Why self-management wins for Queensland bodies corporate
Running your own body corporate sounds complicated. It isn’t — especially now.
Traditional strata management companies charge anywhere from $400 to $1 000 per lot per year in Queensland. For a 20-lot complex that’s $8 000–$20 000 annually, most of which pays the manager’s margin, not your building.
What you actually need
A body corporate needs three things done well:
- Financial management — levy collection, invoice approval, fund accounting.
- Compliance — AGM minutes, maintenance registers, insurance, body corporate register.
- Communication — keeping owners informed, handling requests, raising motions.
None of these require a licensed manager. The Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 sets out the rules clearly, and a capable committee — supported by the right software — handles all three without the management fee.
The maths on a 20-lot complex
| Line item | External manager | Self-managed with Boco |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $8 000 - $20 000 | $3 000 (flat) |
| Levy arrears chasing | Billable extra | Automated |
| AGM preparation | Billable extra | Included |
| Owner dashboard | None | Live, always-on |
| Your saving | — | $5 000 - $17 000 / year |
That saving goes back into the sinking fund — or reduces levies directly.
Why it works now
The technology gap that justified paying a manager has closed. Levy collection, automated arrears reminders, digital voting, maintenance tracking, and full fund accounting are all table stakes for modern property software. Boco bundles them into one flat fee per lot so the cost scales with your complex, not with your manager’s hourly rate.
Queensland-specific context
Queensland has around 59 000 registered community titles schemes. The overwhelming majority are small (under 40 lots) — exactly the size where the management fee hurts most and a motivated committee can do the job well. The legislation already permits self-management; the only thing missing was the tooling.
Ready to see what self-management would look like for your scheme? Run the numbers →