Fund Forecasts For Strata Management

A sinking, reserve or capital works fund, held by body corporates of a strata titled property scheme is a fund that exists to pay for necessary and reasonable maintenance, repairs or replacements of common property and capital items. The fund collects contributions from lot owners to share the costs of maintenance and repairs.

A sinking fund forecast is a detailed estimate of the likely costs associated with capital works around the strata scheme. The estimate covers a specific time frame, generally 10 years, and then calculates how much is to be raised from lot owners to fund those works now and in the future.

Forecasts allow for (in accordance with regulations):

• Likely spending of a capital or non-recurrent nature.
• Replacement of major capital items.
• Other costs that should reasonably be met from capital.

Across the nation, state body corporate and community management regulations require a sinking fund (or reserve or capital works fund) budget to be prepared by an appropriately qualified professional.  The regulations differ by state and are linked below;

Queensland – Sinking Fund Forecast – Body Corporate and Community Management Act 2008
New South Wales – Capital Works Fund Plan – Strata Schemes Act 2006 (formerly known as a Sinking Fund)
Victoria – Maintenance Plans - Owners Corporations Act 2006
South Australia – Sinking Fund Budgets - Statutes Amendment (Community and Strata Titles) Act 2012
Western Australia – Maintenance Plans - Strata Titles Act (General) Regulations 2019

The team at Acumentis understand these regulations and are up to date with legislative changes. Our team of qualified professionals can assist in preparing a fund forecast and budget for your strata property.

Allowances must be made for the current financial year, and also to reserve an amount to meet likely spending for at least the next nine years into the future. To remain compliant the forecast must be updated every year.

Typically, we often see recurring examples of maintenance costs within a strata development that can creep up and require substantial funding, such as:

• Maintenance and repairs to all common areas of the development.
• External re-painting or at best case scenario at least a full building wash down (additional add-on costs to execute this work can include scaffolding or abseiling).
• Repair, restoration or replacement of roofing, lifts, electrical wiring, pipes.
• Replacement of all glazed windows and sliding doors in older apartment buildings.

Avoid having to raise financially stressful special levies to meet non-planned expenditure. Contact the experts at Acumentis to assist in fund forecasting and budgeting for your strata property.