An illustrative infographic shows a stressed woman with broken leaky pipes and tangled gears on the left. A large hand holds a magnifying glass focusing a compass on a golden path leading to a well-managed house where people review a budget and a technician works. Organized records are shown on the right.

Having Issues With Strata Management? There Is Hope

March 31st, 2026

If you are dealing with issues with strata management in British Columbia, you are far from alone. Leaky condos anyone?? Across the province, strata councils and owners routinely experience frustration with communication, finances, maintenance, and compliance. These challenges can quietly build over time until even simple decisions feel difficult.

What often gets missed in these situations is that most strata management problems are structural, not personal. They usually stem from overloaded property managers, poor training, insufficient technology, or loosely-designed procedures at your management company rather than bad intentions.

The encouraging reality is that nearly all issues with strata management can be improved once the root causes are identified. It may or may not require a change in management company. Communities do not need to accept ongoing dysfunction as the cost of strata living.

What People Usually Mean by “Issues With Strata Management”

When people say they are having issues with strata management, they are rarely pointing to one single failure. Instead, they are describing a pattern of friction that shows up in daily operations.

Owners may feel that their concerns are ignored or addressed too slowly. Councils may feel buried in emails, paperwork, and decisions they did not anticipate taking on. Financial information may technically exist but feel difficult to understand or trust. The strata may have cases pending at the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT).

In BC strata corporations, these pressures are magnified by legislative obligations under the Strata Property Act, which sets out specific requirements for governance, records, financial management, and disclosure. When systems are not designed to support those requirements, problems surface.

Communication Problems Are the First Symptom

Communication is usually the earliest and most visible issue. Owners expect timely responses. Councils expect guidance. When messages are delayed, vague, or inconsistent, frustration grows quickly.

In many cases, the underlying problem is not unwillingness to communicate. It is either:

a) a strata manager with too many buildings in their portfolio, which is a sign of a poorly-run management company; or

b) the absence of a clear communication structure. Without defined processes for submitting requests, tracking follow-ups, and distributing information, even a well-intentioned management setup becomes chaotic.

In BC strata environments, communication must also support legal obligations. Notices of meetings, budget disclosures, bylaw changes, and levy approvals all have statutory requirements. When communication systems are weak, compliance risk increases alongside frustration. The management company should be leading the way here.

Financial Confusion Undermines Trust

Few things erode confidence faster than messy finances. In strata corporations, financial transparency is essential because owners collectively fund operations and long-term maintenance.

Problems often arise when financial statements are late, inconsistent, or difficult to interpret. Councils may receive reports but not understand what they are showing. Owners may see fee increases without clear explanation.

In British Columbia, strata corporations are required to maintain proper accounting records, prepare annual budgets, and manage operating funds and contingency reserve funds separately. These are not optional best practices. They are legal obligations.

When financial systems are weak, even honest mistakes can create serious consequences, including funding shortfalls, special levies, or disputes between owners and council.

Maintenance Issues Are Usually About Neglect

When maintenance problems pile up, sadly the root cause is typically neglect or incompetence from either a) the strata manager, b) Council, or c) owners refusing to vote in favour of funding. Strata managers need to execute when given direction. Councils and owners shouldn’t continually kick the can down the road for known or likely problems with their building.

BC strata corporations are responsible for maintaining common property and, in some cases, limited common property. Determining responsibility is not always straightforward, especially when bylaws, developer disclosures, or historical practices are unclear. For a deep dive on this, refer to our practical guide.

Reactive maintenance increases costs and stress. Proactive planning, supported by the Depreciation Report and long-term and seasonal maintenance schedules, reduces emergencies and makes budgeting more predictable.

Councils Carry More Responsibility Than Many Realize

Strata councils in BC are legally responsible for:

Managing strata property and assets
Enforcing bylaws and rules
Preparing budgets and financial statements
Maintaining records
Complying with the Strata Property Act

Council’s responsibilities exist regardless of whether a management company is involved. Management companies act as agents of the strata corporation. Ultimate authority remains with the council.

This legal reality surprises many volunteer council members. Without adequate support, councils may feel exposed, stressed, and uncertain about whether they are meeting their obligations.

Compliance Issues Are Often Invisible Until They Are Not

Some of the most serious strata management issues do not show up in day-to-day operations. They surface during sales of a unit, audits, disputes, or legal proceedings.

Common BC-specific compliance risks include:

Inaccurate or incomplete Form B disclosures
Missing or poorly organized records, such as Renovation Approvals
Unregistered bylaw amendments
Inconsistent enforcement of bylaws

These problems rarely announce themselves early. They quietly accumulate until a triggering event forces them into the open.

Common Problems and Root Causes

Symptom in the Strata	Likely Root Cause	Typical Impact
Owners complain about slow responses	Overloaded strata manager	Frustration, mistrust
Financials feel unclear	Loose procedures in the management company	Suspicion, disputes
Frequent emergency repairs	No preventive maintenance planning or investment	Higher costs
Council burnout	Lack of trust in, or communication from, the strata manager	Turnover
Disputes over bylaws	Poor documentation or registration	Legal risk

This table illustrates an important point. Most issues with strata management can be resolved with a strong management company guiding the way.

Technology Helps Only When It Is Supported

Online portals, digital accounting systems, and document storage platforms are becoming more common in BC strata management. These tools can improve access and transparency, but only if implemented thoughtfully.

When owners are not trained on how to use systems, or when documents are not kept current, technology becomes another source of frustration. Tools should enable processes, not replace them.

Is the Issue Your Management Company, or Your Management Model?

This is a crucial question. Many strata corporations assume their only option is to replace their management company when issues arise.

Often that is the right choice. But sometimes, the deeper problem is that the service model does not match the community’s needs.

For example:

Smaller, well-organized stratas may be well served by financial-only management
Larger or aging buildings may need more frequent council meetings, or an online portal to stay organized
Some councils want hands-on control over maintenance but not over accounting

Recognizing this opens the door to better solutions.

Partial Support Models May Help

In British Columbia, some strata corporations are now using hybrid or financial-only management arrangements.

These models typically provide:

Professional accounting and reporting
Budget preparation
Trust account administration
Form B preparation
Record-keeping support

Councils retain control over maintenance coordination and owner communication while still reducing financial and compliance risk.

If you are considering anything less than full support by a management company, ensure all key responsibilities are met.

The Owner’s Role in Improving Strata Health

Owners are not passive participants. In BC strata corporations, owners approve budgets, elect councils, and vote on major decisions.

Constructive owner participation includes:

Reviewing meeting materials
Asking specific, informed questions
Supporting realistic budgets and necessary special levies
Volunteering when possible

Healthy strata communities rely on shared responsibility.

When a Larger Reset May Be Needed

Some warning signs suggest deeper structural issues:

Repeated financial errors
Prolonged maintenance issues that don’t get resolved
Unresponsiveness from the strata manager
Chronic non-compliance
High council turnover

At this stage, it may be time to consider a new management company. Follow this step-by-step guide to embark on that.

There Is a Path Forward

Most issues with strata management are not personal failures. They are signs that a community’s systems or management company no longer match its needs.

This is where experienced, local strata management support can help.

C&C Property Group works with strata corporations across Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley that are facing these exact challenges. Some need full-service strata management. Others operate well day to day but want professional support with accounting, budgeting, Form B preparation, and compliance through C&C’s financial-only management services.

The right level of support can restore clarity, reduce risk, and ease council workload.

If your strata is struggling, there is a practical path forward.

Get Started Now!