Owners corporation certificate in Victoria: what to check before you buy

If you are buying an apartment, unit or townhouse in Victoria, there is a good chance it is part of an owners corporation. Victoria used to call these bodies corporate; other states use strata or body corporate. When you buy, you automatically become a member, you pay fees, and you agree to follow the rules.

The owners corporation certificate is the document in the Section 32 that tells you what you are joining. This guide explains what is in it and what to look for. It is general information, not legal advice.

Why it matters

Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) notes that a property in a subdivision with common property such as driveways or grounds may be subject to an owners corporation, and that you may be required to pay fees and follow rules that restrict what you can do on your property, such as a ban on pets.

The money side matters most. Low annual fees can look attractive, but if the building needs major work and there is little in the maintenance fund, owners may face a special levy. The certificate is your best early signal.

Where to find it

CAV states that if a seller is selling a lot in an owners corporation, they must include an owners corporation certificate and accompanying documents in the Section 32 statement.

What the certificate tells you

According to CAV, the owners corporation certificate attached to the Section 32 has details of:

• current fees
• insurance cover
• maintenance works carried out
• any proposed works
• fee increases
• any potential or existing legal claims affecting the property.

It typically also refers to the rules that apply and any amounts the current owner owes.

The checklist

1. The date

CAV warns that Section 32 statements are sometimes prepared up to 12 months before the sale. An old certificate may not reflect a recent special levy or new proceedings. CAV suggests buyers either ask for a new certificate before settlement or make a time to inspect the owners corporation register and records.

Practical point: look at the date on the certificate first. If it is more than a few months old, ask for an updated one before you sign, not just before settlement.

2. Fees and what they cover

• What are the annual fees for this lot, and how often are they paid?
• Are any fees unpaid by the current owner? These should be dealt with at settlement, but confirm.
• Has a fee increase been resolved but not yet charged?

3. Special levies

• Has a special levy been struck, or is one proposed?
• Who pays it under the contract? Check the special conditions. Some contracts make the buyer responsible for levies struck before settlement but payable after.

4. Maintenance fund and plan

• Is there a maintenance fund, and what is the balance relative to the age and size of the building?
• Is there a maintenance plan? For larger owners corporations it is a planning tool for future capital works. A building with lifts, a roof membrane or ageing balconies needs one.

5. Insurance

• Is building insurance current, and for what sum?
• Is there public liability cover?
• Has anything been excluded or refused? Insurance difficulties can be a sign of cladding, defect or claims history.

6. Legal proceedings and disputes

• Is the owners corporation suing or being sued? Building defect claims against a developer can run for years and may involve levies.
• Are there disputes between owners recorded?

7. Rules

• Do the rules allow what you plan to do: pets, short-term letting, renovations, parking a work vehicle?
• Have any special rules been made recently?

Look beyond the certificate

CAV suggests also reviewing:

• the owners corporation manager's details on CAV's public register of owners corporation managers
• any contracts, agreements, leases or licences affecting the common property
• the minutes of recent annual general meetings
• the contract of sale.

AGM minutes are often where problems first appear: water leaks, defect reports, arguments about a lift, a plan to strike a levy next year. If the Section 32 includes no minutes, or the most recent ones are several years old, that in itself is worth asking about. Buyers on property forums report that missing or old AGM minutes are a common prompt for further enquiries.

CAV states that it is free to view the owners corporation register, but the owners corporation can charge a fee for copies of documents. Fee limits are published by CAV.

Signs worth a closer look

• Fees much lower than similar buildings nearby with no explanation.
• A large maintenance fund drawdown or a near-empty fund in an older building.
• Proposed works with no funding plan.
• Insurance with a high excess or restrictions.
• Legal proceedings, especially about building defects or cladding.
• No AGM minutes provided, or no AGM held for some time.
• A two-lot owners corporation with no manager and no records. This is common and not necessarily a problem, but expect less documentation.

How SignSure helps

SignSure reads the owners corporation certificate in your Section 32, extracts the fees, levies, fund balance, insurance and proceedings, and flags the date of the certificate. It also flags references in the contract that make you responsible for levies. Each finding is linked to the page it came from. It is not legal advice and does not replace a strata inspection or your conveyancer.

Get a free reading of your Section 32

Related: Section 32 checklist · Strata report in NSW · QLD body corporate certificate

Frequently asked questions

Is the owners corporation certificate part of the Section 32?

Yes. CAV states that a seller of a lot in an owners corporation must include an owners corporation certificate and accompanying documents in the Section 32 statement.

What does an owners corporation certificate include?

CAV lists current fees, insurance cover, maintenance works carried out, proposed works, fee increases and any potential or existing legal claims affecting the property.

What if the certificate is old?

CAV notes statements can be prepared up to 12 months before a sale. Ask for a new certificate, or inspect the owners corporation register and records. Ideally do this before you sign.

Can I see the owners corporation's records?

CAV says it is free to view the owners corporation register, though fees can be charged for copies of documents, within published limits.

Is a special levy a reason not to buy?

Not on its own. It depends on the amount, what it pays for, who pays it under the contract, and whether the building is otherwise well managed. Ask your conveyancer about how the contract allocates it.

Sources

• Consumer Affairs Victoria, Conveyancing and contracts for sellers (selling in an owners corporation): https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/buying-and-selling-property/selling-property/conveyancing-and-contracts-for-sellers
• Consumer Affairs Victoria, Research types of property to buy (buying into an owners corporation): https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/buying-and-selling-property/buying-property/research-types-of-property-to-buy
• Consumer Affairs Victoria, Due diligence checklist: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/buying-and-selling-property/checklists/due-diligence
• Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic): https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/sale-land-act-1962

General information only, not legal advice. Last reviewed 18 October 2026.