Commissions for strata managers should be banned ‘sooner rather than later’, NSW productivity commissioner says

NSW Productivity Commissioner Peter Achterstraat has called for a ban on commissions for strata managers, arguing the measure is needed urgently as apartments become increasingly unaffordable housing options across Sydney. Achterstraat contends that protections for apartment owners are essential, with apartments projected to comprise half of all Sydney homes by 2041. The recommendation addresses concerns about high fees charged by strata managers who oversee common property in apartment buildings. The NSW government has not yet committed to implementing the proposal. Rising apartment ownership combined with rising management costs has made strata regulation a key consumer protection issue in the state's housing market.