bcs" you need to learn how a strata plan functions, I have used many strata management companies over the years and have a good understanding of the basics from being on the committee and via Flat Chat etc.

"BCS, just in one complex, refused to attend Mediation at Department of Fair Trading three times. That is, apparently, legal in Australia!? " Of course it is!! the strata manager acts on behalf of the owners and committee. They will only attend if they are instructed to, and too bloody right otherwise they will be charging each strata plan to attend of matters that have no relevance. The committee should attend as they run the building, the strata manager just helps.

"CTTT member being friendly with a strata manager" well of course. You see lawyers being friendly with judges all of the time, why would it be any different?

And wow PRRR I can only assume you are this NSWStrataSleuth you reference and my god man, that stuff on your site is insane. You seriously need to get a life and move onto some fresh targets as that is just a rambling mess. Try the banks they are always good fun to poke at with a stick :)

Hi Oldgraymare, ACCC should take notice of how Owners are financially exploited. But, even if evidence is provided, will the ACCC take action? Archers "The Strata Professionals" were also reported to the Whitsunday Shire Council (forced them to comply with backyard regulations, spalling concrete from balconies and inadequate drainage etc..). The BC Committee remains silent and Archers CEO feels that he is not obligated to respond to Owners and their Proxies. What do you do then?

This seems like what happens with Archers calling themselves "The Strata Professionals" in Airlie Beach.

This seems like what happens with Archers calling themselves "The Strata Professionals" in Airlie Beach.