Strata responsibilities unclear: study

Residents and owners of strata-titled homes in NSW need better support and clearer explanations of the responsibilities that come with living in such property, a UNSW study has found.

The study, released on Monday, found that while 59 per cent of strata owners thought their fees were appropriate, many were confused about the exact responsibilities of strata management, lead author Hazel Easthope said in a statement.

Residents were also uncertain about who was responsible for funding major repairs to buildings, with 39 per cent of the 1550 people surveyed and interviewed saying they had problems regarding the management of their scheme.

"People need more information and understanding generally about how things work," Dr Easthope told AAP.

"It's not just government intervention that's needed, it's not just legislation that's needed, but it's also a wider consumer education and information and support that's needed."

People who buy a property governed by strata enter a legally binding relationship with their neighbours for the communal upkeep and maintenance of their property, Dr Easthope said.

"When you buy a strata lot you're buying the airspace inside the wall and then you're buying a joint share in everything else.

"You're also buying a joint share in the responsibility to maintain (the property and the grounds)."

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