Blueman wrote:
Is the actual email message (including headers, body, and attachments) typically retained as the record of correspondence? Or is it more common for strata managers to retain only a PDF copy of the notice/agenda?
This will depend greatly on how well the committee is organised and run and how professional the strata management operation is.
Bearing in mind that there are no Stratakops patrolling our schemes to make sure that we are doing the right thing, and we have yet to hear of any strata managers or committee members being punished for not keeping accurate records, then this question is verging on the hypothetical, although perfectly valid.
As for the provenance of emails – who sent them and who received them – those details are usually included in the messages and any efforts to remove them would rightly be viewed with great suspicion and potentially lead to penalties.
Here, according to our sponsors Bannerman Lawyers, are the key requirements for keeping records:
Strata Roll: A list of all owners in the scheme, including their details and unit entitlements. It must be kept for the entire life of the scheme.
Financial Records: This includes receipts, invoices, bank statements, and annual financial statements. These records must be kept for seven years.
Meeting Minutes: These should be kept for five years but are often kept indefinitely for historical reference.
Correspondence: All communication sent and received by the owners corporation and strata committee must be kept for seven years.
Signed Contracts: Contracts with strata agents and building managers must be kept for seven years.
These records are essential for transparency, accountability, and effective management of the strata scheme. Failure to maintain these records can lead to penalties and internal disputes. They can also lead to a lack of confidence among potential purchasers who would reasonably be concerned by the absence of any paper trails.
You’ll find a detailed summary of the legal requirements for retaining records HERE