The short version
- During the initial period the developer controls the scheme but must act in its interest and hand over a specific set of documents.
- The first AGM elects the committee, adopts budgets, insurance and the maintenance plan, and receives the handover.
- The defect window is the scheme's chance to hold the builder to account — it needs evidence from day one.
- Set up the register, portal and schedule before the first committee is elected, not after the first failure.
The initial period
When a strata plan is registered the developer (the original owner) holds all the lots and controls the owners corporation or body corporate. The legislation restricts what can be done in this period — long contracts, alterations to common property and certain expenditure are limited — and requires the developer to convene the first annual general meeting within a set time after the initial period ends (in NSW, within two months). In Queensland the equivalent is the original owner control period; in Victoria the developer's obligations to the owners corporation are set out in the Owners Corporations Act and the Subdivision Act.
What must be handed over
Plans and approvals
Registered strata plan, by-laws, development consent, occupation certificate, as-built drawings and specifications.
Certificates and warranties
Fire safety certificates, lift registration, manufacturer warranties, product data sheets and the building's compliance schedule.
The initial maintenance schedule
NSW requires the developer to provide an initial maintenance schedule for common property; other states expect a maintenance plan or manual. It is the seed of the preventive schedule.
Insurance and valuation
The building insurance policy, the replacement-value valuation and any public liability and office bearers' cover already in place.
Keys, fobs and access
Master keys, fob and access-control administration credentials, intercom and CCTV logins, and the register of what has been issued to whom.
Financial records
Accounts for the initial period, levies raised and paid, contracts entered, and the bank account in the scheme's name.
What the first AGM must do
Receive the handover
Table the documents above, note anything missing and resolve to pursue it. This is the moment to record what the scheme did not receive.
Elect the committee
Within the size limits for your state, with office bearers appointed. Consider a committee member with construction or building management experience for the defect period.
Adopt budgets and levies
Administrative and capital works or sinking fund budgets based on real running costs, not the developer's estimate. Under-budgeting in year one is the most common early mistake.
Confirm insurance
Check the sum insured against a current replacement-cost valuation and the policy against the Act's minimum cover.
Appoint managers
Decide on a strata managing agent, a building manager or self-management, and the terms — with the legislative limits on contract length in mind.
Adopt the maintenance plan
Commission or adopt the 10-year plan and start the preventive schedule from the initial maintenance schedule the developer provided.
Defects: evidence from day one
Statutory warranty and defect periods run from completion, and in NSW the building bond scheme for residential apartment buildings sets an inspection process within the first years after completion. The scheme's position depends on evidence: dated photographs, resident reports logged against locations, contractor findings and correspondence with the builder. A defects register kept separately from ordinary maintenance, with the warranty period against each item, is what turns a list of complaints into a claim.
Setting the scheme up properly
TowerDesk is often set up during the initial period so that the portal, the asset register, the document hub and the preventive schedule exist before the first committee is elected. Residents are onboarded as they settle; the developer's handover documents are loaded into the register; the initial maintenance schedule becomes recurring work orders; and at the first AGM the committee inherits a running building rather than a project. See how the maintenance plan becomes a schedule and how the portal supports the committee from the first meeting.
Setting up a new scheme?
Talk to us before the first AGM. We set up the building's portal and load the handover with you. Book a call.
Frequently asked questions
What is the initial period in a strata scheme?
The period after the strata plan is registered during which the developer, as original owner, controls the owners corporation or body corporate. The legislation restricts certain decisions in this period and requires the developer to convene the first AGM within a set time after it ends.
What documents must a developer hand over to the owners corporation?
Typically the registered plan and by-laws, approvals and occupation certificate, as-built drawings, warranties and certificates, the initial maintenance schedule (NSW) or maintenance manual, insurance policies and valuation, keys and access credentials, financial records for the initial period and any contracts entered. The exact list is set by your state's Act.
When must the first AGM be held?
In NSW, within two months after the end of the initial period. Queensland and Victoria set their own timeframes following the establishment of the scheme or the end of developer control. Check the Act for your state.
How long do owners have to claim building defects?
It depends on the state, the type of defect and the contract. Statutory warranty periods for residential building work and the NSW building bond scheme for apartment buildings set specific windows, so a dated defects register from the day of occupation is essential.
Can TowerDesk be set up before the first AGM?
Yes. Many schemes set up the portal during the initial period so that the asset register, document hub, preventive schedule and resident onboarding are in place when the first committee is elected.