Progressive Strata Services

Unfathomable Incompetence – What more can I say that hasn’t already been said. They don’t respond to emails. They don’t respond to phone calls. They issue levy notices late and then issue demand notices or interest payment threats that are contrary to the terms on their invoices. They should be investigated by fair trading. It’s amazing that they are still in business.

Mind blowing incompetence! – I have read many of the reviews about this company and heartily endorse many of the comments about their incompetence. Our complex of mixed residential and commercial schemes with a BMC suffered significant accounting errors that after a 10 year audit identified errors amounting to $80,000 that had to be refunded from the residential scheme to… Read more

the commercial scheme. For the commercial scheme of 8 lots, that was significant! And not even an apology to the owners! A recent quite simple matter that was understood by the owners immediately took 17 emails to and from the strata manager to resolve, all at a significant cost per email and strata manager time charges. Their online portal was constantly out of date. Happy to now have a competent company managing our affairs.

Knowledgeable and Professional – We have used Progressive Strata for two years and I have always found them to be very knowledgeable and professional in my dealings with them. My emails are always responded to in a timely manner and the owner is always helpful. especially recently as I have been having a few issues with our very old building and problem tenants! The owner has… Read more

a lot of experience and always goes above and beyond to assist me with any information or advice I may require. It really helps having someone who cares.

I am very happy with their service and I would recommend Progressive Strata without hesitation.

Happy with Progressive Strata's management – Our building is managed by Progressive and we are happy with their management. Have found the owner has excellent knowledge of Strata Regulations and Laws and can guide us when things go a bit pear shaped. Their prices seem much the same as other management companies. Love being able to check our Levy statement and all invoices online using StratMAx and also their very efficient online voting system.

Experience, Strong and Decisive strata manager – I found Progressive Strata (ProStrata) to be an effective and experienced strata manager that knows, explains and follows the law and most importantly stands up against disruptive and confrontational owners. It's likely that it is the same disruptive owners that give Prostrata and other strata companies the one star reviews when they don't get… Read more

what they are NOT entitled to. I've had experience with 6 strata managers, 3 in this building within 4 years and ProStrata are by far the best out of the 6.

Avoid, avoid, avoid Or Watch Your Funds Disappear – Reading the one star reviews on this site I kept thinking that they must have been written by someone in my building but then I see that they go back two or three years. It just goes to show that our experiences are not imagined or fanciful. You expect not everyone will be happy but even looking at reviews of prostrata - 20 one star votes and only… Read more

2 five star votes says it all. Whereas many other companies have a small percentage of one star votes with a greater percentage of four and five star votes.

If I could give Zero I would. What Strata company would put themselves forward and want to remain as the Strata Managers for a property when a Majority of Owners voted to get RID of them. Let's see if I am threatened by [name removed] with legal action. I see other people here have experienced this behaviour by her.

If she had any integrity she would have recommended that we revote and make sure everyone who wanted to vote was financial as we were operating in a time of Covid when we couldn't be in a physical meeting.

We had already voted to get rid of Progressive. We were voting for a new Strata company and a minority put Progressive back on as an option. She won on a technicality but knows a majority of the Owners are not happy with the result. Terrible experience!

This has just been the cherry on the cake of our experience with Progressive. The cake consists of what many other mention here . Here is a brief outline: Strata notices sent out late and then going the other way - ridiculously early. Funds drained from our strata funds over a short period of time. Fees, fees, fees - emails, photocopying, photocopying print out of fees paid on line.... Principals hourly rate of $280 billed but not broken down to account for the hours billed. Just told number of hours. Tradies who charge what they like - who knows why she finds the most expensive trades? When owners want to vote to only allow for $500 to be spent without the approval of the committee, principal has a hissy fit and says she won't manage the building unless we make it $5000. So she can spend up to $5000 without getting any approval from the committee. She writes her own and her engineer's cheques. If you dare to question actions taken or money spent. she threatens you at the AGM to have security remove you from the building or even call the police and charge you with trespassing. When you are an owner on the AGM notice and are supposed to be there. Her next form of attack is to threaten you with legal action or sue you with defamation. Funny that is also what her engineer does when you dare to ask him about his work. If this was a stand alone house, I would have a right to ask an engineer about their findings or a trade about the money they have told me they are going to or have gone ahead and charged me on a job. I don't see a difference in a building where I contribute a significant amount of money. All issues mentioned by other owners of other strata plans have been experienced by me. This is a very strange business and all dealings with them have been awful. I dread any dealings with them and I guess this is how they get to do what they want as anyone who questions them gets so bullied that they just avoid any contact or communication with them. They give up and let them go ahead and do what they like.

PROACTIVE is the key – Since going with PSS 18-24 months ago they have steered away from quick & temporary fixes. Resulting in permanent & positive results. This being more cost effective long term, making for happier landlords & tenants. A proactive team!!!!

Manager abuses proxy votes – Waste of money doesn't know what they are talking about. Does not inform owners of AGM. They raise the levies by ridiculous amounts so that people lose there right to vote they disregard the original meeting regarding levy agreements judging by my experience and by the other reviews IMHO they must be abusing proxy votes. They sent me a bill… Read more

stating a special levy was passed when i asked the other lot owner, they stated in a text that they did not make a special levy request nor did they past it.

The strata manager made a special levy changes without having a proxy vote in place at that time.

The strata manager claimed that floor plans have no bearing in strata which could be classed as misleading.

Also the strata manger tried to say we didn't pay a levy when we did the manager doesn't even know when their accountant process the payment. Like to add I spoke to lawyer regarding the levies and found out that they incorrectly added their lawyer fees into the Levi account and made it so that we couldn’t vote in the meetings.

Never trust this strata company – Run away from this strata company as far as you could. This company will keep on stirring matters from good to bad or from bad to worst so that they could endless charge you with high levies. Once you got in then very hard to get out.

Abysmal and surly – While initially good for our building (see other comments here) this turned out to be a nightmare. A budget incorrectly added up and $70k unaccounted for. (Good thing the EC treasurer was there to sort that our for this incompetent staff member.) A $7000 bill to photocopy an AGM agenda for 100 units (yes SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS). Calls not… Read more

returned. Emails answered days or weeks later. Notices of levies sent out a few days before they are due - and then they become aggressive when you ask why this occurs - and then try and fine you for being late. An accounts department which just got so much wrong so frequently. The most unpleasant principal you can imagine. While she claimed that she wanted to make our transition to a new company smooth and sent a nice email on the day of the handover, I later found out that she was bad-mouthing me and the committee to the new strata manager. I would have left off leaving a negative review - as there are already so many. But I do not like being spoken about behind my back or hearing other committee members denigrated by the cold-blooded principal of an incompetent company. And regardless of whatever outdated 1950s feelings the principal has of my 'lifestyle choice', it's not good form to voice negative opinions about paying customers and their relationships. And it's not a choice, btw.

Low life company hungry for your dollars – I'll cut the words short, they are criminals and corruption and all. Strata manager does nothing but make bills for you to pay and take your money with other people. People like these just wow serious when the luck running into these people. matters will be worst.

Run AWAY – Hopeless , Useless and clearly grossly understaffed. NEVER returning emails or calls. Continually chasing for replies and detail . Not the function of Committees.

Stay away! – By far, THE WORST strata agency I have ever dealt with. Calls not returned, emails that take days if not weeks to be followed up, a seemingly perpetual out of office on the principal's email... and just a litany of excuses (if they even bother to provide one) as to why everything seems to disappear into a black hole. And then when you try leave...… Read more

oh boy! Every loophole and obstacle is used to make sure the exit is as dragged out as possible. Do yourself a favour and avoid the nightmare.

Progressive Strata – Be careful of using Progressive Strata. They look over the management of our building 8 years ago and helped with getting the budget back on track but since the honeymoon period was over, the service from this organisation is dreadful. Do not pay creditors on time. Do NOT RESPOND to emails in a timely fashion. In my few hopeless and unorganised.

Overwhelmingly incompetent and difficult to escape – I've experienced a number of Strata Management companies in my 29 years of Strata Living (mostly as a member of the Executive Committee of Owners Corporations) and PSS was the worst I've ever dealt with. It was well neigh impossible to get the simplest things done and when they were caught out they simply lied or passed the buck. When complaints… Read more

were raised the principal of the business was dismissive and manipulative. No failure was ever admitted or conciliation proposed and in the spirit of "the best defense is an offence" she hid behind nonsensical quasi legal claptrap.

A stressful and intensely frustrating experience. Avoid it if you can.

Rude, Incompetent And Unprofessional – Stay away from this company! I am an owner and a member of the EC and have been lied to on multiple occasions, don't get my emails or phone calls returned and my complaints are disregarded.

Treated with Respect by Progressive Strata – As a tenant it is very refreshing to walk into an office and be treated with dignity and respect. Far to often tenants are treated as second class citizens with little or no rights by strata managers who look down their noses at tenants. It is refreshing to walk into an office and be greeted in a friendly manner and shown respect such is the… Read more

case with Progressive Strata.

Whenever I raise an issue over maintenance for my rented unit, Progressive Strata's reception ensures it is repaired as soon as possible, many times it has been elevated and the owner of the business has gone out of her way to get tradespeople there on the weekend for water leaks and sewerage problems.

Progressive certainly lead the way in customer relations, other agents have a hard act to follow.

Competent, Transparent and Highly Efficient Strata Managers – Progressive Strata Services were compulsory appointed by NCAT to run our very dysfunctional strata which was being grossly mismanaged by another strata company. The previous manager had allowed a lot owner to get quotes, authorize payment to dodgy contractors without any input from the Executive Committee and in general run the strata as a… Read more

fiefdom to the benefit of both of them.

It was only when Progressive were appointed that we had openness, transparency, and honesty in the running of our strata.

I would recommend Progressive to any owners corp seeking a new manager and in particular any strata having difficulties.

They will cut through all the rubbish at the expense and annoyance of any vexatious, litigious and self centered committee members to ensure that meetings are held to the benefit of all lot owners.

Highly Recommended

Stay away from PSS!!! – The principal had little formal education, the highest is a TAFF certificate, but she pretend to know everything in strata law and management. There are countless examples of misconduct, misleading, dishonest, abuse of power and conflict of interest. There is no Code-of-Ethics in her dictionary but money at any costs of the owners. I heard that NSW strata managers charged with fraud, this could happen to her, so keep a close eye on her.

Echo review of Dec 03 2009 - avoid at all costs – As an owner and corporate body member, I can only echo the most frightening comments posted elsewhere here. Scrutinize your accounts and be very aware of any work that gets kicked off. I could talk about 'structural engineers,' astronomical 'consultancy fees' that no-one authorized or expected, and baseless legal threats for payment that were never followed up (because there wasn't a leg to stand on). Run for the hills - we did.

Expensive and rude – Warning: do not go there. They charge for absolutely everything and increase their fees without notice. Most of their staff are extremely rude, unhelpful and inefficient (with the exception of a part-time contractor). The MD has excellent knowledge about Strata laws but she is invisible and you end up dealing with the Receptionist and it can take a week to answer a simple email, if it gets answered at all!

The most incompetent service I have ever dealt with! – I want my review to serve as a warning to other consumers: I have worked with this service for over 5 years now. I could only describe them as incompetent, rude & inefficient. The owner is the most unprofessional person I have ever had to deal with. And as such I would highly recommend that you utilise another service to manage your property. Avoid Progressive Strata Services at all costs.

Highly Skilled Mess Fixers – PSS are excellent strata managers that are very knowledgeable. They fixed our scheme from being $250k in debt (as a result of Strathfield Partners incompetence) and about to lose a several million dollar lawsuit. They do the hard yards to avert disaster. They work well with the Executive Committee. They're worth their price. Only reason I didn't… Read more

give 5 stars is day-to-day customer service can be lacking, but this has noticeably improved.

Other commenters if they're from my building have no idea what they're talking about, they're led by a stupid (possibly mentally ill) lady who was helping the builder sue us for millions. Levies were high because of the previous manager Strathfield Partners and are $1000 cheaper this year because of PSS.

If your scheme needs help, get PSS. Extremely competent, avert disaster, hands-on problem solvers Customer service occasionally lacking

Very professional service – Progressive was engaged as our Strata Manager in a scheme (80 units) with a dysfunctional owners corporation and a massive pending court case against the developer/builder. They have now been appointed as Administrator of the scheme and have worked very diligently and professionally towards running the scheme properly, having essential works done,… Read more

and working towards a settlement of the claim against the developer/builder which will rectify all the defects and avoid costly court action.

Rude and unprofessional – As an owner of a tenanted property, I have had to deal with Progressive Strata on several occasions re: leaks from common property and charges from a false smoke alarm response. On all occasions, I have found it extremely difficult to get any clear information or explainations from them. Three separate people I have dealt with in the office were… Read more

curt, dismissive and downright condescending when I was just trying to understand or resolve an issue. Dealings could be so much easier if they were more polite and patient in their communication with owners. We pay them a lot of money, and should be entitled to ask a few questions and follow up repair issues without being belittled. With our leak issue, it took several follow-up calls over several weeks to finally get it resolved. Since they took over managing our building, special levies have been continual. I understand they must have to deal with lots of different tenants and owners, and lots of issues, but that's no excuse for being so rude.

Incredibly rude, high costs, continual special levies

Not recommended – Progressive Strata were appointed in 2010. Before they were appointed the previous strata management fees were less than $48,000. In 2011 Progressive Strata fees were $77,700, in 2012 $70,500, in 2013 $82,000. Before you proceed to appoint this company seek at least 3 references and 3 other quotes from strata companies. Expensive for the service provided.

Professional approach to strata! – As a member of the committee I am disappointed in those who seem to have chosen to vent themselves via this forum. Some facts for those who do not attend the meetings but seem to visit this site are the following: When we changed to Progressive Strata, they helped us sort out hundreds of dollars in creditors because the previous agent had… Read more

failed to inform us as to an adequate budget.

We also had an ongoing court case which required funding from owners. Between the creditors and the case we were left with no option but to strike significant levies that caused everyone pain and Progressive acted on the Committee’s instructions to debt recover those who did not pay or make a payment plan in a timely manner. This action has dramatically improved our financial status.

We were also faced a fire order and Progressive Strata were instructed by the committee to commence action in the Office of Fair Trading against offenders, including tenants as if this was not done we faced a fine of over $1mil as well as an order from the council.

The committee are grateful to Progressive that they have the knowledge and courage to take on the difficult issues our scheme has faced and worked with the committee toward resolving them to everyone’s benefit. 12 months on we are all so much better off, our strata records are so much better now for anyone looking to sell.

Efficent and well structured – I am writing this from the perspective of both an active EC member as well as an owner. We moved to Progressive after using one of the very large Australian wide Strata Management firms. We went out to the market place and spoke with 4 or 5 other strata firms. We went we PSS based upon the recommendation from another OC and also speaking with… Read more

each of the firms (and getting quotes from them).

While we have found them to be curt at times, we have also found them to be efficient and well organised.

They are very good at giving knowledgeable advice and the principal who I have dealt with on many times is happy to help.

I know that some owners have had issues with them, but the ones I know in my building that are complaining are those that are trying to get out of paying or shirking some other responsibility. It is commonly when PSS (acting on behalf of the OC) try to bring them into line that they get upset.

Our previous Strata Manager lets things slide and every many tens of thousands of dollars of debt accumulate. Moving to PSS has really helped on this side.

I would happily recommend PSS, and have done so when asked in person. As a member of the EC on behalf of the building I found them very well organised, and efficent. They assisted us in chasing up outstanding debts and had good recommendations for building repairs etc. The principal was extremely knowledgeable (unlike what other reviewers have said) and does give us good advice. Could take a few days to reply to email, but always did. Some other owners found it hard to get through to the right person. The principal is very knowledgeable but sometimes comes across as slightly arrogant.

Approach with caution – PSS were our Strata Managers for close to 10 years, getting them out of our building was a bit like quitting smoking, a difficult thing to do but worth the effort in the end. This company is a disgrace, the principal [name removed] is a very difficult person to deal with, i would strongly advise those looking for strata management to do themselves and their building a favour and keep looking if considering Progressive Strata.

Terrible – You would be better off hiring a career criminal than this bunch of dishonest self interested incompetant people. The principal cant spell, cant form sentences, is rude, arrogant and we have been advised that she is having a close relationship with a consultant she regularly hires. How do you spell "conflict of interest"? BE VERY CAREFUL if… Read more

considering hiring this company. It is worth paying more for honesty and integrity. Once hired they are very hard to get rid of. They cost our Strata a significant amount of money and all owners are very annoyed.

These people should be investigated for fraud. They spend money without approval and without reference to budgets. They are rude and act only in their interests without a thought for owners.

Terrible – Need I say more??? Just a really bad agency run by disgusting human beings. The worst of all is the principal. I do not know how she even holds a license, though that may change in the future. Stay away - you have been warned ***WARNING*** Do not use this agency for anything. They are dangerous. The principal is rude, self serving and… Read more

obnoxious. We are their clients and they act as if they are doing us a favour, and we get charged for it!!! They don’t do what they say they will. Getting rid of them was almost impossible and expensive.

If this is a “progressive” agency I’m all for regression!

Please do not use them. There are so many other agencies out there that will treat you like a valued customer and take the worry out of managing a strata scheme. This agency only complicates matters and wastes money.

From a tenants perspective – I've had dealings with Progressive Strata, as a tenant, and found them aggressive and harassing. They bombarded me with emails and letters stating that complaints had been made about me, but when I asked for more specific details none was provided. Their reaction to me stating that I felt harassed was simply to state that they were merely the messenger. They should rename their company aggre Strata not Progressive Strata. Rude and aggressive.

Terrible – Absolute heap of rubish. Will not stay in business long! Not sure how they managed to have a business in the first place. They don't even know the basics of Strata Law. Nothing, Good sales spiel when trying to get your business Arrogant and rude. Refuse to take and return calls Worst Strata service ever experienced